Contents
Sweet potatoes are root crops that grow mainly in countries with a warm subtropical climate. They are similar in appearance to potatoes, but have a sweet taste, are larger in size and vary in color from cream to purple. It is eaten both raw and cooked.
What is sweet potato?
Sweet potato is one of the exotic vegetables belonging to the Bindweed family. This is a tuber-bearing plant, which is also called sweet potato for its characteristic taste and resemblance. Although in fact he has no direct relationship with this culture. Moreover, all varieties of potatoes belong to a different family (Nightshade).
Biologically, sweet potato is a grassy vine. Its wattle stems are creeping, long, grow up to 5 m, root at the nodes. The shrub reaches a height of only 18 cm. The lateral roots have strong thickenings – this is where sweet potato tubers appear.
In the photo of the sweet potato plant, you can see that its leaves are bright green, have a heart-shaped or palmate-lobed shape. Their petioles are long. Flowers grow in leaf axils. Sweet potato corollas are quite large, shaped like a funnel. The color is pink, pale lilac or white. It is characteristic that in many varieties flowers do not appear. They need pollinators – bees. At the end of flowering, a fruit is formed – a box 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 look like potatoes. The color of the pulp is varied:
- yellow;
- orange
- pink
- white;
- cream;
- red;
- purple.
The pulp is dense, monophonic. Used for food. In some large countries (China, Indonesia, India), the vegetable is grown on an industrial scale. In length, the tubers reach 30 cm, by weight they can be 300-500 g and even more (1-3 kg). As a rule, it is much larger than the usual varieties of potatoes.
On the one hand, it is quite sweet, but on the other hand, it is not so juicy. Sweet potato is a root vegetable and has a relatively high calorie content. Therefore, it is correct to attribute it to the group of vegetables.
History and country of origin of sweet potato
The first domesticated sweet potato appeared on the territory of present-day Central America, and this happened more than 5000 years ago, i.e. at least 3000 BC
It is also known that sweet potatoes were grown in Polynesia long before the advent of European explorers. Moreover, reproduction was carried out vegetatively (with the help of cuttings of the vine), and not by seed. The sweet potato was widespread in the Cook Islands around 1400 AD.
Most likely, the plant was introduced by the Polynesians who traveled to the regions of South America. Further, sweet potatoes 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 appearance of the first people in this region.
The Aztecs used sweet potatoes for a long time. They did not yet know about the medicinal properties of sweet potato, but they used the vegetable raw, fried and boiled.
Calorie content and chemical composition of sweet potato
Calorie content of sweet potatoes is 86 kcal per 100 g of pulp. Nutrient content per weight:
- proteins – 1,57 g;
- fats – 0,05 g;
- carbohydrates – 20,12 g (including starch 12,6 g, simple sugars 4,2 g).
Calorie sweet potato within 86 kcal per 100 g
The nutritional value of sweet potato and its usefulness are associated with 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 aftertaste. The composition of the vegetable contains other valuable substances:
- there are quite a lot of vitamins in sweet potato – A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, C, K;
- minerals are present (phosphorus, calcium, zinc, potassium, iron, sodium, magnesium, selenium);
- there are also dietary fibers – 1,3 g per 100 g, which corresponds to almost 7% of the daily requirement.
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, therefore it has a complex effect on the body:
- tonic effect;
- improvement of the cardiovascular system, digestion;
- rapid recovery of forces, saturation;
- strengthening the walls of blood vessels;
- cancer prevention;
- increased immunity;
- lowering cholesterol;
- removal of toxins, toxins;
- 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 systems. Therefore, sweet potatoes should be eaten by those who need to normalize hormonal balance, for example, during the postmenopausal period. Also, the vegetable can be used as an additional treatment for gynecological diseases.
The benefits of sweet potato for men are associated with lowering cholesterol, strengthening the heart muscle, as well as removing harmful components. We can say that sweet potato is 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 saturate and replenish energy costs.
Vegetable is useful for women and men, adults and children
Is it possible with weight loss
Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. 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 ground on a grater, added to a salad or other snacks.
Is it possible with pancreatitis
Eating a vegetable with pancreatitis is permissible only at the stage of remission – then it will be useful. But certain complications, digestive disorders, are also possible. Therefore, you should first consult with your doctor.
Is it possible for pregnant and lactating
Despite all the benefits of the vegetable, it is impossible to use it during pregnancy and during feeding. This can lead to disturbances in the development of the fetus, and sometimes to the death of the child. As for breastfeeding, at this time the vegetable is not consumed, because the child 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 really be considered a healthy vegetable, because they are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and they saturate well. But it contains organic acids. Therefore, you should not use the root crop for gastritis and ulcers, especially in the acute stage. Otherwise, pain in the epigastric region and heartburn may occur. Also, excessive consumption of the vegetable provokes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
In some cases, rashes, redness, itching, swelling and other allergic reactions may occur. Also, sweet potatoes are dangerous for the risk of gallstones and kidney stones. If you use it in excessive amounts, you may experience signs of hypervitaminosis in vitamin A:
- nervous irritability;
- feverish state;
- hair loss;
- pain in the head;
- pain in the joints;
- nausea;
- vomiting phenomena;
- skin rash, peeling;
- cracking lips.
Sweet potato can provoke allergic reactions
There are risks of impaired fetal development and even miscarriages. The infant may also develop allergic reactions. Therefore, there are several contraindications to eating sweet potatoes:
- all trimesters of pregnancy;
- feeding period;
- children up to 7 months;
- thromboses;
- condition after a heart attack, stroke;
- the use of contraceptives;
- ulcer, gastritis;
- pancreatitis (during an exacerbation);
- cases of individual intolerance.
How to eat sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes can be cooked in many ways, just like regular tubers:
- frying small slices, pieces in oil;
- baking in the oven (in foil or without it);
- quenching in a small amount of water;
- boiling.
First and second courses are prepared from sweet potatoes, 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 Raw Sweet Potato?
This vegetable, unlike potatoes, can be eaten raw. In this form, it contains a maximum of useful and nutritious substances. It can be used with salt, vegetable oil, as well as in salads.
Is it possible to eat sweet potato with a peel
A vegetable can be eaten even with a skin, but only after thoroughly washing and subjecting it to heat treatment. Most often, the tubers are baked with the peel so that the flesh does not fall apart.
Is it possible to eat sprouted sweet potato
Sprouted tubers can also be consumed, but not the sprouts themselves. Since the skin becomes coarser, it is usually not used for food. The pulp itself can be used in different dishes. But the most delicious fresh, well-preserved potatoes without sprouts.
What does sweet potato taste like
The taste of boiled sweet potato resembles a sweetish potato, and one gets the impression that it is frozen. Raw, it looks more like carrots, and fried, it looks like pieces of pumpkin.
There is a sweet note in the taste of sweet potato, but it is moderate
Therefore, such a 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, does not contain many calories, so it can even be used for diet food. However, it also has contraindications, therefore, in the presence of chronic diseases, it is recommended to consult a doctor first.
