Is burdock a yam?

Burdock and yam are very common food ingredients. Since they look similar, it is easy to confuse them if you don’t pay attention. People may think that burdock is yam. In fact, this is not the case. There are differences between burdock and yam, and the effects and functions of burdock and yam are also very different. In fact, no matter which one it is, we need to remember its effects and functions.

1. The difference between burdock and yam in appearance

Burdock is a biennial herb, 1 to 2 meters tall. It is shaped like a tree root, straight and long, with few branches, a rough surface, and a cross-section with the same "annual ring" shape as a tree root.

Yam is also known as Huaishan, Huai yam, and Huai yam. The rhizome is thick, straight, and can be up to 1 meter long. Except for the velvety roots, the surface is relatively smooth compared to burdock. It is very brittle and can be easily "pinched" with a fingernail to make a dent. It is easy to break and has no "annual ring" shape on the cross section. After breaking it open, the cut surface has a sticky yam juice while burdock does not have this feature.

2. The difference between the effects of burdock and yam

Burdock is bitter and cold, and has the effects of dispersing wind-heat, clearing the lungs and relieving rashes, relieving sore throat and dispersing lumps, and detoxifying and reducing swelling. It is a wind-heat dispersing drug among the antipyretic drugs. Burdock prevents wind-heat colds. Burdock dispels wind-heat and reduces swelling and toxins. It is used to treat facial swelling caused by wind poison, dizziness, hot and swollen throat, toothache, cough, thirst, carbuncle, scabies.

Yam tastes sweet and is neutral in nature. Yam nourishes the spleen and stomach, promotes fluid production and benefits the lungs, nourishes the kidneys and astringes semen. Yam is used for weak spleen and stomach, reduced appetite, loose stools and diarrhea; cough and wheezing due to lung deficiency, spermatorrhea due to kidney deficiency; leucorrhea due to spleen deficiency in women; chronic cough and dry throat due to lung deficiency; spermatorrhea and frequent urination due to kidney deficiency; and polydipsia. It is mainly used to treat spleen and stomach weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite, long-term diarrhea and dysentery, lung qi deficiency and dryness, phlegm, asthma and cough, kidney qi deficiency, soreness of waist and knees, weakness of lower limbs, thirst and frequent urination, spermatorrhea and premature ejaculation, leucorrhea, red and swollen skin, obesity and other symptoms.

What are the nutritional values ​​of burdock?

Burdock is also known as burdock, burdock root, and oriental ginseng. Every 100 grams of fresh burdock contains 87.00 grams of water, 0.80 grams of protein, 3.00 grams of carbohydrates, 38.00 kcal of calories, 2.40 grams of crude fiber, 2.40 grams of ash, 242.00 milligrams of calcium, 61.00 milligrams of phosphorus, 7.60 milligrams of iron, 390.00 milligrams of carotene, 0.02 milligrams of vitamin B1, 0.29 milligrams of vitamin B2, 25.00 milligrams of vitamin C, 1.10 milligrams of niacin, and also contains zinc, magnesium, copper and other ingredients.

Burdock contains inulin, cellulose, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron and other vitamins and minerals needed by the human body. The carotene content in burdock is 150 times higher than that in carrots, and the protein and calcium content are the highest among root vegetables. Burdock root contains inulin and volatile oil, burdock acid, various polyphenols and aldehydes, and is rich in cellulose and amino acids.

Burdock root contains various amino acids essential to the human body, and the content is relatively high, especially amino acids with special pharmacological effects.

Burdock stems and leaves contain volatile oils, tannins, mucilage, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid, etc. Burdock fruit contains arctiin, fatty oil, sterols, thiamine, arctiol and other chemical components, of which fatty oil accounts for 25%-30%, and the iodine value is 138.83, and can be used as industrial oil.