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Yucca Root (Yucca spp)
Common Names: Yucca, Manioc, Cassava, Mojave (Mohave) Yucca, Spanish Bayonet, Our Lord's Candle, Joshua Tree, Datil, Adam's-Needle, Mole, Soap Weed, Whipple Plant, or Dagger Plant
The Yucca plant is a desert plant that grows in the Southwestern part of the United States and in Mexico. Its root is similar to the potato with skin like the bark of a tree. Because of the steroid saponin in the root, it is used as a gentle foaming cleanser. However, it also has other uses and health benefits.
Yucca Root, a Native American remedy, is used for irritation of all sorts, such as joint or skin discomfort. Native Americans used yucca as a soap as it had a lathering effect.
The main medicinal agents are saponins, which have a soapy consistency.
Also called cassava, casava and manioc, yucca root can be peeled and cooked like a potato or used as a thickening ingredient. Good-quality yucca root will be long, firm, and have thick, rough skin with medium to dark-brown coloring. Avoid Yucca Root that is soft or has soft spots.
The saponins in Yucca are a precursor of natural cortisone normally produced by the adrenal glands. Ths makes it a popular remedy for all kinds of inflammation, such as arthritis, rheumatism, bursitis, colitis, and other inflammatory conditions. Yucca is also used as a blood cleanser; today, often in the form of Yucca Root Tea.
Yucca is high in vitamins A, B, and C, and contains potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, manganese and copper, which make it very soothing to the intestinal tract. The plant provides nutritional support to the structural system (bones, joints, muscles).
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Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
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