Botanical Encyclopedia / Yacon

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius)

It is believed that Yacon originated from the high Andean Region now known as eastern Bolivia and southern Peru. Legend has it that Inca messengers would dig up the succulent tubers from beside the trail to slake their thirst.

Yacon is a distant relative of the sunflower with an edible tubers. The syrup made from this sweet root contains fructooligosacchardies (FOS). These pass through the digestive tract unmetabolized, providing few calories. The sugars, however, are metabolized by bifidobacteria in the large intestine and contribute to improved digestion.

Yacon is currently grown from Ecuador to Argentina and Brazil as a staple food crop by many indigenous peoples, some of which have used the plant ceremonially as well.