There are many health benefits of purple sweet potato
The benefits of purple sweet potato are not limited to one area only. In the culinary world, purple tubers are known as a food ingredient that can be processed into a variety of delicious dishes and has a striking color. While in the world of health, purple tubers can fight a variety of diseases, from eye diseases to cancer.
The tubers are known for their various shapes and colors of meat, ranging from yellowish green, orange, to purple. The purple color of this sweet potato occurs because the plants of this tuber group are rich in substances called anthocyanins that are safe for human consumption so that purple tubers are widely processed into natural dyes in food.
In addition to anthocyanins, purple tubers have other nutrients that are very useful for the body, such as calories, carbohydrates, fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, consuming purple potatoes is also low in fat so it is safe if you are on a diet.
Benefits of purple sweet potato for health
Research shows that the content of anthocyanins alone makes the health benefits of purple sweet potato very much. Anthocyanin is proven to be easily absorbed by the body and can be antioxidant, antihypertensive, antitumor, to protect the liver and retina.
While the other nutrients contained in purple tubers are also no less beneficial for the health of your body. Here are some of the benefits of purple sweet potato:
Reject free radicals
Antioxidants contained in purple tubers are substances needed by the body to fight free radicals. Free radicals themselves are evil molecules that can damage human DNA and cause inflammation, and are often associated with premature aging and cancer.
Maintain intestinal health
The benefits of this purple tuber are related to the fiber content of food that is also found in the tuber. Tubers basically have two types of fibers, namely soluble fiber and insoluble fiber in water.
Soluble fiber absorbs more water so that it will smooth the journey of food in the gastrointestinal tract until it becomes feces. On the other hand, insoluble fiber is more difficult to absorb water, but will prevent the feces from becoming too dilute.
Some types of soluble or insoluble fiber are also fermented by bacteria in the intestine into a substance called short-chain fatty acids. The function of this fatty acid is to help the intestinal wall stay healthy and strong in digesting food. To get the benefits of this purple tuber, you are advised to consume 20-33 grams of fiber per day.
Prevents gastrointestinal diseases
Antioxidants in purple tubers are not only able to ward off free radicals, but also help the gut produce good bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. These bacteria work to keep the gastrointestinal tract healthy and prevent diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and diarrhea.
Anticancer
As mentioned above, anthocyanins found in purple tubers can also fight cancer cells in the body, including urinary tract cancer, bowel cancer, stomach cancer, and even breast cancer. However, this claim is only limited by laboratory tests and has never been tested in humans.
Lowers blood pressure
High blood pressure can trigger a heart attack and stroke. However, purple tubers can help lower blood pressure thanks to the antioxidants contained in it. Research has found that the way it works is like taking a blood pressure lowering drug called an ACE inhibitor.
Helps improve visual sensory function
Another benefit of having anthocyanin in purple tubers is eye health. These antioxidants have been shown to prevent eye cell damage and nourish the eyes as a whole. Vitamin A contained in it is also good for eye health.
Improves brain function
Do you often forget? From now on, consume purple sweet potatoes. The reason is that the content of anthocyanin in purple tubers is also proven to be able to improve brain function since the substance is able to ward off free radicals and prevent it from entering your brain.
The content of anthocyanin has never been proven to eliminate the problem of dementia in humans. But other studies say that people who consume foods rich in antioxidants do have a 13% less chance of developing mental illness and dementia in the future.
What can you cook with purple sweet potato?
Basically, you can process purple potatoes into any food by cooking a variety of foods, from steamed, boiled, fried, baked, to made into juice. Whether you are surfing the culinary sites or looking at free-selling recipe books, there are already many food experts reviewing the variety of foods made from these purple tubers.