Vitamins

Yams are an excellent source of vitamins C and B6, with 1 cup providing approximately 20 percent of your daily requirement of each of these nutrients. Vitamin C assists in tissue repair and wound healing, and its antioxidant properties help offset the cell-damaging effects of free radicals in your body. Protein metabolism requires vitamin B6, and B6 also functions in the synthesis of red blood cells. Thiamin, another B vitamin, helps you convert carbohydrates to energy, and 1 cup of yams supplies 10 percent of your daily need for this vitamin.