BT-089 · Asteraceae

Yacón

Smallanthus sonchifolius

Evidence: LimitedGenerally safe

Yacón tubers get even sweeter if left in the sun for a few days after harvest.

Other names: Llaqon, aricoma
Part used: Root tuber
Region: Andes
Use: Food, Healing

Photo: Carlo Brescia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

In short

What is Yacón?

Yacón (Smallanthus sonchifolius) is a plant of the Asteraceae family. Traditions that use it: Andes. Part used: root tuber.

What is Yacón used for?

Traditional use: The sweet, juicy tuber is eaten raw like fruit and quenches thirst on journeys. Scientific evidence: limited. Rich in fructooligosaccharides (FOS), fibres that raise blood sugar little.

Is Yacón safe?

Safety label: generally safe. Safe as food. Too much causes gas and bloating. The long-term safety of leaf tea is unknown.

Traditional use

Andes

The sweet, juicy tuber is eaten raw like fruit and quenches thirst on journeys. The leaves are brewed in folk use for blood sugar.

Andes

Depictions of yacón appear on Moche and Nazca ceramics.

In nature

Where it grows: Andean valleys at 1,000–3,500 m in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.
Harvest season: Tubers are harvested 6–7 months after planting.
Local names: No Turkish folk name. Local names: yacón, llaqon, aricoma