Sweet Potatoes

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Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes look like the pancreas and balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

Description: Tuber of the sweet potato is a perennial herbaceous plant of the botanical family Convolvulaceae and has tailing vines reaching a height of 30 cm to 1 m.

Properties and indications:

· Carbohydrates predominate in the sweet potato’s composition, constituting approximately 21.3% of its weight.

· The fat and protein content is minimal (less than the white potato).

· Sweet potatoes are very rich in beta-carotene, particularly in the yellow varieties.

· The sweet potato is quite digestible, although it must be well chewed to mix it with saliva.

· The sweet potato also contains an appreciable amount of cellulose-type fiber.

The Therapeutic properties of Sweet Potato:

· Although sweet potatoes are rich in starch, and, therefore calories, they have the unique feature of producing a sensation of satiety, thus calming the appetite.

· Obesity: Contradictory though it may seem, consumption of sweet potatoes protects against obesity. Of course, sweet potato should not be the staple of the diet because of their lack of fats and proteins. However, when combined with milk, legumes, or oil-bearing nuts, they are nutritious and satiating.

· Arteriosclerosis and circulatory disorders: Sweet potatoes’ richness in beta-carotene makes them very appropriate in cases of arteriosclerosis.

Caution: Sweet potatoes should be used in moderation by those who suffer from:

· Those who suffer from intestinal fermentation ad excess gas.

· Diabetics because of carbohydrates.

How to use Sweet Potatoes:

· Sweet potato pie instead of pumpkin pie

· Baked sweet potatoes 

· Boiled or steamed sweet potatoes, use in soup, salads or a side dish

· Cauliflower and sweet potato soup

· Creamed kale and sweet potatoes

· Curried sweet potatoes with chickpeas

· Sweet potato salad

· Sweet potato soup with ginger and kale

· Sweet potato brownies