Supplement
Yacon is an Andean root vegetable rich in fructooligosaccharides, a fiber that passes undigested to the gut, where bacteria ferment it. In a small trial of 35 people with obesity, glycemic control improved, though blood glucose itself showed no clear difference, and stool weight also changed in 16 healthy volunteers. The evidence is limited, so these are early signals from small studies rather than firm conclusions.
Sources: PMID 18781073
- Updated
- How we grade
- 2 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 3
- Outcomes
- 18
- Graded outcomes
- 0022
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fecal Weight Small Increase | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 1 study | 16 people | ||
Studies that measured fecal weight | ||||||
| Intestinal Motility | Improves (the measure goes up) | 16 people | ||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glycemic Control Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 35 people | |||
| Blood glucose No effect | NoneNo effect | 35 people | ||||
| Total cholesterol | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 35 people | |||
Studies that measured total cholesterol | ||||||
| High-density lipoprotein (HDL) | Improves (the measure goes up) | 35 people | ||||
| Insulin | Changes; see studies | 35 people | ||||
| Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) | Improves (the measure goes down) | 35 people | ||||
| Triglycerides | Improves (the measure goes down) | 35 people | ||||
| Weight | Improves (the measure goes down) | 35 people | ||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood glucose No effect | NoneNo effect | 35 people | ||||
| Total cholesterol | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 35 people | |||
Studies that measured total cholesterol | ||||||
| Glycemic Control | Improves (the measure goes up) | 35 people | ||||
| High-density lipoprotein (HDL) | Improves (the measure goes up) | 35 people | ||||
| Insulin | Changes; see studies | 35 people | ||||
| Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) | Improves (the measure goes down) | 35 people | ||||
| Triglycerides | Improves (the measure goes down) | 35 people | ||||
| Weight | Improves (the measure goes down) | 35 people | ||||
Key findings
- Fecal WeightImproves (the measure goes down)
- Glycemic ControlImproves (the measure goes up)
- Blood glucose
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- Grade C
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Studies cited
2 studies from PubMed