Sweetpotato leaves are cooked as a vegetable in many parts of the world. They are rich in vitamin B, ßcarotene, iron, calcium, zinc and protein, and the crop is more tolerant of diseases, pests and high moisture than many other leafy vegetables grown in the tropics.
Sweet potato leaves can be consumed in both raw and cooked applications such as blanching, sautéing, or stir-frying. They can be used raw in salads, green smoothies, or in place of any leafy green, such as spinach or turnip greens.
6 Surprising Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes;
1. Highly Nutritious. Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
2. Promote Gut Health. The fiber and antioxidants in sweet potatoes are advantageous to gut health.
3. May Have Cancer-Fighting Properties.
4. Support Healthy Vision.
5. May Enhance Brain Function.
6. May Support Your Immune System.
Wash Sweet potato leaves well and rough-chop into smaller pieces before cooking. If they are being boiled, the cooking water may be reserved for later use as a slightly bitter broth or as a health drink as the water will contain nutrients from the leaves.
Prepare sweet potato leaves by boiling, steaming or stir frying to preserve nutrients. While cooking vegetables leads to slight nutrient losses, heat also helps activate some plant enzymes, vitamins and antioxidants.
The greens are edible raw, but are a bit strong in flavor. Try sautéing them in the place of spinach, adding them to stir-fries, or chopping them finely and adding them to salads.
Sweet potato plants are typically grown for their sweet tubers, but the leaves are great too. These edible leaves scientifically called Ipomoea Batatas contain high dietary fibre and can be absolutely delicious.
Sweet potatoes contain potassium. A high potassium intake may not be suitable for people who take beta-blockers. Doctors commonly prescribe these for heart disease, and they can cause potassium levels to rise in the blood.
If you want to lose weight, the leaves of sweet potato leaves are ideal. Green, purple or red juice can generate your alkalization needs. By drinking juice from sweet potato leaves (raw or boiled) can avoid and cure Dengue fever.
Vitamin K in sweet potato leaves also helps reduce inflammation of the cells lining the blood vessels along your veins and arteries. Including sweet potato leaves in your daily diet helps you maintain a healthy blood pressure and reduces the risk of having heart attacks.
Sweet potatoes merit a place in tropical gardens because it is easy to cultivate and yield edible tubers as well as leaves. The leaves are rich sources of protein, carbohydrates and fat. It has been shown that this plant has haematinic effects and has been used in the treatment of anaemia and other related ailments.