Sweet potato, surprisingly nutritional

Sweet potato is one of the many tropical crops grown in Contramaestre farms, due to its nutritional values and it is one of the most demanded and consumed food.

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the bindweed or morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are a root vegetable.

Besides simple starches, raw sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber and beta-carotene (a provitamin A carotenoid), with moderate contents of other micronutrients, including vitamin B5, vitamin B6 and manganese (table).[39] When cooked by baking, small variable changes in micronutrient density occur to include a higher content of vitamin C at 24% of the Daily Value per 100 g serving (right table).

Because of its Nutrition Values, Sweet potatoes is considered to be as highest among several other foods. In addition, their leaves are edible and can be prepared like spinach or turnip greens.

Sweet potato cultivars with dark orange flesh have more beta-carotene than those with light-colored flesh, and their increased cultivation is being encouraged in Africa where vitamin A deficiency is a serious health problem. A 2012 study of 10,000 households in Uganda found that children eating beta-carotene enriched sweet potatoes suffered less vitamin A deficiency than those not consuming as much beta-carotene.

Chemical composition of the sweet potato
– Water 74
– Carbohydrates 21, 5% (fiber 1, 2%)
– Lipids 0, 2%
– Proteins 1, 2%.
– Sodium 41 mg/100 g
– Potassium 385 mg/100 g
– Phosphorus 55 mg/100 g
– Calcium 22 mg/100 g
– Iron 1 mg/100 g
– Vitamin C 25 mg/100 g
– Vitamin A 667UI/100 mg
– Vitamin B1 0, 1 mg/100 g
– Vitamin B2 0, 06 mg/100 g
– Vitamin B3 52 micrograms/100 g

You can eat sweet potatoes all year long as a hearty side dish, or as an ingredient in everything from soups and stews to pies and other desserts.

One cup of baked sweet potato provides nearly half of your daily vitamin C needs. The same portion also supplies 400%(!) of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A. Both nutrients are vital for supporting immune function, which is especially important during cold and flu season. Vitamin A is also key for maintaining healthy skin, vision, and organ function.

A serving of sweet potato delivers a third of your need for manganese, a mineral that helps produce collagen and promote skin and bone health. You’ll also get between 15 and 30% of several energy-supporting B vitamins and minerals, including potassium.

As antioxidant
Vitamins A and C also function as antioxidants that protect cells against aging and disease. For even more antioxidants, choose purple sweet potatoes. The pigment that gives them their gorgeous hue has particularly potent antioxidant properties.

Anti-inflammatory Effects
It is known that unchecked, low-grade inflammation raises the risk of nearly every chronic disease, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Natural anti-inflammatory compounds in sweet potatoes have been shown to quell inflammation at the cellular level: Research done on animals has shown reduced inflammation in brain tissue and nerve tissue after purple sweet potato extract consumption.

Blood sugar spikes
Some may regard sweet potatoes as too starchy, but their high fiber content makes them a slow burning starch—meaning they won’t spike blood sugar and insulin levels. One cup of baked sweet potato provides about 6 grams of fiber, which is more than a quarter of the daily recommended minimum.

Blood pressure
One cup of sweet potato baked in its skin provides 950 mg of potassium. That’s more than twice the amount in a medium banana. Potassium essentially sweeps excess sodium and fluid out of the body, which lowers blood pressure and reduces strain on the heart. Potassium also helps regulate heart rhythm and muscle contractions. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, less than 2% of Americans meet the daily recommended potassium target of 4,700 mg.

Weight loss
About 12% of the starch in sweet potatoes is resistant starch, a filling, fiber-like substance your body doesn’t digest and absorb. One study found that replacing just 5.4% of total carbohydrate intake with resistant starch resulted in a 20 to 30% increase in fat burning after a meal. Resistant starch also prompts the body to pump out more satiety-inducing hormones.

So, sweet potato is not only a source of food fill up our belly but it also provides us with a lot nutrients which help to keep us healthy

Written by Radio Grito de Baire