Yams of the Dioscorea genus have many distinct compounds within the yam that makes it toxic to humans. These compounds consist of but not limited to: dioscorine, other alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, phenolic acids, tannins, and oxalates. To remove these toxins, which can induce fatal paralysis, the Igbo people developed a “curing” technique. First the yam is boiled

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