sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are not related to potatoes at all. The Ipomoea batata is a member of the morning glory family and it is a tuberous root.  Sweet potatoes are not related to yams either, yet in the USA people call them yams. The yams are bigger and their flesh is white and not as sweet as the sweet potatoes, their nutrition value is not as impressive either.

  Sweet potatoes are native to South America, the Incas in Peru cultivated them over ten thousand years ago. In Quechua they were called kumar, in Polynesia they were called kumara. Columbus imported them to Europe in his first trip in 1492. From there they were introduced to the Philippines and East Indies, then to China, India and Malaysia.

Nutrition Value

Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients and  disease fighting fiber of which 40% is soluble fiber, this type of fiber helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

• They are very rich in carotenoids, these orange and yellow pigments play an important role in helping the body respond to insulin.
• Sweet potatoes are rich in chorogenic acid, which may help reduce insulin resistance.
• They are an excellent source of vitamin C.
• They are rich in potassium, a mineral that helps bringing the blood pressure down. They contain more potassium than a banana.
• They are rich in beta carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A, an average medium sweet potato provides more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin A.
• They also provide plant stenoids, which are cholesterol lowing compounds.

Tips

• When buying sweet potatoes choose those that are heavy for their size, with intact peel.
• Keep them in  a cool and dark area, away from any heat source, do not refrigerate them.
• If you duffer from diabetes minimize your intake of sweet potatoes. Even that they are loaded with nutrients, they are a starch and their glycemic index is about 10, still be cautious.