Introduction: Nowadays, it's common to see people holding hot roasted sweet potatoes on the streets. The Ming Dynasty physician Li Shizhen said: "People by the sea are long-lived because they eat sweet potatoes." Eating sweet potatoes in winter is also very beneficial for the body. Sweet potatoes are rich in nutrition and have effects such as anti-cancer and preventing emphysema, but there are many taboos to be aware of when eating them, such as paying attention to the amount and time of consumption.
Sweet Potatoes: A Food for Longevity
Sweet potatoes are rich in nutrients. According to measurements, every kilogram of sweet potatoes contains 290 grams of sugar, 23 grams of protein, 5 grams of crude fiber, and 2 grams of fat, as well as various vitamins and minerals. The vitamin content is comparable to that of citrus fruits, especially yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes, which contain 52 milligrams of carotene per 100 grams. Sweet potatoes can supply the body with a large amount of energy; 1 kilogram of sweet potatoes can produce 5317 kilojoules of heat, while 1 kilogram of white flour or rice produces only 14779 kilojoules. More remarkably, the protein in sweet potatoes complements the protein in rice and flour, significantly supplementing the lack of vitamin C in flour, calcium in rice, and the deficiency of carotene in both. Eating sweet potatoes with rice and white flour can improve the nutritional value of staple foods and help people live longer.
The Ming Dynasty physician Li Shizhen said: "People by the sea are long-lived because they eat sweet potatoes."
Don't Eat the Skin of Roasted Sweet Potatoes in Winter
The hot and fragrant roasted sweet potatoes are sweet and delicious, and some are roasted until a "syrup oil" leaks out. The crispy, charred skin of the sweet potato is especially popular, and many people eat it along with the skin.
Experts say it's best not to eat the skin of roasted sweet potatoes because it contains more alkaloids, and excessive consumption can cause gastrointestinal discomfort. In particular, the skin of sweet potatoes with black spots should not be eaten as it can cause poisoning.
Pay Attention to the Time and Method of Eating Sweet Potatoes
1. Sweet potatoes should not be eaten raw
Because the cell membranes of the starch in raw sweet potatoes are not broken down by high temperatures, it is difficult to digest in the human body. At the same time, when cooking sweet potatoes, the steaming or boiling time should be appropriately extended to destroy the "gasification enzyme" contained in them, so that you won't experience discomfort such as bloating, heartburn, belching, nausea, and gas after eating.
2. It's good to eat sweet potatoes with other foods
If sweet potatoes are eaten with rice and flour, it can have a complementary effect on protein; if paired with pickles or fresh radishes at the same time, it can reduce the production of stomach acid.
3. It's best to eat sweet potatoes at noon
This is because the calcium contained in sweet potatoes needs 4 to 5 hours to be absorbed by the body, and the sunlight exposure in the afternoon can promote calcium absorption. In this case, eating sweet potatoes at lunch allows the calcium to be fully absorbed before dinner, without affecting the absorption of calcium from other foods at dinner.
Three Conditions for Eating Sweet Potatoes in Winter
The first condition is to try not to eat them on an empty stomach. Eating sweet potatoes on an empty stomach increases the chance of acid reflux and heartburn because sweet potatoes themselves contain relatively high carbohydrates and are sweet, which increases the possibility of reflux.
The second is that it is best not to eat more than three taels (150 grams) of sweet potatoes in a day. And if you have acid reflux, you can split this amount into smaller portions.
The third is not to eat sweet potatoes with overly sweet things. Sweet potatoes are sweet themselves, and if you eat them with other sweet foods, the possibility of reflux doubles. Therefore, sweet potatoes should not be eaten with overly sweet foods at the same time.
Which Groups Should Not Eat Sweet Potatoes?
Patients with diarrhea and diabetics should not eat sweet potatoes. People with stomach problems should not eat too much to avoid bloating.
Tips 1: What to do if you feel nauseous after eating sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes contain a substance called "gasification enzyme," which produces a large amount of stomach acid in the human stomach, causing heartburn, nausea, and vomiting of acid water after eating. Therefore, it is important to master the correct way of eating sweet potatoes, such as eating them with rice and flour, controlling the amount consumed at one time, pairing them with pickles or salty soups when eating, and steaming or boiling them thoroughly to destroy most of the gasification enzyme with steam. You can also soak raw sweet potatoes in a small amount of alkali, alum, or salt water solution before processing them into cooked food.
Tips 2: How to choose good sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes with a black-brown skin or black spots are contaminated by black spot bacteria. The toxicity of this bacterium can make sweet potatoes hard and bitter, and it is highly toxic to the human body. Moreover, this toxin is not easily destroyed by boiling or roasting, so it must absolutely not be eaten, otherwise the consequences could be disastrous.