Suran

Suran, also known as the Elephant Foot Yam, is a naturally available important vegetable. The plant is mainly grown in Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Suran is still used as herbal medicine, with references in Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha.

What is Suran (Yam)?

Elephant Foot Yam is a very unusual herb that you are certainly aware of. Jimikand, Elephant Yam, Indian Yam, and Suran are some of the other names of it. It derives its name based on the fact that it does have a rugged exterior and resembles an elephant’s foot. It’s a nutrient-dense veggie that can also be used as a protein source when on a plant-based diet. Suran is a herb that has been in use for medicinal reasons in the past.

Amorphophallus campanulatus, also known as suran, Jimikand, or elephant foot yam, is a tuber or corm of the Amorphophallus campanulatus vine. It is widely grown as a natural resource and eaten as a vegetable in India. It has a bulbiferous brown colour and has a rough and stony appearance. This crop does not have the same enticing appearance as asparagus or broccoli, but it is packed with health benefits. Don’t let expensive and fancy veggies steal the show from this nutritious Indian crop, and learn why you should include it in your diet!

Different names for Elephant Yam are:

• Jimikand
• Suran
• Ol
• Indian Yam
• Elephant Yam
• White spot giant arum
• Cheeky Yam
• Chena Yam
• Karunai Kizhangu plant or karunai kilangu
• Senai Kilangu plant or Senai Kizhangu plant
• Amorphophallus paeoniifolius is the Scientific Name

The Elephant Foot Yam is rich in nutrients and has many health benefits. It is derived from the herb Amorphophallus paeoniifolius. The flower of the Elephant Yam is known as the stinky lily cos of the odour it emits after it blooms.

Elephant Yam is a tuber or root vegetable that is usually crushed or fried before making curries. It can also be used to make chips when fried. Suran vegetable roots are often fried and consumed. The leaves and stems of the Jimikand are also consumed in the Philippines, where it is known as pongapong.

Reason You Must Eat It

Suran is a nutritionally tuber with a high carbohydrate content. Suran, after rice and maize, is Indonesia’s third most valuable source of carbohydrates. Vitamin C, B-complex vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin), calcium, and manganese are all abundantly found in the tubers. The orange-colored flesh of the corn also incorporates beta-carotene. Suran is high in dietary fibre and phytosterols, which are compounds that aid in the reduction of bad cholesterol (LDL), allowing it to be heart-healthy and easily digestible. Suran has a lower operating cost than potatoes, making it an excellent option for diabetics.

Here Are A Few Reasons Why You Should Eat It

• Helps in Digestion
  Jimikand is an astringent with such a hot digestion effect and a pungent flavour. It reduces mucus and gas while rising bile and thereby aiding digestion due to its thermal influence. Its intake encourages a sense of lightness and has metabolic-improving effects.

• Skin Benefits
  Suran, also known as Jimikand, contains isoflavones that can help with pigmentation, sagging, and skin conditions while also tightening it. Long-term use can aid in the smoothing and softening of your skin.

• Weight Loss-Inducing
  Jimikand, also identified as elephant foot yam, is high in beneficial bacteria that aid digestion. As a result, people suffering from bloating, gastric symptoms, or indigestion may prefer to eat this vegetable.

• Defends Against Diseases
  Vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients can help with a variety of health problems. Obesity, heart disease, asthma, and cancer sufferers, for instance, must have this miracle veggie in their diet to recover from their illnesses.

• Hormones are boosted
  Jimikand is an excellent vegetable for both girls and boys who are still developing, as it can actively improve and control hormones. They will get heavier, taller, and leaner as a result of this.

Cooking tips & how to adopt Jimikand in your diet?

Due to its stony surface, Suran or Jimikand can be difficult to cut. While cutting, wash the yam carefully to clear any soil. It can be minced or sliced depending on the dish you’re preparing. Since Jimikand has irritating effects, it’s common practise to boil it in vinegar water, lemon, alum, or tamarind after cutting it.

Following that, you will enjoy it in a variety of ways.

Whatever you plan to make with this miracle vegetable, leave it immersed in water until you’re about to roast it because it tends to discolour and oxidise.

Chips: After thoroughly washing the vegetables, thinly slice them and shallow fry them in hot oil. Such snacks are a delicious snack for both children and their elders.

Curry sauce: Boil the vegetables in vinegar water after cutting them into cubes. After the yam has been boiled, make a curry with onions and tomato puree. Mix the masalas together and add the yams. Cook until the food is al dente, covered.

• Recipes for Elephant Foot Yam

Until consumed, the Indian Yam must be roasted, and it can be substituted for potatoes or root vegetables. Elephant Yam may be used in place of them in main courses or eaten as a side dish. It could also be thinly sliced and fried like popcorn, and served as a snack.

In India, the Suran vegetable is widely used more as a protein source. This is fantastic since eating a vegetable diet is the best option.

The Jimikand or Suran, like potatoes, can be cooked or mashed. Suran has a flavour that is similar to yams or sweet potatoes, but without the sweetness. When cooked, it has a rather neutral taste and, like potatoes, absorbs the flavour of the dish to which it is added. In some parts of India, Indian Yam is pickled. It’s also occasionally used to produce protein food.

Side Effects and Safety

Since the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has not yet assessed wild yam for medicinal purposes, there is little knowledge on its side effects.

While wild yam is a natural product, it does not come without risks. Wild yam is considered a good thing for most, especially in different doses. Huge quantities of wild yam, on the other hand, can cause side effects such as:

• Stomach ache
• Vomiting
• Migraines
• Digestive problems

Wild yam can also cause allergic reactions in certain individuals. When wild yam comes in contact with the skin, it can irritate the skin.

Wild yam should not be used by anyone who has hormone-sensitive diseases like breast cancer or uterine fibroids. Wild yam has the potential to affect oestrogen activity and exacerbate the disease.

While there is limited evidence to say whether wild yam is healthy to eat during childbirth, breastfeeding, or when children are young. As a result, experts recommend people to stop eating wild yam these days.

Certain drugs have been found to interfere with wild yam. It will, for example, interfere with estradiol, a hormone found in some birth control drugs and hormone treatment therapies.

There’s a chance wild yam interacts with other drugs, but further research is required. Before consuming wild yam, it is necessary to seek medical advice to ensure that it is safe to consume.

Prospects

While wild yam is used by traditional medicine to treat a range of ailments, more analysis is needed to ascertain its safe usage and efficacy.

Wild yam can interfere with other drugs and cause side effects if consumed in significant quantities. As a result, it is important to consult a physician before consuming wild yam.

Last But Not Least

Yams are colourful tuber crops that are high in nutrients. Fiber, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, and antioxidants are all abundant in them. Yams have been linked to a variety of health benefits, including improving brain health, reducing inflammation, and controlling blood sugar levels. They’re a perfect vegetable to use in your diet in both sweet and savoury dishes because they’re flexible and simple to cook.