Vegetables and starchy roots
Yam (ñame)
Yam (ñame) has 116 kcal and 3.9 g of fiber per 100 g (3.5 oz), a low energy density.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 4 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Low energy density: 116 kcal/100 g | +1 |
| Protein: 1.3 g/100 kcal | 0 |
| Fiber: 3.4 g/100 kcal | +1 |
| Solid food with 70.1 g of water | +1 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 9 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 170072
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 151 kcal per serving
- 116 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 1.9 g per serving
- 1.5 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 35.8 g per serving
- 27.5 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 0.6 g per serving
- 0.5 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 5.1 g per serving
- 3.9 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 0.2 g per serving
- 0.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 91.1 g per serving
- 70.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Yam, cooked, boiled, drained, or baked, without salt (FDC ID 170072), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 130 g (4.5 oz) serving provides about 151 kcal, 1.9 g of protein, and 5.1 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
Ñame (true yam) is, according to the Dictionary of the Spanish Language, the root of a twining plant of the yam family (Dioscoreaceae), very common in tropical countries, with an almost black skin and flesh that is edible boiled or roasted. The Diccionario de americanismos records the name of the tuber in Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, northern Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Chile, and describes it with white or yellow, starchy flesh that is edible once boiled or roasted. This page covers boiled or baked yam according to USDA, with 116 kcal, 27.5 g of carbohydrate, 3.9 g of fiber and 70.1 g of water per 100 g.
A 130 g (4.6 oz) serving provides 151 kcal, 1.9 g of protein and 5.1 g of fiber, so it is the starch part of the plate and goes alongside the protein, which the 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy suggests eating first, as in a broth with chicken or fish, starting with the meat. Boiled and mashed, it is soft and easy to swallow, which helps when appetite is low. The same advisory suggests avoiding fatty or high-fiber foods in the first days of treatment, so in those days boiled yam fits better than fried and half a serving may be enough.
What the evidence says
The FAO explains that mature cultivated yam contains no toxic substances, and that bitter compounds appear in immature tissue of some species and in wild yams, which are not normally eaten except in times of food scarcity. With 670 mg of potassium per 100 g it exceeds the 600 mg, twice the "source of potassium" minimum, that the EU requires for a "high potassium" claim, and potassium has the authorized claim "potassium contributes to the maintenance of normal blood pressure" (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006, (EU) No 1169/2011 and (EU) No 432/2012). With 3.9 g of fiber per 100 g it is a "source of fibre", and its 3.4 g per 100 kcal reach the criterion for a "high fibre" claim, 3 g per 100 kcal. A 130 g serving provides a fifth of the 25 g of fiber a day the WHO recommends for people older than 10.
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about yam (ñame)
How many grams of protein are in a 130 g (4.5 oz) serving of yam (ñame)?
100 g (3.5 oz) of yam (ñame) has 1.5 g of protein. A typical 130 g (4.5 oz) serving has about 1.9 g of protein. That is 1.3 g of protein per 100 kcal.
How many kcal are in a 130 g (4.5 oz) serving of yam (ñame)?
100 g (3.5 oz) of yam (ñame) has 116 kcal. A typical 130 g (4.5 oz) serving has about 151 kcal. That is a low energy density.
How much fiber is in a 130 g (4.5 oz) serving of yam (ñame)?
100 g (3.5 oz) of yam (ñame) has 3.9 g of fiber. A typical 130 g (4.5 oz) serving has about 5.1 g of fiber. It carries our “High in fiber” tag.
Does yam (ñame) keep you full?
Yes, fairly filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 4 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) + 1 (low energy density: 116 kcal/100 g) + 0 (protein: 1.3 g/100 kcal) + 1 (fiber: 3.4 g/100 kcal) + 1 (solid food with 70.1 g of water) = 4. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
What should I know about yam (ñame) if I take Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound and feel nauseous?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about yam (ñame) on a GLP-1 medication. “High in fiber”: a good amount of fiber, which helps keep you regular; it is easier to tolerate when you increase it gradually and drink enough water. “Easy to digest”: a soft or low-fat food that many people tolerate well when they feel nauseous or get full quickly. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What is a typical serving of yam (ñame)?
We use 130 g (4.5 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 151 kcal, 1.9 g of protein, and 5.1 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Yam, cooked, boiled, drained, or baked, without salt (FDC ID 170072).accessed .
- InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "ñame" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "ñame" (in Spanish).accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- InstitutionFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).Roots, tubers, plantains and bananas in human nutrition (FAO, 1990), chapter 7: toxic substances and antinutritional factors (yam).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods.accessed .
- InstitutionWorld Health Organization.Healthy diet (fact sheet, section on fruits, vegetables and fibre).accessed .