Not only delicious, there are so many benefits of purple sweet potato that are also good for health. This type of tuber that has a sweet taste and soft texture is believed to maintain eye health to prevent cancer.
Purple sweet potato is widely processed into various delicious foods and snacks. This type of sweet potato is known to be in the same family as the potato. Both are also rich in fiber and various nutrients, such as protein, potassium, phosphorus, and biotin.
However, purple sweet potatoes are known to be lower in calories than potatoes and have a higher vitamin content, namely vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin C. In addition, purple sweet potatoes are also a good source of beta carotene and rich in antioxidants.
Various Benefits of Purple Sweet Potato
With a variety of nutritional content in it, it is not surprising that purple sweet potatoes can provide many benefits for the body. The following are some of the health benefits of purple sweet potatoes:
1. Prevent heart disease
A study showed that eating purple sweet potato can lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. These benefits come from the potassium content in it.
Purple sweet potato also contains fiber which can lower cholesterol levels in the blood. In addition, the anti-inflammatory content in purple sweet potato is also believed to reduce the risk of heart disease.
2. Maintain weight
In addition to lowering cholesterol levels, the fiber content in purple sweet potatoes can also provide a longer full effect so it is appropriate for consumption for those of you who are on a diet or maintaining weight. This benefit is also supported by the complex carbohydrate content in it.
3. Prevent cancer
Purple sweet potatoes contain anthocyanins, which are substances that give sweet potatoes their purple color and are antioxidants. These compounds are able to fight exposure to free radicals that can trigger the growth of cancer cells, especially in the kidneys, colon, and breast.
4. Maintain eye health
Another benefit of purple sweet potato is maintaining eye health. This benefit comes from the high beta carotene content in it. Not only that, the content of vitamin C, zinc, and copper in purple sweet potatoes can also prevent eye diseases associated with age, such as macular degeneration.
5. Reduces the risk of inflammation
Eating purple sweet potatoes is thought to be able to reduce the risk of inflammation or inflammation caused by free radicals. This is thanks to the antioxidant content in it.
How to Process Purple Sweet Potatoes Into a Delicious Dish
The various benefits of purple sweet potato above, you can get in various ways and one of them is by processing it into purple sweet potato sponge cake. The following are the ingredients and how to process them:
Ingredients:
- 3 purple sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 250 ml coconut milk
- cup blueberries fresh
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Peanuts for garnish
How to make:
- Boil the purple sweet potato until soft and cooked for about 15 minutes, then remove and drain.
- Place the purple sweet potato in a large bowl and mash until smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 200 oC.
- Mix coconut milk, lemon juice, butter, honey, and cinnamon, then stir until smooth.
- Add the mixture to the purple sweet potato mixture and mix until smooth.
- Add fruit blueberries fresh and mix again until smooth.
- Place the purple sweet potato dough in a small bowl mold, sprinkle the nuts on top, and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
However, before you process them, make sure you choose purple sweet potatoes that are fresh and ripe. Avoid purple sweet potatoes that have black spots, are soft or mushy, and are wrinkled or germinated. Also, store purple sweet potatoes in a cool, dry place for up to one week.
If you want to know more about the benefits of purple sweet potato for health or the amount of purple sweet potato intake that suits your body condition, you can consult a doctor to get the answer.