Sweet potato: useful properties, harm and contraindications for he alth

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Sweet potato or sweet potato is an ancient vegetable crop that has nothing to do with the potato we are used to. This vegetable from the Bindweed family has been used as food for about 10,000 years. Sweet potato was given to the world by America, in those parts it is especially popular. Today, sweet potatoes are grown in both tropical and subtropical countries. The leading positions in the production of sweet potato are occupied by Indonesia, India and China. In these countries, the vegetable was called the "fruit of longevity." The beneficial properties of sweet potato (or "potato") make it possible to naturally compensate for the deficiency of minerals and trace elements.

What is sweet potato

Sweet taste and pleasant aroma win the hearts of many people, and the benefits of the product deserve respect. Different types of sweet potato differ both in appearance and intaste. The most popular variety is bright orange tubers. The taste of the vegetable resembles a very sweet pumpkin, and only the appearance connects it with the potato.

Yam is a climbing plant with stems that can be up to three meters long. The vegetable itself is formed as a result of thickening of the lateral roots, and the pulp of the fruit can be of very different colors: from white and yellow to purple and red. And about the beneficial properties of sweet potatoes or sweet potatoes, legends began to circulate ten thousand years ago.

Composition and nutritional value

Sweet potato is a storehouse of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, starch, beta-carotene, folic acid. The product is also useful for losing weight, as it has a low calorie content and a high content of ascorbic acid. One serving of vegetables accounts for a little more than half of the daily intake of vitamin C. Beta-carotene in the body is transformed into vitamin A, and this element, along with vitamin C, is a powerful antioxidant that prevents cell damage and is a good prevention of many dangerous diseases.

In addition, sweet potatoes contain vitamins such as PP, B1, B2, B6, choline, pyridoxine. One hundred grams of vegetable accounts for only 61 calories, 2 grams of protein, no fat and 14 grams of carbohydrates. The beneficial properties of sweet potato and potatoes are quite different, and the former has clear advantages.

Types of sweet potato

Today, China alone grows about a hundred varieties of sweet potato. It is not possible to describe the classification, because officiallyrecognized varietal typology simply does not exist. There are only general categories: vegetable varieties, forage varieties and dessert varieties. They differ from each other in the color of the peel, the color of the inner pulp and shape. Each of the varieties differs from the others in terms of yield, scale of growth, and flowering period. The most popular and widely eaten are the following sweet potatoes:

• Nancy Hall or pumpkin yam;
• Vir-85;
• Salmon;
• Caramel;
• Sweet-100;
• He-Dong or chestnut.

Despite the fact that sweet potato is called a sweet potato, it cooks faster than the root vegetable we are used to. You can eat it in absolutely any form, raw, boiled, fried, baked. Based on the vegetable, cereals, soups, salads, and cocktails are made. Those who lose weight have a special love for sweet potato dishes, as the vegetable contains a minimum of calories.

How to eat sweet potato and with what?

In fact, sweet potato is a vegetable that is quite easy to cook and does not require special skills in cooking. If there is no time, but you really want to eat, you can simply clean it, wash it and that's it - you can safely eat. And if you have an extra 20 minutes, then you can cook a delicious puree. The recipe is also extremely simple: peel the sweet potato, cut into cubes, add water and cook like a regular potato for 25 minutes. Drain the water and beat with a blender until puree, you can do this with a fork, as the vegetable will become very soft. This dish does not include anys alt, no sugar. And even small children eat it on both cheeks, as the dish is very sweet and without adding anything.

Fried sweet potato

Another delicious way to cook sweet potatoes is to fry the vegetable. This method will not appeal to those who are losing weight, but fried sweet potatoes are very tasty. Cut the vegetable into cubes and fry over medium heat until fully cooked, while stirring constantly. The undoubted plus of sweet potato is that it cooks much faster than potatoes. The vegetable goes well with orange zest, lemon juice, curry and pepper.

Yam in uniform

And there is also a dish that takes only 8 minutes to prepare and will be a real salvation when you need a quick and he althy meal and feed your loved ones. Such a beta-carotene-rich side dish will only have a beneficial effect on the body of both children and adults. The cooking method is as follows: wrap the unpeeled root vegetables in foil, put on a baking sheet and put in the oven at a temperature of 250 degrees, until completely softened, this process usually takes 15-17 minutes.

Useful properties of sweet potato

Cooking sweet potatoes is a real pleasure, but this is not the only plus of the product. There are real legends about the he alth benefits of sweet potato, and scientists managed to find out the following:

• Strengthens the walls of blood vessels, favorably affects the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Doctors recommend adding sweet potato dishes to the diet for those who have problems withpressure;
• Due to the high content of antioxidants, the beneficial and healing properties of sweet potato know no bounds. Sweet potatoes can even prevent the formation of cancer cells in the mouth, esophagus, intestines and lungs;
• Those who lose weight cannot do without sweet potato! The vegetable is rich in fiber, thanks to which it quickly saturates the body without harm to the figure. Complex carbohydrates are broken down into sugars and absorbed into the bloodstream, making a person feel full for a long time. And the low calorie content of the vegetable allows those who want to lose extra pounds to make the most of sweet potato in their diet;
• Potassium, which is rich in the product, has a positive effect on the functioning of the brain and nervous system. Doctors recommend adding a vegetable to the diet for those who suffer from stress, suffer from chronic fatigue, insomnia, neurosis;
• Beneficial effect on the stomach. The beneficial properties of sweet potato do not bypass the stomach, as they are an excellent prevention of ulcers, gastritis and other diseases;
• Indispensable sweet potato for young, radiant skin. Beta-carotene, which is part of the composition, has anti-aging properties and fights the first signs of aging;
• It is recommended to add sweet potatoes to the diet of diabetics. Sweet potatoes are low glycemic and do not spike blood sugar;

• Favorably affects blood clotting. This property of the vegetable is vital, sweet potato promotes the speedy healing of wounds and prevents excessive blood loss incase of injury;
• Very useful in the prevention of arthritis;
• It doesn't hurt to include sweet potatoes in your diet and smokers. Cigarette smoke provokes a loss of vitamin A in the body, which is the main cause of emphysema. Just the consumption of this vegetable in food can protect not only the smoker, but also people living with him from this dangerous disease;
• For athletes and bodybuilders, sweet potato is also an indispensable product. People who are serious about building muscle mass include this vegetable in their menu only because it consists of complex carbohydrates that are responsible for muscle nutrition. Trainers recommend eating sweet potatoes 90 minutes before training. The properties of the vegetable can relieve pain and muscle spasms after heavy exercise.

Also, doctors recommend adding sweet potato to the diet for women who are going through menopause, as well as for those who have eye problems, as well as with frequent colds and reduced immunity. There is a whole abyss between the beneficial and harmful properties of sweet potato, since the vegetable has very few contraindications.

Harm and contraindications of "sweet potato"

Sweet potato is not only eaten, it is also used to prepare preparations. For example, fresh root powder or medicinal tinctures. Both those and others are strictly contraindicated in the following cases:

• If there is a duodenal ulcer;
• Diverticulosis and diverticulitis;
• Ulcerative colitis;
• Pregnant women should also eat sweet potatoes carefully so as not toharm the body;
• Excessive consumption of sweet potatoes can cause crystallization of kidney and gallstones due to the oxalates contained in the product;

In other cases, sweet potato will only benefit the body and have a positive effect on he alth. Useful properties and contraindications of sweet potato are to some extent interconnected.

Interesting facts

This world-famous vegetable, in addition to its extremely usefulness, has specific features that are unique to it;

• In 1595, Thomas Muffet conducted research and expressed their results in the work "On the Improvement of He alth", where he clearly described the ability of sweet potato to increase libido. This is explained by the fact that the composition of the vegetable includes a natural female hormone. That is why sweet potatoes are recommended for menopausal women;
• Americans love orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, while Asians love purple;
• It is impossible to describe the taste of sweet potato, because depending on the type, it can resemble, for example, a banana with a nut, a pumpkin, a zucchini and even a chestnut;
• Yam is a multifunctional vegetable, it can not only be eaten, but processed into sugar, flour, molasses and even alcohol. People collect not only tubers, but also stems and young leaves. They are boiled, soaked, then added to salads, and the seeds are even used as a coffee substitute!

The versatility of sweet potato knows no bounds, you can use the vegetable almost everywhere, and in cooking it is indispensableingredient.