Archive for October 28th, 2008
The Ultimate Wonder Food
Sweet potato. Yep, you heard it. Sweet potato’s not only high in fiber, antioxidants, potassium, glutathione, it also helps reduce and keep blood sugar levels and arthritis at bay. My dad was right, – sweet potatoes, aka “Kamote” in Tagalog, is a wonder food.
| Sweet potatoes are the perfect food |
| Written by Erin M. Phelan | |
Sweet potatoes rate high in the list of foods that can help us achieve optimum heath -that state of physical and mental well being, accompanied by high levels of energy and a strong, perfectly balanced immune system- and you might wonder why. Wonder no more and read.
SWEET POTATOES ARE THE PERFECT FOODSweet potatoes rate high in the list of foods that can help us achieve optimum heath -that state of physical and mental well being, accompanied by high levels of energy and a strong, perfectly balanced immune system- and you might wonder why. Wonder no more. HERE ARE 8 REASONS WHYSweet potatoes are high in fiber (4g – one medium sized sweet potato)And also fat free, therefore saturated fat free too, low in sodium, and low in cholesterol. A sweet way to get good nutritionNot only are they a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Manganese, Vitamin B6, sweet potatoes are also a good way to get copper, iron, dietary fiber, and potassium. They have proteins with potent antioxidant effectsThe latest research studies focused on two areas of health benefit. The unique root stores proteins that have been observed to have significant antioxidant capacities. In one study, the proteins had about one-third the antioxidant activity of glutathione – one of the body’s most impressive internally produced antioxidants. More research is needed. “Anti-diabetic” foodRecently the sweet potato has been classified as an “anti-diabetic” food. They have been given this label because of some animal studies in which the potato helped in stabilizing blood sugar levels and lowered insulin resistance. Some of these blood sugar regulatory properties may come from the fact that sweet potatoes are concentrated in carotenoids. More research is needed in this area. Antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory foodAs a wonderful source vitamin A -in the form of beta-carotene- and a good source of vitamin C, they have healing properties as an antioxidant food. Both beta-carotene and vitamin C are very powerful antioxidants. Sweet potatoes are also rich in vitamin B6, which has been associated with decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Protection against emphysemaIf you smoke or are frequently exposed to secondhand smoke, then making vitamin A-rich foods, such as sweet potatoes, part of your healthy way of eating, may save your life; as research conducted at Kansas State University suggests. A common carcinogen in cigarette smoke induces vitamin A deficiency, and a diet rich in vitamin A can help counter this effect, greatly reducing your chances of getting emphysema. A nutritional powerhouseJust 4 ounces of cooked pulp supply 2 grams of protein, 24.6 mg of vitamin C, 3.4 grams of fiber, 20 mg of magnesium, 28 mg of calcium, 22.6 mcg of folic acid, 21822 I.U. of vitamin A, and 348 mg of potassium. And that’s for only a half cup serving. The skins, which are completely edible, add even more fiber. They work well in some of the most popular dietsSouth Beach Diet, Atkins Diet, and Sugar busters Diet have all listed the sweet potato as a good carb. This is because among root vegetables, sweet potatoes have the lowest glycemic index rating. The sweet potato is slow to digest, causing a smooth and steady rise in blood sugar so you feel satisfied longer. Taken from: All Natural Foods |
For more information on the nutritional values of sweet potatoes, go here.
Even its vines are good to eat both on the level of taste and health.
A variation of sweet potato fries
There are endless ways to eat sweet potatoes- one way is to make them into fries. If you’re making it into fries, cut it lengthwise or into thin circular slices. The thinner the better. Flavor with curry, salt, and cinnamon, or herbs and salt, or Korean pepper/Korean ketchup sprinkled with sugar is another great way- or go, the rather unhealthy but extremely delicious Filipino way, fry the sweet potatoes in melted sugar.
Another way is to just boil them and eat them- but because boiling brings out the high starch content, it makes it a bit fattening. Personally I like eating sweet potatoes when they’re baked and coated with honey and/or maple syrup, butter, and cinnamon, or even just plain. Sweet potatoes are good in pies, mixed in sweets with grated coconut meat, milk, and sugar, and even in savory dishes like another Filipino dish- pochero.
So well, here is, the wonder food. It’s been recently found that sweet potatoes are also high in glutathion which is used to treat toxicity, acne, cancer, allergies, Alzheimer’s disease, cystic fibrosis, arthritis, diabetes, hepatitis, liver dysfunction, and more. I’m going to include this in the list of “must eat foods” for the nutrition project and I’ll eat more of this stuff for sure. 
Sweet potato, the ultimate multivitamin.
