Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar recommended consuming konfal during the rainy season. (Source: Getty/Instagram)
Seasonal fruits and vegetables in India are a powerhouse of nutrients and come with benefits that can heal several illnesses. Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar on her Instagram account recently spoke about the health benefits of konfal, which is a species of yam that is sweeter in taste.
Diwekar recommended consuming konfal during the rainy season. Also known as purple yam, its starchy roots taste like potato. “Traditionally, the arrival of monsoon meant eating lesser of green leafy vegetables and more of the creeper vegetables like doodhi and root vegetables and tubers like konfal. Monsoon also signalled the arrival of chaturmas four months, this year it starts from 1st July, a period of many festivals and Upavas or fasts not to be confused with the trend of fasting where the focus is to go long hours without food, in the name of cleansing or weight loss”, she wrote in her post.
Benefits of konfal or purple yam:
Benefits of konfal or purple yam:
* The root vegetable is rich in carbohydrates and vitamin C, making it ideal for the monsoon season.
* It is also rich in antioxidants which can be helpful in protecting the body from free radicals.
* It also has healing properties and can protect our body from cell damages.
* It also falls under low glycaemic index, making it apt for people with high blood sugar levels.
* The deep purple colour of this vegetable is due to anthocyanin pigments and is used as a natural food colouring agent.
“These fasts and what to eat during them are a cultural practice that has stood the test of time and is rooted in common sense. They introduced diversity in our diets in the form of tubers, pulses and smaller millets. The tubers were especially important as the fasts asked you to eat a variety of those. Nutrition science now recognises them as good sources of pre-biotic (food for healthy and diverse gut bacteria), isoflavones (that allow for hormonal wellbeing) and a variety of vitamins and minerals that improve blood sugar response. Unfortunately, a lot of our vegetables, tubers especially, are losing out as we now speak of food mostly in English. So, the broccoli, kale, etc., thrive, while the native species die. This monsoon, bring back the tubers that are part of your region and culture. In the pic is konfal kaap – shallow fried pieces of konfal”, she added.