Sweet potatoes offer numerous health benefits when consumed in moderation: Health benefits and precautions for eating sweet potato leaves.
67. Sweet potatoes, when consumed in moderation, have great health benefits.
Sweet potato, also known as yam, sweet potato, ground potato, yam, sweet potato, red sweet potato, pillow potato, golden potato, white potato, red potato, sweet potato, etc., has a reddish or white skin and mostly yellowish-white flesh, but it may also be purple. In addition to being used for food, it can also be used to brew wine, make sugar, and produce alcohol.
Sweet potatoes are said to "boost energy, replenish deficiencies, strengthen kidney yin, and invigorate the spleen and stomach," promoting "few illnesses and longevity." They are also believed to harmonize blood, nourish the middle jiao (spleen and stomach), enrich the five internal organs, and warm the stomach. They are primarily used to treat constipation due to intestinal dryness, sores and boils, and edema due to spleen deficiency.
Sweet potatoes are rich in carotene, dietary fiber, starch, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E, as well as more than 10 trace elements such as iron, potassium, calcium, selenium, and copper, and linoleic acid. They have high nutritional value and are known as the most nutritionally balanced health food.
Health benefits of sweet potato leaves
Sweet potato leaves are the tender leaves that grow at the top of the vines after the sweet potatoes mature in autumn. Tests show that every 100 grams of fresh sweet potato leaves contains 0.2 grams of fat, 2.28 grams of protein, 16 milligrams of potassium, 4.1 grams of sugar, 34 milligrams of phosphorus, 2.3 milligrams of iron, 0.32 milligrams of vitamin C, and 6.42 milligrams of carotene. Compared to other common vegetables, the content of vitamins and minerals is excellent, and the carotene content is even richer than that of carrots. Therefore, sweet potato leaves are also known as the "Queen of Vegetables." Sweet potato leaves have health benefits such as hemostasis, boosting immunity, preventing night blindness, detoxification, and lowering blood sugar. Regular consumption can protect eyesight, prevent constipation, delay aging, and maintain smooth skin.
In recent years, a "sweet potato leaf craze" has swept through Hong Kong, Japan, Europe, and the United States. Foods made with sweet potato leaves have even appeared on the menus of restaurants and hotels. There are many ways to eat sweet potato leaves, and here's a brief introduction. Select tender leaf tips, blanch them in boiling water, and then make a cold salad with soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, vinegar, ginger juice, mustard, and other seasonings. Its vibrant green appearance is sure to whet your appetite. You can also stir-fry sweet potato leaves with shredded meat for a sweet and fragrant, unique flavor. In addition, sweet potato leaves can be used in soups or added to porridge. Canned pickled sweet potato leaves are available in Japanese vegetable markets; we can also add salt to make them into a side dish or pickle for consumption.
Medicinal uses of sweet potatoes
① Stir-fry 25 grams of sweet potato leaves with salt and oil, eat it twice a day, all at once. This has a good therapeutic effect on constipation. ② Boiled sweet potatoes have an excellent therapeutic effect on jaundice caused by heat. While using this dietary therapy, patients should also go to the hospital in time to cooperate with the doctor's treatment. ③ A suitable amount of dried sweet potato vines, decocted in water and taken orally, can treat diabetes. ④ Fresh sweet potato leaves, mashed, mixed with brown sugar, applied to the navel, have a therapeutic effect on constipation and urinary retention. ⑤ Boil 100 grams of fresh sweet potato leaves in water and take orally, which can treat night blindness.
Sweet Potato Recipe - Sweet Potato Baby
Ingredients: Roasted black sesame seeds, sweet potato.
Instructions: Wash the sweet potatoes, peel them, and cut them into 1 cm thick slices. Place them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and steam until cooked through. Alternatively, microwave on high for 5 minutes. Place the cooked sweet potatoes in a plastic bag and mash them into a puree while still hot. Use a damp towel or wear heat-resistant gloves as the temperature is very high. Roll the sweet potato puree into small balls. Place two black sesame seeds on each ball for eyes and one for a mouth, making it look like a little toy!
Nutrition: Most yellow and red vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and pumpkins, contain high levels of vitamin A. Vitamin A can promote the development of teeth and bones, enhance disease resistance, and protect vision and eyes. Dietary fiber can help the body eliminate excess waste. Sesame seeds can moisturize the intestines, nourish the blood, and replenish deficiencies.
Precautions for consumption
Sweet potatoes contain an oxidase that produces a large amount of carbon dioxide gas in the human gastrointestinal tract. Excessive intake can cause discomfort such as flatulence, hiccups, and bloating. Sweet potatoes are also rich in sugar; excessive consumption can cause heartburn. The stomach, stimulated by excessive stomach acid, contracts more strongly, causing stomach acid to reflux into the esophagus, resulting in acid reflux.
Sweet potatoes must be thoroughly cooked before consumption, because the starch granules in sweet potatoes are difficult to digest if they are not broken down by high temperatures.
The drawback of sweet potatoes is that they lack fat and protein. However, now that people's living standards have improved, sweet potatoes are no longer a staple food, so the nutrients they lack can be made up for by other foods.
When eating sweet potatoes, you should eat them with a little bit of pickled vegetables, as this has a good inhibitory effect on stomach acid.
In addition, those with qi stagnation, food accumulation, or dampness obstructing the spleen and stomach should eat less sweet potatoes.
Eating sweet potatoes scientifically and reasonably is very important; otherwise, the body will have difficulty digesting and absorbing them, and discomfort such as heartburn, bloating, flatulence, acid reflux, and belching may occur. Sweet potatoes must be steamed or boiled thoroughly. First, if the cell membranes of the starch in sweet potatoes are not broken down by high temperatures, the body cannot digest and absorb them; second, if the "gas-producing enzymes" in sweet potatoes are not destroyed by high temperatures, discomfort may occur after eating them.