As a girl who has always dreamed of having twins, the “yam theory” is very interesting to me.    Fertility experts claim that high yam consumption may be the reason why  Igbo-Ora, a small farming community in Nigeria, has about five times the average incidence of twins.  It is suspected that the phytoestrogens in yams cause multiple eggs to be released at a ovulation, creating a culture where families with multiple sets of twins are not unusual.

Luckily, I like yams.  I’m even willing to scout out true African yams found mainly at specialty markets (the “yams” in grocery stores are typically sweet potatoes).  Beyond being a delicious and lower glycemic alternative to white potatoes, yams contain high levels of Vitamin A and may increase milk production in lactating women.