Sweet potatoes are rich in protein, starch, pectin, cellulose, amino acids, vitamins, and various minerals, earning them the reputation of a "longevity food." They contain 15%-20% sugar. They have effects such as anti-cancer, protecting the heart, preventing emphysema, diabetes, and aiding in weight loss. In the Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica" noted that "sweet potatoes supplement deficiency, strengthen the spleen to stimulate appetite, and nourish kidney yin," and also said that people who eat them live longer.
Eating sweet potatoes with some grains is healthier
How to eat sweet potatoes for better nutrition? First, avoid eating them raw. In many places in the south, it's trendy to eat raw sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes have a high starch content, which is difficult to digest raw, so it's best to cook them. High-temperature heating also makes soluble fiber easier to digest, shortens its sugar chains, and increases the sweetness of the sweet potato.
Second, avoid eating them alone. When eating sweet potatoes, you should pair them with other grain foods. Eating them alone can lead to an unbalanced intake of nutrients because their protein content is relatively low. The traditional method of cutting sweet potatoes into pieces and simmering them with rice into a porridge is actually more scientific.
White-fleshed vs. Red-fleshed, which is better?
When buying sweet potatoes, you should choose those with red flesh and a deeper color, as these types contain more carotene.
Sweet potato leaves are also very nutritious
Sweet potato leaves are the tender leaves at the top of the above-ground vines after the sweet potatoes mature. The Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center has classified sweet potato leaves as a high-nutrition vegetable variety, calling them the "queen of vegetables."
Recommended Recipe 1: Sweet Potato Porridge
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into chunks. Wash the rice and put it in a pot with water. Add the cut sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour.
Recommended Recipe 2: Cold-dressed Sweet Potato Leaves
Select fresh, tender leaf tips. Blanch them in boiling water, then dress with seasonings like sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, and ginger juice to make a cold salad. It looks tender green and whets the appetite.