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Yam (Dioscorea) is a starchy, annual, herbaceous, climbing vine with tuberous roots. It is a monocotyledon that is originally from Africa, Asia and the Caribbean before spreading to other parts of the world. There are edible and non-edible yams and while the edible ones are for consumption purposes, the non-edible ones are used mainly for medicinal purposes. Being an annual crop, yam can be harvested and stored for usage throughout the year.It has over six hundred species dispersed all over the world especially in the tropical and subtropical regions, however, only a few species are considered edible. Yam is the second most essential root crop in West Africa after cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and potatoes with Nigeria being the main producer. Due to the acrid nature of yam, the tubers contain toxic substances that can irritate and inflame the throat and buccal cavity if consumed raw. As a result, it is cooked before consumption to avoid any sort of gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhoea and vomiting. Nutritional value of Yam The main components of Dioscorea spp. are dioscin, dioscorin and saponins that are of great medicinal values. Yam is also a rich source of carbohydrate, energy (100% ), dietary fiber (16%), calcium (1%), vitamin C (28%), vitamin B-6 (15%), magnesium (5%), protein (3%), iron (2%), vitamin A (2%). Yam is also a rich source of riboflavin, ascorbic acid, phosphorous, ascorbic acid, thiamine, selenium, beta-carotene, zinc and niacin.