The Benefits of Yams for High-Endurance Athletes
by Melinda Burris

This article explores the benefits of adding yams (also known as sweet potatoes) to your regular diet regimen. We’ll explore this nutrient-rich vegetable and how high-endurance athletes, particularly hurdlers and sprinters can gain the fuel they need to train effectively when eating more yams. How yams aid in workout recovery and additional health benefits will also be discussed.

Americans are most familiar with Garnet yams, the name of which can be attributed to the potato’s red-purple skin. This type of yam is known for its taste and consistency akin to that of pumpkin. Other common varieties in the US include Jewel and Covington; the sweetness of the latter can be credited with yams also being called sweet potatoes.¹ But before you assume you would be quickly bored with eating this food regularly, consider the numerous other types of yams you can add to your diet.

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Other Types of Yams

1. Filipino Purple Yams (also known as Ube) – This kind of yam has thick brown skin and flesh that ranges in color from light lavender to purple. Ubes are used to create baked goods.²
2. Japanese Mountain Yams – Cylindrical in shape, these yams have a pale skin and flesh that is white. These fall into a category known as sticky yams and their texture is oily. Traditionally, these yams are served raw in salads after having been peeled and then sliced thinly. They are also combined with rice wine and soy sauce to craft a salad dressing.²
3. Okinawan Yams – The purple flesh of these sweet yams is used to make desserts including ice creams. Other ways of preparing Okinawan yams include mashing and roasting them and eating them as candied yams.²
4. Tropical Yams – These yams are known by quite a few names including Indian yams and cush-cush. The skin of Tropical yams is thick and textured while the flesh is white and firm. This bland vegetable is served as a mashed dish.²

Nutritional Information for Yams

100 grams (3.5 cups) contains 116kCals, 1.49g protein, 0.14g fats, 27.5g carbohydrates, and 3.9g fiber. Yams are also rich in vitamins and minerals: 14mg calcium, 0.2mg copper, 0.52mg iron, 18mg magnesium, 49mg phosphorus, and 12.1mg vitamin C, and are very high in potassium at 670mg/per serving.²

Fitness Fuel Source

Because they are complex carbohydrates, yams help to replenish glycogen stores and serve as a great pre-workout fuel source that can help you sustain a high-energy level training session or a long run.³

Muscle Recovery

Melissa Prest, a registered dietician and nutritionist who serves as the national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics advises, “Within an hour post-workout, we want to replenish our fuel reserves and support muscle recovery by eating a snack, not a large meal, that includes carbohydrates and protein.”⁴ Eating yams post-workout can help your body restore its lost glycogen stores, assisting in muscle recovery.  The copper in yams can also assist in restoring energy levels and is good for preserving healthy muscle tissue.⁴

Rich in antioxidants, yams are an excellent anti-inflammatory food that assists in reducing chronic inflammation. Numerous scientific studies demonstrate yams are effective in reducing inflammation. Therefore, incorporating yams into your diet regularly can help prevent common health conditions related to inflammation such as heart disease and diabetes.⁴

The anti-inflammatory properties of yams have also been shown effective in improving other conditions related to inflammation including arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and ulcers.⁴

Other Health Benefits of Yams

Yams are an excellent source of dietary fiber. Scientific studies show that fiber helps with weight loss because fiber is digested by the body slowly, leaving you feeling satiated. This helps prevent cravings and helps avoid overeating. This means a regular diet of yams can trigger weight loss.³

In addition, the high fiber content in yams promotes good gut health while yams increase the number of good bacteria in the body resulting in a strengthened immune system.³

Enhanced Cognitive Function

A controlled investigative study demonstrated that eating yams can aid in improving cognitive function. Yams contain the bioactive phytochemical diosgenin which has been proven to boost brain functions such as recall and learning ability.³

Promotes Good Vision and Skin

In addition to all the other essential vitamins and minerals yams contain, they also contain 18,869 IU of vitamin A or b-carotene, which the body converts into retinol which supports healthy vision and skin.⁴

Could Eating Yams be Part of the Reason for the Success of Jamaican Runners?

There have been numerous theories put forth to try and explain why Jamaican runners including sensation Usain Bolt have had such overwhelming success in sprinting competitions. One such theory credits “the local prevalence of a so-called ‘speed gene’ [to] the stimulating effect of eating yams with regularity, and even the country’s aluminum-rich soil (which, when absorbed through a pregnant woman’s diet, might help the development of ‘fast-twitch muscle fibers’ used in sprinting.” ⁵

What are Fast-Twitch Fibers?

Also known as white fibers or type II fibers, fast-twitch fibers “are skeletal muscles that help with power performance for short periods.”⁶ Fast-twitch fibers allow for high-speed exertion for short bursts of time and as such are highly beneficial to athletes participating in hurdling, sprinting, and motions that require speed and agility.⁶

To Sum Up

Yams come in a rich variety of types and can be easily cooked in a variety of ways from baking to eating some varieties raw in salads and others in desserts. Rich in complex carbohydrates, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals, studies have proven that a regular diet of yams can assist in fueling your workout and restoring glycogen stores in the body post-workout. The anti-inflammatory properties inherent in yams also make them a wise choice for incorporation into your regular diet regimen.

References:

1. (n.d.). 16 Shades of Sweet: A Sweet Potato Guide.
2. Patel, H. (28 July 2022). 9 Unexpected Health Benefits of Yams.
3. Vitality Healthclub. (14 June 2024). 6 Ways Sweet Potatoes Boost Your Health and Fitness.
4. Haase, M. (30 April 2024). The 11 Best Foods for Muscle Recovery, According to Nutritionists.
5. Bethea, C. (18 August 2016). A Surprising Theory About Jamaica’s Amazing Running Success.
6. Ayuda, T. (13 April 2024). What Are Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers?

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