Content
Sweet potatoes are root vegetables that grow mainly in countries with warm subtropical climates. They resemble potatoes in appearance, but have a sweet taste, are larger in size and have a varied color of flesh from cream to purple. They are eaten both raw and cooked.
What is a sweet potato
Sweet potato is one of the exotic vegetables belonging to the Convolvulaceae family. This is a tuber-bearing plant, which is also called sweet potato for its characteristic taste and external resemblance. Although in fact he is not directly related to this culture. Moreover, all potato varieties belong to a different family (Solanaceae).
Biologically, sweet potato is a herbaceous vine. Its wattle stems are creeping, long, grow up to 5 m, and take root at the nodes. The shrub reaches only 18 cm in height.The lateral roots have strong thickenings - this is where sweet potato tubers appear.
The photo of the sweet potato plant shows that its leaves are bright green and have a heart-shaped or palmate-lobed shape. Their petioles are long. Flowers grow in leaf axils. The corollas of sweet potatoes are quite large, shaped like a funnel. The color is pink, pale lilac or white. It is characteristic that many varieties do not produce flowers. They need pollinators - bees. At the end of flowering, a fruit is formed - a capsule with four brown or black seeds.
Flowering bushes can decorate a flower bed
What does a sweet potato look like?
Sweet potato tubers are thickenings of lateral roots. They resemble potatoes in appearance. The color of the pulp varies:
- yellow;
- orange;
- pink;
- white;
- cream;
- red;
- purple.
The pulp is dense, uniform. Used for food. In some large countries (China, Indonesia, India), the vegetable is grown on an industrial scale. The tubers reach 30 cm in length and can weigh 300-500 g or even more (1-3 kg). As a rule, it is much larger than conventional potato varieties.
On the one hand, it is quite sweet, but on the other hand, it is not so juicy. Sweet potatoes are a root vegetable and have a relatively high calorie content. Therefore, it is correct to classify it as a vegetable.
History and country of origin of sweet potato
The first domesticated sweet potato appeared in what is now Central America, and this happened more than 5,000 years ago, i.e. at least 3000 BC
It is also known that sweet potatoes were grown in Polynesia long before European explorers.Moreover, propagation was carried out vegetatively (using vine cuttings), and not by seed. Sweet potatoes were widespread in the Cook Islands around 1400 AD.
Most likely, the plant was brought by Polynesians who traveled to the regions of South America. Sweet potatoes then spread to neighboring territories to Easter Island, Hawaii and New Zealand. There is also a hypothesis that the vegetable was present in Polynesia long before the first people appeared in this region.
Sweet potatoes have long been used as food by the Aztecs. They did not yet know about the medicinal properties of sweet potatoes, but they consumed the vegetable raw, fried and boiled.
Calorie content and chemical composition of sweet potato
The calorie content of sweet potatoes is 86 kcal per 100 g of pulp. Nutrient content for the same weight:
- proteins – 1.57 g;
- fats – 0.05 g;
- carbohydrates – 20.12 g (including starch 12.6 g, simple sugars 4.2 g).
Calorie content of sweet potato is within 86 kcal per 100 g
The nutritional value of sweet potato and its usefulness are related to the content of starch (up to 30% mass fraction) and sugars (6%). It is these indicators that determine the calorie content, as well as the characteristic sweet taste. The vegetable also contains other valuable substances:
- Sweet potatoes contain quite a lot of vitamins - A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, C, K;
- minerals are present (phosphorus, calcium, zinc, potassium, iron, sodium, magnesium, selenium);
- There is also dietary fiber - 1.3 g per 100 g, which corresponds to almost 7% of the daily value.
Useful properties of sweet potato
The benefits of sweet potato for the body are related to its chemical composition. Sweet potatoes contain quite a lot of valuable substances, so they have a complex effect on the body:
- tonic effect;
- improving the functioning of the cardiovascular system and digestion;
- rapid restoration of strength, saturation;
- strengthening the walls of blood vessels;
- cancer prevention;
- increasing immunity;
- cholesterol reduction;
- removal of toxins, waste;
- stimulation of metabolic and regeneration processes.
Sweet potatoes are especially beneficial for women. Its tubers contain plant hormones estrogen and progesterone. They improve the functioning of the reproductive and nervous system. Therefore, sweet potatoes should be eaten by those for whom it is important to normalize hormonal balance, for example, during the postmenopausal period. The vegetable can also be used as an additional treatment for gynecological diseases.
The benefits of sweet potatoes for men are associated with lowering cholesterol, strengthening the heart muscle, and removing harmful components. We can say that sweet potatoes are good for human health at almost any age. It can be gradually included in the diet of children from 7-8 months. Due to the high content of starch and sugars, sweet potatoes quickly fill you up and replenish energy costs.
The vegetable is good for women and men, adults and children
Is it possible while losing weight?
Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, vitamins and microelements. Therefore, it can be used for weight loss. It is best to bake in the oven, stew or boil. Sweet potatoes are also eaten raw. In this case, it is grated and added to salad or other snacks.
Is it possible for pancreatitis?
Eating a vegetable for pancreatitis is permissible only at the stage of remission - then it will be useful. But certain complications and digestive disorders are also possible. Therefore, you should first consult your doctor.
Is it possible for pregnant and lactating women
Despite all the benefits of the vegetable, it should not be consumed during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. This can lead to disturbances in the development of the fetus, and sometimes to the death of the child. As for breastfeeding, the vegetable is not consumed at this time, because the baby may show signs of an allergic reaction. It should be introduced into the diet gradually from 7-8 months.
Harm and contraindications of sweet potato
Sweet potatoes can truly be considered a healthy vegetable, as they are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and are very filling. But it contains organic acids. Therefore, you should not eat the root vegetable if you have gastritis and ulcers, especially in the acute stage. Otherwise, epigastric pain and heartburn may occur. Also, excessive consumption of vegetables provokes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
In some cases, rashes, redness, itching, swelling and other allergic reactions may occur. Sweet potatoes are also dangerous due to the risk of gallstones and kidney stones. If you consume it in excessive quantities, signs of vitamin A hypervitaminosis may occur:
- nervous excitability;
- feverish condition;
- hair loss;
- headaches;
- aching joints;
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- skin rash, peeling;
- chapped lips.
Sweet potatoes may cause allergic reactions
There are risks of impaired fetal development and even miscarriages. The baby may also develop allergic reactions.Therefore, there are several contraindications to eating sweet potatoes:
- all trimesters of pregnancy;
- feeding period;
- children under 7 months;
- thrombosis;
- condition after a heart attack, stroke;
- taking contraceptives;
- ulcer, gastritis;
- pancreatitis (during exacerbation);
- cases of individual intolerance.
How to eat sweet potato
Sweet potatoes can be prepared in a variety of ways, just like regular potatoes:
- frying small slices and pieces in oil;
- baking in the oven (with or without foil);
- extinguishing in a small volume of water;
- boiling
First and second courses are prepared from sweet potatoes and used as a side dish and salad. It is also suitable for making potato pancakes - analogues of potato pancakes. Sweet potatoes can be deep-fried, made into chips, and even grilled.
Can you eat sweet potatoes raw?
This vegetable, unlike potatoes, can be eaten raw. In this form, it contains a maximum of useful and nutritious substances. Can be consumed with salt, vegetable oil, and also in salads.
Can you eat sweet potatoes with the skin on?
The vegetable can be eaten even with the skin, but only after thoroughly washing it and subjecting it to heat treatment. Most often, the tubers are baked with the skin on so that the pulp does not fall apart.
Can you eat sprouted sweet potatoes?
You can also eat sprouted tubers, but not the sprouts themselves. Since the skin becomes rougher, it is usually not used for food. The pulp itself can be used in various dishes. But fresh, well-preserved potatoes without sprouts taste best.
What does sweet potato taste like?
Boiled sweet potatoes taste like sweet potatoes, and one gets the impression that they are frozen.When raw, it looks more like carrots, and when fried, it looks like pieces of pumpkin.
There is a noticeable sweet note in the taste of sweet potato, but it is moderate
Therefore, this vegetable can be used as a side dish, as well as for preparing salads and first courses.
Conclusion
Sweet potato is an interesting vegetable with a rich composition. It is quite nutritious and does not contain many calories, so it can even be used for dietary purposes. However, it also has contraindications, so if you have chronic diseases, it is recommended to first consult a doctor.
