Sweet potato tuber contains 60%-80% water, 10%-30% starch, about 5% sugar and a small amount of protein, oil, cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin and ash. If 2.5Kg fresh sweet potato is converted into 0.5Kg grain, its nutritional components are higher than rice and flour except fat. In addition, sweet potato is rich in vitamins (carotene, vitamins A, B, C and E), and its starch is easily absorbed by the human body. [8]
1. carotene
Vitamin A is known as "eye protection", which is transformed from carotene. Sweet potato is rich in carotene, which can provide rich vitamin A. The content of vitamin A can be as high as 40mg/ 100g of fresh sweet potato. Carotene can be converted into vitamin A after being absorbed by human body. Vitamin A can maintain normal visual function.
2. Edible fiber
The fiber content of sweet potato is 10 times that of rice flour. It has fine texture, does not harm the stomach, can accelerate the peristalsis of digestive tract, help defecation, clean the digestive tract, shorten the residence time of toxic substances in food in the intestine, reduce self-poisoning caused by constipation, reduce the concentration of carcinogens in the intestine, and prevent hemorrhoids and colorectal cancer. At the same time, cellulose can absorb some glucose, reduce the sugar content in blood, and help prevent diabetes.
3. Combination of sugar and protein
Sweet potato is rich in mucin, which is a mixture of polysaccharide and protein. It has a special protective effect on human body, and can keep the lubrication of digestive tract, respiratory tract, joint cavity and membrane cavity and the elasticity of blood vessels. Because this substance can prevent arteriosclerosis caused by the deposition of substances on the arterial wall, it can prevent the atrophy of connective tissue of organs such as liver and kidney, slow down the aging of human organs and improve the immunity of the body. Sweet potato also contains glycoprotein, which has good anti-mutation, hypolipidemic and immune enhancement effects.
4. Potassium
Sweet potato has high potassium content, which can alleviate the disadvantages caused by excessive salt intake. Potassium is also an important factor to protect the heart. Because potassium is an alkaline element, the pH value of sweet potato is 10. 1, which is a physiological alkaline food and has the function of neutralizing body fluids. Proper consumption of sweet potato is conducive to maintaining the acid-base balance of blood and to people's health, development and intellectual development.
5. Anticancer substances
There is a physiologically active substance called "deoxyepiandrosterone" in sweet potato, which can prevent colon cancer and breast cancer and greatly promote the activity of brain cells and endocrine glands, so it can delay mental decline and increase human resistance. It contains more carotene, lysine, plant fiber and dehydroepiandrosterone, which can prevent intestinal cancer and breast cancer.
Therapeutic value
Sweet potato is rich in essential nutrients such as starch, vitamins and cellulose, as well as mineral elements such as magnesium, phosphorus and calcium and linoleic acid. These substances can maintain the elasticity of blood vessels and are very effective in preventing and treating habitual constipation in the elderly. Unfortunately, most people think that eating sweet potatoes will make people fat and dare not eat them. In fact, on the contrary, sweet potato is an ideal diet food, its calorie is only 1/3 of that of rice, and because it is rich in cellulose and pectin, it has the special function of preventing sugar from transforming into fat [8].
Sweet potato is not only a healthy food, but also a good medicine for treating diseases. According to Compendium of Materia Medica, sweet potato has the effects of "tonifying deficiency and benefiting qi, strengthening spleen and stomach, and strengthening kidney yin". "Sweet potatoes are steamed, cut into sections, dried, and harvested as food, which is called potato food, which makes people live longer and less sick." Compendium of Materia Medica says that sweet potato can tonify the middle energizer, enrich the blood, warm the stomach and nourish the five internal organs. The Manual of Sweet Potato says that it has six medicinal values: treating dysentery and diarrhea; Treat wine accumulation and heat diarrhea; Treating damp-heat jaundice; Treating nocturnal emission with white turbidity; Treating blood deficiency and menstrual disorder; Treat infantile malnutrition. "Lu Chuan Materia Medica says that sweet potatoes can produce fluid to quench thirst and cure fever and thirst.
Sweet potato contains a lot of cellulose and pectin that are not easily destroyed by digestive enzymes, which can stimulate the secretion of digestive juice and gastrointestinal peristalsis, thus playing a laxative role. In addition, its rich β -carotene is an effective antioxidant, which helps to eliminate free radicals in the body. In fact, sweet potato is an ideal diet food.
dietotherapy
1, stir-fried sweet potato
Ingredients: 250 grams of sweet potato.
Method and usage: add oil, stir-fry with salt, eat once,/kloc-0 twice a day.
Efficacy: Treating constipation.
2, brown sugar sweet potato leaves
Raw materials: raw sweet potato leaves.
Method and usage: Mash sweet potato leaves, adjust brown sugar, and stick them on abdomen and navel.
Efficacy: It can cure constipation.
3. Boiled sweet potato vines
Raw materials: appropriate amount of dried sweet potato vine.
Method and usage: decoct with water.
Efficacy: It can cure thirst.
Medicinal value
Medicinal efficacy
Sweet potato contains unique bioflavonoids, which can promote defecation and effectively inhibit the occurrence of breast cancer and colon cancer; It can improve the function of digestive organs, nourish liver and kidney, and effectively treat hepatitis and jaundice.
Sweet potato protein is of high quality, which can make up for the lack of nutrition in rice and white flour. Regular consumption can improve the utilization rate of nutrients in staple food, make people healthy and prolong life.
Sweet potato is rich in dietary fiber, which has the special function of preventing sugar from transforming into fat; Can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis and prevent constipation. Can be used for treating hemorrhoid and anal fissure, and has certain effect on preventing rectal cancer and colon cancer.
Sweet potato has a special protective effect on the mucosa of human organs, which can inhibit the deposition of cholesterol, maintain the elasticity of blood vessels, prevent the atrophy of connective tissue of liver and kidney, and prevent the occurrence of collagen disease. [9]
External use/application
Potatoes are used to treat sores, while local records uses leaf juice to treat eczema, and vines are used to treat snake and dog bites. Potato seedling leaves, tender leaves of Ipomoea aquatica and brown sugar are applied to the navel for treating nephritis edema and ascites due to cirrhosis. Brazilian sweet potato Simon 1 is the most effective variety in clinical application, and there are some difficult cases such as treating cancer and 17 type diabetes. [ 10]
Lose weight, beauty [2]
Whether eating sweet potatoes can make people fat. According to scientific research, eating sweet potatoes will not make people fat. On the contrary, sweet potato is an ideal diet food. Its calories are very low, much lower than ordinary rice. You don't have to worry about getting fat after eating it, but you can lose weight.
Sweet potato also contains a substance similar to estrogen, which has a certain effect on protecting human skin and delaying aging. So many foreign women regard sweet potato as beauty food.
be anticancer
Scientists have found that sweet potato contains a chemical called hydroepiandrosterone, which can be used to prevent colon cancer and breast cancer. [3] The most anticancer nutrients in the diet are β -carotene (the precursor of vitamin A), vitamin C and folic acid, and the contents of the three are rich in sweet potatoes.
A small sweet potato (about 2 times) can provide twice the daily vitamin A, one third of the daily vitamin C, and about 50 micrograms of folic acid. The content of dietary fiber is higher than a bowl of oatmeal. Eating sweet potatoes regularly helps to maintain the normal folic acid level of the human body, and low folic acid content in the body will increase the risk of cancer. Sweet potato has high dietary fiber content, which can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis and prevent constipation and colorectal cancer.
It's good for the heart
Sweet potato is rich in potassium, beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin B6, all of which help to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Potassium contributes to the balance of liquid and electrolyte in human cells and maintains normal blood pressure and heart function.
β -carotene and vitamin C have the effects of anti-lipid oxidation and prevention of atherosclerosis. Supplementation of folic acid and vitamin B6 is helpful to reduce the level of homocysteine in blood, which can damage arterial blood vessels and is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Prevention of emphysema
Why some long-term smokers live to be over 90 years old without suffering from emphysema may be related to the rich vitamin A content in their daily diet. Researchers suggest that smokers or passive smokers should eat some foods rich in vitamin A every day, such as sweet potatoes, to prevent emphysema.
Anti-diabetic effect
Japanese researchers found that the blood insulin level of diabetic obese rats decreased by 26% and 60% respectively after eating white sweet potato for 4 weeks and 6 weeks. It is found that sweet potato can effectively inhibit the increase of blood sugar level in diabetic obese rats after oral glucose. Eating sweet potato can also reduce the levels of triglycerides and free fatty acids in diabetic rats.
It is suggested that sweet potato with white skin has certain anti-diabetic effect. A clinical study at the University of Vienna in Austria found that insulin sensitivity of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was improved after taking sweet potato extract, which helps to control blood sugar.
Sweet potato soup can lose weight.
Coarse grains are rich in dietary fiber. After entering the intestine, they can clean up the waste in the intestine, collect toxins and waste, and let them be excreted smoothly. Sweet potato is also rich in dietary fiber and vitamins, which can create new cells in the intestine and promote metabolism.
The practice of slimming sweet potato soup is very simple.
1 sweet potato, peeled and shredded, 1/4 onion, cut into small pieces, appropriate amount of kelp, shredded, shredded Tricholoma. Boil water in a pot, pour shredded sweet potato, shredded onion, shredded Tricholoma and shredded kelp into the soup to boil, then simmer for 10 minute, and add salt, chicken essence and sesame oil to taste. This soup can make blood flow smoothly and transfer energy to blood; Kelp can not only bring out the delicious soup, but also supplement minerals to the body.
Can prevent influenza.
Recently, the American media pointed out that sweet potato helps to resist the flu and prevent colds. Sweet potato is the best food source of beta carotene, which helps the human body to make enough white blood cells to fight infection caused by the invasion of cold virus. Sweet potatoes can be eaten in many ways, such as steaming, roasting or mashing.