Nutritional and health benefits of wild and cultivated yam (Dioscorea spp.) species consumed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

ABSTRACT: Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a tuber-producing crop and an important staple in the tropics and subtropics, valued for its nutritional, health and sociocultural relevance. However, there is limited awareness of its nutritional and health benefits among local communities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), prompting its underutilization. This study aimed to (a) document the diversity of cultivated and semi-domesticated yam species in eastern DRC; (b) explore indigenous knowledge on their nutritional and health benefits; and (c) assess the nutrient composition and antioxidant activity of major yam species consumed in the region. Data collection involved ethno-botanical surveys, plant specimen collections, interviews with 123 community members, and physicochemical profiling using standar

SUBMITTER: Mondo JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12658234 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature