Sweet potato vegetable useful properties. Sweet potato - what is it, useful properties and harm

The Arawak Indians gave this root crop the name "yam", from where it spread throughout the world. Sweet potatoes are among the most common plants that are cultivated by man today. The overseas vegetable is also cultivated in the Russian regions, and, apparently, its prospects are very good.

Sweet potato sweet potato - description

This interesting culture is the American continent (the territory of Peru, Colombia), while now the sweet potato grows only in a cultivated form. One of his “relatives” is the familiar morning glory flower (from the bindweed family).

Sweet potato (although sweet potatoes have little in common with the traditional and familiar potatoes) is a perennial plant, but in temperate climates it is cultivated as an annual. Its bush is a vine with lashes that can take root. On average, the height of the plant reaches 18-20 cm.

On elongated petioles are beautiful, heart-shaped leaves. Sweet potatoes are grown for the sake of tubers, which are formed on the lateral roots of plants. The weight, size, shape, and color of the tubers are very diverse and depend on the variety of the crop. Sweet potatoes also differ in the structure of the pulp, for example, in fodder varieties it is very dense, in vegetable and dessert varieties it is soft, and in composition.

The shape of sweet potato tubers can be:

round;
cylindrical;
spindle-shaped;
ribbed.

The color of the pulp and peel is interesting: red, white, cream, lilac, orange. IN orange fruits contained very a large number of beta-carotene, lilac and purple tubers contain a lot of anthocyanins.

The taste of fruits depends on which group (vegetable, fodder or dessert) a particular variety belongs to, as well as growing and care conditions. Many dessert varieties of sweet potato taste very much like sweet melon, pumpkin, bananas. Completely unsweetened fodder varieties are also grown, as well as palatable and widely used for stews and various side dishes. vegetable species sweet potato.

ON A NOTE! China is the leader in the cultivation of this crop. There are cultivated more than a hundred different varieties sweet potatoes.

The tubers of this plant are processed, they are used to make molasses, starch, and sugar. IN Food Industry sweet potatoes are used to make various sweets, cereals, soufflés, flour, and even chips so beloved by many. Sweet potatoes are eaten in fresh, it is also baked, fried, boiled. The menu of various nations (especially in Asia, Africa) includes many various dishes from sweet potatoes.

Valuable feed for livestock is sweet potato greens, which are not inferior in quality to alfalfa and clover.

Chemical composition

tubers of this amazing plant superior in calories to potatoes, and chemical composition varied. They contain carbohydrates alimentary fiber, fats, proteins, while percentage different substances depends largely on the variety of sweet potato.

As mentioned above, orange tubers contain the most beneficial beta-carotene, and some varieties of sweet potato are ahead of carrots in its quantity.

Lilac, lilac, purple sweet potato tubers owe this color to the special organic compounds- anthocyanins. These substances, in addition to being vegetable pigments, act on the human body as the strongest antioxidants and flavonoids. They help slow down the aging process, improve brain function, reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol, and minimize the risk of cancer. Thanks to anthocyanins, vision improves, immunity increases, and blood pressure normalizes.

Various vitamins are widely represented in sweet potatoes: B1, B2, B3, B4, B6, B9, C, E, K.

Of the minerals, it contains phosphorus, calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, copper.

Sweet potato - benefit and harm

"The fruit of longevity" - that's what they call sweet potato The Chinese are absolutely right. Its tubers help to improve the functioning of the heart, liver, kidneys, and are useful as a general tonic.

The vegetable is useful for those who have various diseases gastrointestinal tract have a predisposition to cancer. Sweet potato should be eaten by those who ordinary vegetables(beets, carrots) does not use due to fiber intolerance.

The root crop is recommended for disorders nervous system, stress, insomnia. Sweet potato contains a large amount of potassium, and it is one of the strongest natural antidepressants. On the menu of people suffering diabetes must have sweet potato dishes.

It is believed that if you regularly eat sweet potato tubers (in any form), you can delay the approach of old age, rejuvenate your body. Sweet potato dishes give a feeling of satiety (with a minimum of carbohydrates and fats), it is not for nothing that this particular vegetable is advised to be included in the menu for those who want to lose weight and are on a diet.

There are no specific data regarding contraindications. It is recommended that root crops be treated with caution by those who suffer from various allergic reactions, and, of course, in any case, certain norms must be observed.

Growing seedlings

In the conditions of the difficult Russian climate, sweet root crops are grown in one season, digging tubers in autumn. In this, sweet potatoes are similar to potatoes, although the methods of growing the crop are different.

And most importantly, sweet potato is very thermophilic, it needs a stable temperature in the range of + 25ºC ... + 30 ºC, and this is not always possible. It is usually propagated vegetatively, although there are other ways:

seminal;
cuttings;
tubers.

The latter option is not suitable, since the tubers die from hypothermia, being in unheated soil. The seed method is mainly used by breeders, as it is quite laborious. The difficulty is that not every variety of sweet potato produces seeds, and those sown often have to wait a very long time for seedlings.

The most common method is seedling, since in this case the plant receives a very significant gain in time and good yields can be harvested. And let the tubers be not as large as those of overseas specimens, that's all taste characteristics will be completely preserved.

Interestingly, seedlings are obtained from root crops that are germinated in water or soil.

IMPORTANT! For the successful cultivation of seedlings, it is necessary to provide the plants with an optimal temperature regime: + 20ºC ... + 25 ºC. Sweet potatoes require good lighting, but the most important condition is warmth.

Shoots grow on tubers in waves, several batches of sprouts can be cut from one specimen and put in water for rooting. For growing seedlings, containers are prepared (you can use pallets, boxes with low walls, containers), soil. Drainage holes are made in the boxes to prevent stagnation of moisture in the soil.

For seedlings, any high-quality earthen mixture is suitable (can be bought at specialized store), the main thing is that it be loose and breathable. If desired, you can make the soil yourself, taking turf soil, humus and coarse sand. Granular sand can then be lightly sprinkled on the surface of the soil.

Sweet potato tubers intended for sprouting are recommended to be disinfected in pink solution potassium permanganate or unsaturated copper sulfate solution.

The soil is shed with water and the tubers are laid out in boxes. At the same time, seedlings can be grown in various ways.

Horizontal way

With this method, oblong sweet potato tubers are laid horizontally on the ground, on a “barrel”, while they are slightly pressed into the ground. Be sure to leave a distance between them so that the shoots that appear do not get mixed up with roots among themselves, do not obscure each other.

What if the sweet potato tubers that are intended for growing shoots are too large? You can cut them, then carefully separate the root crop, let it dry slightly and lay it in the ground cut down. To avoid rotting, when planting, water the sweet potato with a solution of potassium permanganate.

The soil around the nodules is regularly watered so that it does not dry out. The air temperature should be +20ºC…+23ºC. The boxes can be placed on the windowsill while controlling the temperature of the soil. Cool air should not be allowed to penetrate from the bottom of the container, the sweet potato should be warm from all sides. Under these conditions, after about 7-9 days, the first sprouts appear.

ON A NOTE! Shoots on tubers appear in different ways. The timing depends both on growing conditions and on the characteristics of a particular sweet potato variety.

When sprouts appear, the tubers are completely covered with granular sand mixed with earth. This will allow you to get shoots with roots, otherwise those sprouts that are not in the ground will not have roots.

vertical way

With this method of growing seedlings, everything is done in exactly the same way as with horizontal cultivation. The difference lies in the fact that the sweet potato tubers are located not on the "barrel" (horizontally), but on the "priest", that is, vertically. This is how sweet potatoes grow in nature.

Growing in water

Another way to get high-quality and strong sweet potato seedlings is to grow them in water. To do this, you need to prepare containers, tubers, settled water. Suitable jars, plastic glasses (0.5 liters), where water is poured.

A tuber should pass into the hole of a jar or glass (if the sweet potato is large, it is cut), and wooden toothpicks can be used to fix it. The sweet potato is dipped halfway into the water, fixed on the sides of the container with toothpicks so that the upper part of the nodule is in the air. The jar is exposed to light, provided with warmth and waiting for sprouts to appear. On average, sweet potato shoots appear in 15-20 days.

What to do with the escapes next? As soon as the sweet potato cuttings reach a length of 13-15 cm, they are carefully broken out, and, subject to warm weather, they are planted on prepared beds. If the site is away from home, it is recommended to put the shoots in bottles, jars of water before planting so that they do not wither.

If you want to get more shoots from one sweet potato tuber, they are not broken out, but cut off.

IMPORTANT! The cut shoot should have five well-developed internodes.

The cut is made so that a stump with 2 internodes remains on the tuber. A new shoot will begin to grow from it, which is cut off already in the next wave. At the same time, one should not strive to get many shoots from one root crop, since the subsequent ones will be much weaker than the first ones. Still, the tuber will give nutrients, and the first shoots will be in more favorable conditions.

growing conditions

Since the overseas root crop requires heat, landing in the ground is possible only when stable temperatures air and the absence of the threat of the return of cold weather. The soil should be warmed up to + 15ºC, air temperature - not lower than + 20 ... + 22ºC.

In most regions of Russia, such conditions are possible only at the end of May (subject to a warm spring), or even in the first ten days of June. In the Urals, the North-West, sweet potato will have to be planted no earlier than June 5-10.

Site preparation

The site should be well lit by the sun, on the south side. Well, if from the north the ridges are covered with a fence or some small buildings. In this case, the plants will be provided with good warming.

Sweet potato cannot stand even a small shadow, and this must also be taken into account. The best soils for cultivation are loose, breathable. Root crops grow well on sandy and sandy soils, a small loam.

ON A NOTE! A bed for sweet potatoes is not dug very deep, allowing the plant to grow a powerful and strong root system.

A good harvest can only be obtained on well-fertilized nutrient soils. It is advisable to fertilize in the fall:

compost (4-5 kg);
rotted manure (up to 3 kg);
superphosphate (20 grams);
potassium sulfate (12-15 grams).

All doses are given per square meter of bed.

It is necessary that groundwater does not pass nearby, and if the soil is too acidic, then dolomite flour or fluff lime is added. Already in the spring, when preparing the site, the bed for the sweet potato is dug up again and the holes are prepared.

reproduction

It has already been said above about the methods of propagation of sweet potatoes. By virtue of special difficulties the seed method is used only at breeding stations when research is being conducted to obtain new varieties.

You can propagate sweet potatoes vegetatively, while there are a variety of options.

Cuttings taken from adult sweet potato bushes. The method is suitable only in tropical areas, where sweet potatoes are grown in whole plantations. Thanks to high temperatures and optimal moisture levels, sweet potatoes take root quickly and grow well.
Sweet potato is propagated by pieces of tubers with seedlings. The method is also suitable mainly for areas with a hot and humid climate (tropics, subtropics). In other regions, it gives small yields, that is, it is unproductive.
Through growing seedlings (the most popular way to grow sweet potatoes in industrial scale).
Propagation with tubers. This option is identical to growing potatoes, but sweet potato is very thermophilic, and it takes a long time for the formation of tubers on a bush. The method is good for the southern regions, but unsuitable for temperate zones.
Propagation by shoots grown on tubers, followed by growing. This is how sweet potatoes are usually grown under conditions middle lane and other regions with a harsh climate. Tubers are planted for seedlings in February, and then the shoots are rooted in the ground and grown until planting in a permanent place. But even with this method of growing sweet root crops, it is necessary to select early-ripening varieties, with shorter ripening periods. This will provide an opportunity to get a crop of tubers in risky farming areas.

Landing

Plant cuttings of sweet potato in pre-prepared holes.

IMPORTANT! Do not rush to disembark, because, judging by the reviews of summer residents, in cool weather, the shoots will take a long time to adapt and slow down growth.

When planting, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the variety, its size. For sweet potatoes of large-vine varieties, holes are made at a distance of up to 60-70 cm, for varieties with short lashes, 30 cm will be enough.

Plants are planted in rows, keeping the distance between them (up to 80 cm for short climbers, up to 120 for long climbers).

Care

Despite the fact that in general the culture is not particularly capricious, it needs care. Without following certain rules of agricultural technology, small tubers will grow on the bush and all the efforts will be in vain.

Lighting

Sunny areas that are exposed to the sun all day are the best beds for growing sweet potatoes. It is important to ensure that the plants do not get shade, as this affects the formation of tubers.

Be sure to remove all the weeds from the garden, while it is necessary not to cut them off, but to pull them out by the roots. Sweet potatoes do not tolerate such a neighborhood, the tubers should feel free. In addition, weeds can serve as sources of various infections, contribute to the appearance of pests.

top dressing

Sweet potato has an excellent "appetite", so during the growing period it needs top dressing. If the soils have been well fertilized since autumn, it will be enough to feed the crop a couple of times over the summer. They use organic matter for this, and in the second half of the growing season they give priority to potash "dinners" for sweet potato. Great for feeding wood ash infusion, can also be used ready-made formulations bought in the store.

IMPORTANT! When the color of the leaves changes (from saturated green to purple or pinkish), it is urgent to apply potash top dressing.

Watering

Sweet potatoes love moisture, but can't stand too much of it. Especially a lot of water is required for sweet potato during the growth of the bush, so at this time the crop is watered often. But in any case, the irrigation schedule should be determined taking into account the weather and precipitation.

Watered with settled and warm water, often watering is combined with top dressing.

From the second half of the growing season, the number of irrigations, as well as volumes, are reduced. This is done for better formation and maturation of tubers. But the reduction is done smoothly, avoiding sudden drops.

IMPORTANT! Sweet potato prefers stability in everything: in the amount of moisture, in maintaining temperature regime. Therefore, all changes must be gradual in order for the culture to successfully adapt to them.

Two to three weeks before digging the tubers, watering is completely stopped.

Collection and storage

In September, the long-awaited harvest of sweet potatoes begins. The timing of harvesting depends on the climate of the region, the variety, the main thing is to remove the heat-loving sweet potato before the onset of cold weather.

The yellowing of the leaves of the plant will be a signal that the tubers are ready for harvest.

Root crops are dug up on a clear fine day, gently shaking off the ground from them. It is not allowed to tap the tubers against each other, so as not to damage their thin skin.

ON A NOTE! Sweet potato tubers can be in the soil away from the bush, so you need to be very careful when digging.

Usually, from the time of planting to ripening, it takes from 90 to 120 days (the exact period is determined by the sweet potato variety), but if the cold comes early, it is not necessary to keep the root crops in the garden.

After digging, it is recommended to keep the tubers outside under the sun for initial drying. The term is at least a week. If the weather does not allow, then the sweet potato is laid out indoors, providing a temperature not lower than + 30ºC and humidity up to 80%. At the same time, the tubers must be turned over, and the room is ventilated.

The duration of such drying is 7-10 days. It is not required to wash the tubers, but it is necessary to immediately select those that will go to the next season for growing shoots for seedlings. Usually medium-sized root crops are selected, without damage and visible defects.

In dried tubers, the skin will slightly coarsen, which will allow them without special trouble save in winter. After drying, the sweet potato is transferred to boxes, boxes and stored in a warm, dry place.

IMPORTANT! Root vegetables should not be stored in the cellar, as they will rot.

The optimal temperature for storing sweet potatoes in winter is from + 14ºC to + 18ºC. It is necessary to control the temperature and humidity level (it must be low), otherwise the sweet potato will rot and deteriorate.

When harvesting root crops in wet weather, their quality deteriorates. Most often, it is difficult to keep such a sweet potato in winter, so they are allowed to feed livestock or immediately used for food.

Varieties of sweet potato

There are hundreds of sweet potato varieties bred by breeders different countries. Each region of the world grows its own varieties that are adapted to specific conditions.

The review will present the characteristics of various varieties of this tasty root crop, both domestic and foreign selection.

Pobeda-100

This variety is considered one of the most reliable, and therefore is grown in many regions of Russia. Included in the group of early ripening sweet potatoes, ripens in about 90 days. The bush forms whips with simple leaves, medium-sized tubers, aligned.

The color of the peel is creamy, pinkish, the flesh has an orange-yellow hue.

ON A NOTE! The color of tubers in the description of sweet potato varieties is conditional. Often in various conditions growing sweet potato changes color, and this must be taken into account when choosing a crop for planting.

The taste of the pulp is very pleasant, the aroma of a banana, a nut is felt. At the same time, immediately after digging, the tubers have a neutral taste, that is, they need time to acquire taste.

In storage, the variety is not very good, resistant to rot.

Druzhkovsky

Sweet potato Druzhkovsky, in all likelihood, is a variety of domestic selection (Soviet). Grown for a long time, it is characterized by unpretentiousness, good taste.

It tolerates drought well, forms fairly large root crops. A feature of the variety is its abundant flowering (a rarity for most varieties of sweet potatoes).

Calories, kcal:

Proteins, g:

Carbohydrates, g:

Sweet potato is a tuber-bearing plant of the family bindweed, whose edible tubers are also known as sweet potatoes. He has nothing to do with. And the Colorado potato beetle doesn't eat it.

The homeland of the sweet potato is Colombia and Peru, where the plant began to be used more than 800 thousand years ago. Sweet potatoes have elongated tubers cylindrical shape, whose weight varies from 200 grams to 3 kg. Sweet potato pulp is dense, juicy and elastic, cream, pink, yellow, orange or red. The taste of the pulp is slightly sweet, reminiscent of, or frozen.

Sweet potatoes are divided into three types: dessert, fodder, vegetable.

Calorie sweet potato (yam)

The calorie content of sweet potato (sweet potato) is 61 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Composition and useful properties of sweet potato

Sweet potatoes contain dietary fiber that is not digested in the stomach and is excreted from the body along with toxins. As part of sweet potato:, vitamins, - a natural antioxidant necessary to give elasticity to collagen, as well as minerals strengthening defensive forces organism.

Sweet potatoes contain a lot of starch, so it is recommended to use it as an enveloping agent for various diseases digestive tract. Also, sweet potato can be consumed by people who have diabetes, as it blocks the rapid entry of glucose into the blood.

People who play sports need to add root vegetables to their diet, as this product contains complex carbohydrates. Studies show that sweet potato helps bodybuilders reduce pain and muscle spasms.

Sweet potato harm

Sweet potatoes should be limited if available peptic ulcer especially in the acute stage. In rare cases, individual intolerance to sweet potato is possible.

Selecting and storing sweet potatoes

When choosing sweet potatoes, visually assess the condition of the tuber, which should be dry, heavy and firm, without dark spots and signs of damage. Sweet potato tubers lack eyes, so any growths or growths on the surface of the sweet potato should be a reason not to buy.

Dry sweet potato tubers are stored in cool place without access to light for several months.

sweet potatoes in cooking

The sweet potato differs from the potato in many ways. Sweet potatoes are much healthier than regular potatoes, they contain more carbohydrates, and compared to a regular tuber (calorizator). Also, due to the presence of protein in the root crop, it can stay fresh for a long time.

Sweet potatoes are best consumed fresh, finely chopped or grated and added to a vegetable salad. Sweet potatoes are boiled, steamed, baked and fried, soups, mashed potatoes, soufflés are prepared from it. It turns out very tasty soup-puree.

If you are going to bake a sweet potato, the tuber is most suitable for this. white color. Dark-colored tubers are best suited for frying and boiling.

Sweet potatoes can be replaced with several products in a particular recipe. It is also recommended to replace the sweet potato raw or in the form. IN vegetable salads, second courses The best substitute for a sweet root vegetable is the usual one.

Sweet potatoes (yam) in cosmetology

The use of sweet potatoes improves the condition of the skin. IN home cosmetology sweet potato is used for cooking medical masks for facial skin acne, age spots and acne.

Sweet potatoes for weight loss

Sweet potato is recommended to be used in nutrition during diets, because it contains starch, which is characterized by low GI, which contributes to fast and long satiety, and a decrease in appetite. And the indigestible fiber contained in sweet potato helps cleanse the intestines of toxins and toxins, as mentioned above.

Several diets have been developed by nutritionists that include sweet potatoes, and all of them are designed for different amount days.

For more on sweet potatoes, see the video "Sweet Potatoes" of the TV show "Live Healthy!".

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Sweet potato is a plant of the bindweed family. The vegetable is also called sweet potato. It tastes really sweet, and after frying, the sweetness intensifies.

The vegetable is valued all over the world not only for its taste, but also for its health benefits.

The composition and calorie content of sweet potato

The composition of the sweet potato is simply unique - the average tuber contains more than 400% daily allowance vitamin A. The product contains a lot of fiber and potassium.

Composition 100 gr. sweet potato as a percentage of the daily value:

Sweet potato - not only delicious vegetable, but also medicinal plant. It protects against the development of cancer and diabetes.

Each part of the sweet potato contains, which protect cells from oxidation. It accelerates aging and prevents chronic diseases. Sweet potato supports immune system and also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The vegetable maintains a normal level of pressure. Anthocyanins kill stomach, colon, lung, and breast cancer cells.

Sweet potato relieves inflammation in the brain. Vitamin A in the vegetable strengthens the eyes. Its deficiency leads to dry eyes, night blindness and even complete loss of vision.

Because of high content The fiber in sweet potatoes helps prevent constipation and improves the functioning of the digestive tract.

A nutritious root vegetable will help you lose weight. Due to its low glycemic index, sweet potatoes improve blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

It increases the level of adiponectin, a protein hormone that is responsible for the absorption of insulin.

Sweet potato peel protects against heavy metal poisoning - mercury, cadmium and arsenic.

Although the terms "sweet potato" and "yam" are often used interchangeably, the two plants are actually not even botanically related. Yams grow almost exclusively in Africa and are drier and more starchy than sweet potatoes. So why are these two vegetables so intertwined?

There are two different varieties sweet potatoes - hard and soft. When sweet potato began to be cultivated in America, African slaves began to call it yam, as it looks like a vegetable they are used to. The name began to be used to separate two types of sweet potatoes. In today's time to find a real yam in grocery store almost impossible.

Sweet potatoes have a huge amount nutrients. It contains in one medium-sized tuber more than 400% daily requirement in vitamin A, as well as a large amount of fiber and potassium.

Eating fruits and vegetables of any kind has been associated with a reduced risk of many diseases.

Many Scientific research show that increased use plant food, such as grapes, reduces the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and overall mortality, promotes healthy appearance, increases energy levels and reduces weight in general.

Diabetes

Sweet potatoes may reduce episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and insulin resistance in people with diabetes. The fiber in sweet potatoes is also important.

Studies have shown that people with type 1 diabetes eating a high-fiber diet had lower blood glucose levels, and patients with type 2 diabetes could have improved blood glucose, lipids, and insulin levels.

One medium-sized sweet potato contains approximately 6 g of fiber.

Arterial pressure

To reduce blood pressure it is necessary to keep sodium intake low, but it is just as important increased use potassium. Unfortunately, only a small amount of people consume the recommended 4,700 mg of potassium per day. One medium sized sweet potato contains approximately 542 mg of potassium.

It should also be noted that increased potassium intake is associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of overall mortality.

Cancer

In young men, a diet rich in beta-carotene may play a protective role against prostate cancer, according to a Harvard study. Beta-carotene is also inversely associated with the development of colon cancer in the Japanese population.

Digestion and regular stool

Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, so they help prevent constipation and promote regular bowel movement, which is important for digestive health.

Fertility (ability to conceive a child)

In women of childbearing age, use more iron from vegetable sources improves fertility. Vitamin A (found in sweet potatoes) – also needed during pregnancy and lactation for hormone synthesis.

Immunity

Plant-based foods such as sweet potatoes, rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene, boost the immune system.

Inflammation

Choline is a very important and versatile nutrient found in sweet potatoes that is beneficial for sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory. Choline also helps maintain the structure of cell membranes, transmit nerve impulses, useful for fat absorption and reducing chronic inflammation.

In one study, purple yam extract was shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-lipogenic effects, as well as scavenge free radicals and reduce their activity.

Vision

Vitamin A deficiency causes deterioration of the receptors in the outer segments of the retina in the eyes, disrupting normal vision. Correction of vitamin B deficiency with products containing beta-carotene restores vision.

It should also be noted that the antioxidant vitamins C and E found in sweet potatoes support heart health and prevent degenerative damage.

Increased consumption of any fruit (3 or more servings per day) also reduces the risk of development and progression of age-related macular degeneration.

Potato nutritional information

One medium sized sweet potato (about 114g) contains 162 calories, 0g fat, 37g carbohydrates (including 6g fiber and 12g sugars), and 3.6g protein.

One medium-sized sweet potato provides more than 100% of the daily requirement for vitamin A, 37% for vitamin C, 16% for vitamin B6, 10% for pantothenic acid, 15% for potassium, 28% for manganese. Sweet potatoes also contain small amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, and folic acid.

Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that gives fruits and vegetables their bright color. Beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A in the body. Eating foods rich in beta-carotene may reduce the risk of certain cancers, protect against asthma and heart disease, and delay aging and degenerative changes in the body.

Sweet potatoes can range in color from white to yellow, purple, or brown, but they don't need to be peeled. The peel of the sweet potato is high in fiber, potassium, and quercetin.

How to include more sweet potatoes in your diet

Do not buy tubers with soft or wrinkled skins, cracks or spots. Store them in a cool, dry place for 3-5 weeks.

Sweet potato has a naturally sweet and creamy taste.

Roast sweet potatoes, add some spices such as cinnamon, cumin, or curry powder.

The fastest way to cook sweet potatoes in microwave oven. Pierce the tubers with a fork, then microwave on full power until tender. Let it cool down then pour some olive oil or low-fat walnut yogurt.

Roast sweet potatoes, add some spices such as cinnamon, cumin, or curry powder.

Try adding roasted sweet potatoes to a salad and drizzle balsamic sauce. You can try adding sweet potatoes to your favorite pancakes or pancakes.

Potential Health Risks Associated with Eating Sweet Potatoes

Beta blockers ( medicines, often used for heart disease) can cause elevated levels of potassium in the blood. Foods high in potassium should be consumed in moderate amounts if the person is taking these drugs.

Eating too much potassium can be harmful for people with kidney failure. If your kidneys are unable to remove excess potassium from the blood, it can be fatal.

We try to provide the most up-to-date and useful information for you and your health. The materials posted on this page are for informational purposes and are intended for educational purposes. Site visitors should not use them as medical advice. Determining the diagnosis and choosing a treatment method remains the exclusive prerogative of your doctor! We are not responsible for possible Negative consequences resulting from the use of information posted on the site site

Along with familiar vegetables and fruits, summer residents love to try to grow an overseas curiosity in their backyard. For example, sweet potato, the benefits and harms of which are little known. Especially if you have never tried sweet potatoes before. So let's get enlightened.

The benefits of sweet potato

The overseas guest has many valuable qualities. It is useful to eat with:

Obesity. Tubers are rich in fiber, which leaves the body full for a long time, and makes intestinal motility work more actively. By the way, it is the sweet potato fiber that is recognized as the softest and most tender. Therefore, it does not injure the intestines, as coarse fibers some useful plants. Plus, the blood is saturated with complex carbohydrates, which allows you not to feel hungry for a long time. And the calorie content of sweet potato is obscenely low.
Climax. The vegetable contains female hormones, which are so lacking in women after the Balzac age. By the way, some sources recommend eating sweet potatoes during menopause instead of pills. As well as women of other ages to maintain hormonal balance. Plus, it increases libido, thanks to elevated content phytoestrogen in tubers.
Problems with blood pressure and the cardiovascular system. Great amount vitamin B6 allows without special efforts strengthen the walls of small blood vessels. And also clean large arteries from cholesterol plaques. Harmonization water-salt balance happens almost perfectly when eating sweet potatoes. So blood pressure will be normal without the use of drugs.
Neurosis, chronic fatigue, insomnia and other problems of the nervous system and brain. In terms of potassium content, sweet potatoes are far from last. And the normal work of nerve endings and muscle fibers is impossible without this element. By the way, tubers can be used as natural antidepressant. After all, an apathetic state is caused precisely by a lack of potassium and magnesium.
Prevention of cancerous tumors. The fact is that their development is prevented by the most famous antioxidant - vitamin C. And there is plenty of it in sweet tubers. Dry statistics states that the percentage of cancer cases is very low in regions where sweet potato is the main food. Of course, compared to countries where sweet potatoes are a rare guest.
Poor blood clotting. Beta-cryptosanthin, found in sweet potatoes, improves blood cell clotting. And even promotes the speedy healing of wounds.
Chair problems. Sweet potato cleanses the intestines very well. Starch from tubers has enveloping properties. Along with the abuse of food, these factors can lead to very sad consequences. For example, to an upset gastrointestinal tract and diarrhea.

As is clear from the list, sweet potato is a very useful comrade in some respects. Therefore, it can and should be included in your menu. Of course, without fanatical overeating. Indeed, in our country there is no centuries-old history of nutrition with sweet potatoes. Therefore, for the first time, taste very little. Listen to yourself. If everything is in order, then slowly increase the portion. And always check with your doctor. He knows exactly what and how much you can eat.

But not everything is so smooth in the vegetable kingdom. There are also some dangers that lie in wait for people when excessive use sweet potato for food. And there are even contraindications in which it is strictly forbidden to eat sweet potatoes. These include:

Pregnancy and lactation. During this period, the woman hormonal background and jump like crazy. And phytoestrogen from tubers can play a very cruel joke. Rumor has it that it can provoke the development of fetal abnormalities and even miscarriage.
Gastritis, gastric ulcer and others like them. What is vitamin C? Nothing but acid. So, when you eat sweet potatoes in unlimited quantities, you give a huge load to your gastrointestinal tract. And if healthy person such food will not hurt, then people with similar diseases will have to meet with unpleasant surprise. That is, with a hard aggravation.
Tendency to allergies. Since sweet potatoes are not at all common in our country, people with allergies should refrain from dishes from it. You never know what substance the body will react with itching, swelling and shortness of breath.
Medical treatment. So far, no serious scientific research has been carried out on the compatibility of sweet potato with various drugs. Therefore, the reaction of the body can be completely unpredictable. The whole point is that sweet potato contains a large number of biologically active substances. And it is impossible to predict all possible scenarios. Therefore, if you are undergoing a course of any therapy, then for a while refuse sweet potato dishes.
Urolithiasis disease. Statistics show that in regions where sweet potatoes are a regular guest on the table, the incidence of urolithiasis is much higher than in other regions. Just tubers are literally crammed with oxalates. Those, in turn, are not excreted from the body. naturally, and settle in the kidneys and gallbladder, forming insoluble stones.
Chair problems. Sweet potato cleanses the intestines very well. Starch from tubers has enveloping properties. Along with the abuse of food, these factors can lead to very sad consequences. For example, to upset the gastrointestinal tract and diarrhea

More usefulness

Sweet potatoes are respected throughout the mine by people with diabetes. After all, they especially strictly need to control their menu. A sweet potato has a very low glycemic index, and does not contain light sugars. Therefore, it can be safely eaten with a high level of glucose in the blood.

Sweet potato is a champion in vitamin A content. Therefore, athletes and fitness people respect it so much. After all, it is this vitamin that is responsible for the rapid recovery after hard physical training and exhausting activities. By the way, the industry has turned its attention to sweet potatoes. The result of this interest was the emergence on the market of a special sports nutrition based on sweet potato. It allows in short time build up a beautiful muscle mass without harm to health and the use of additional chemicals.

And sweet potatoes are especially highly valued by women. And again, because of the notorious retinol. If you often eat sweet potatoes, then the skin will be in excellent condition. for a long time. And certainly the first wrinkles will appear very soon. Of course, the aging process of the body will not slow down. But here external signs and manifestations will not appear for a long time. Just don't overdo it! In overdose, vitamin A becomes toxic.

And, of course, about the eyes. From childhood, we are told to eat carrots so that our eyesight is good. And what to do if the carrots are tired? Or is blueberry season still a long way off? Sweet potatoes to eat, what else. Of course, he cannot compete with simple carrots in terms of vitamin A content, but as an alternative, it will do just fine.

By the way, heavy smokers should also pay attention to overseas guest. And again, due to the high content of retinol in the pulp. After all, it is he who helps prevent emphysema - a terrible thunderstorm for all tobacco lovers. Relatives of smokers should also not pass by these useful tubers. Because the harm from passive smoking is significantly neutralized by eating with sweet potato dishes.

Interesting fact. Around the world, sweet potatoes are considered wholesome. That is, not only tubers. dried leaves used to make tea. Seeds replace coffee. And the tops are fed to cattle and gardens are fertilized with it.

Sweet potato can serve as an original, useful side dish to the main course. For example, try cooking it instead of regular potatoes or cereals. No doubt, at first it will be a little unusual to feel sweetness in the mouth with a meat or fish taste. But a goose with apples will also cope. Or salty caramel sauce- also has a sweet taste. You eat them, and don't wince. So just try. Will you suddenly like it? At the same time, the intestines will be thoroughly cleaned, then they will thank you.

Well, we sorted out the facts about sweet potato. The benefits and harms of it are now known to you. Therefore, remember the recommendations and shake your head. You look, and the information is useful.