Sweet potato packed with all goodness

ALTHOUGH we call this root vegetable a sweet potato, it is not actually part of the potato family.

In fact, sweet potatoes are much higher in fibre than regular potatoes. Research shows that a high-fibre diet is protective against colon cancer development and importantly helps to flush toxins out through our bowel.

Sweet potato is a significant source of magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese, vitamin C, E and the B group, except vitamin B12. The orange sweet potato is especially high in beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that helps keeps disease development at bay. Beta-carotene can be transformed into vitamin A, another essential vitamin that is most popular for its role in boosting your immune system and skin health.

In addition, sweet potato has a lower glycemic index, yet it’s still super sweet in taste. This vegetable is great for diabetics as it helps support healthy blood sugar levels and supplies key nutrients to assist in balanced blood sugar regulation.

Purple sweet potato is known to be higher in the cancer inhibiting anythocyanidin, an antioxidant found most abundantly in purple coloured fruits and vegetables.

Creamy and dense, sweet potatoes are great at giving you a sense of fullness like potatoes do but without the extra calories. They can be part of wholesome muffin mixtures or turned into fun French fries with easy versatility.

This is one of the most family-friendly vegetables. When mashed it is superb for babies and the elderly with weaker dental and digestive abilities.