Sweet Potato Leaf: Is It Bad? benefits and how to use with recipes
Sweet Potato Leaf Is it bad? benefits and how to use with recipes. In addition, both young and ripe sweet potato leaves have significant health benefits.
The leaves are of a tropical to temperate plant, chordate, hairless and heart-shaped. The upper and lower surface of the leaves are olive green.
The margins are long and smooth petioles. Sweet potato leaves, botanically classified as Ipomoea batatas, grow on a perennial herbaceous vine and belong to the Convolvulaceae, or morning glory, family.
Also known as Camote or Kumara, sweet potato plants are primarily grown for their sweet, tuberous root vegetable.
Can You Eat Raw Sweet Potato Leaves?
Yup. Sweet potato plants are typically grown for their sweet tubers, but the leaves are great too.
These edible leaves contain high dietary fiber and can be absolutely delicious. The leaves, buds and flowers are also edible and used in cooking.
What is the sweet potato leaf for?
A lot of research has conducted that sweet potato leaves also help and are active in preventing all types of cancer like;
- Breast cancer;
- Colon cancer;
- Lung cancer;
- stomach cancer;
- Leukemia.
One study showed that eating at least 100g of sweet potato leaves a week can boost immunity, and lower blood sugar with type II diabetes.
Benefits of Sweet Potato Leaf?
The leaves can be harvested until the root vegetables are fully grown, making sweet potatoes a good crop for times of scarcity.
The benefits of sweet potato leaf are diverse, as it has large amounts of essential nutrients for general health in addition to helping to lose weight.
Increase Calcium in Bones:
Vitamin K helps keep calcium in the bones and reduces the chances of osteoporosis . High consumption of this vitamin can eradicate bone loss in patients with osteoporosis.
This vitamin is essential for forming and improving bone health, reducing the chances of bone fractures in postmenopausal women.
Consuming foods rich in vitamin K helps to repair broken bones.
Reduce Menstrual Pain:
Vitamin K regulates hormonal function and reduces the pain of cramping and PMS. It clots blood and prevents excessive bleeding in addition to relieving PMS symptoms.
Long bleeding can cause more pain and cramping during your period.
Prevent heart disease:
Vitamin K prevents calcification of arteries, one of the main causes of heart attacks. It wards off disease from the arteries and does not allow harmful plaque deposits to form. Adequate intake of this vitamin maintains healthy blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart attack.
Helping in Cancer Treatment:
Vitamin K reduces the chances of colon cancer, prostate , nasal, oral and stomach cancer. A study shows that high consumption of vitamin K by patients with liver cancer helps improve liver functions. Intake of Vitamin K reduces the chances of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Prevent Blood Clotting:
Vitamin K aids in blood clotting, which helps heal cuts and bruises quickly, and requires twelve proteins to function. When blood clotting does not take place properly then one can experience hemorrhagic disease of the newborn.
Caused due to Vitamin K deficiency . Newborns should be injected with vitamin K at birth to prevent hemolytic disease of the newborn.
Improve Brain Health:
A study shows that Vitamin K plays an essential role in sphingolipid metabolism, which plays a vital role in cellular actions and aids in the formation and structural support in the brain.
Evidence shows that Vitamin K has anti-inflammatory properties, which prevent the brain from oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
Stress and oxidative damage to cells contributes to Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, as well as heart failure.
Improve Mouth Health:
Caries and gum problems are a result of low consumption of foods in Vitamin C , A, D and K. Eating foods rich in fat-soluble vitamins helps prevent gum disease and decay.
It also plays a vital role in mineralizing teeth, keeping teeth strong. Food rich in minerals and vitamins helps eliminate bacteria present in the mouth and teeth. Vitamin K works with other vitamins and minerals to eradicate bacteria that damage tooth enamel.
Increase Hair and Skin Health :
Vitamin A is essential for skin regeneration and wound healing. It helps epithelial cells both externally and internally. Its deficiency results in bad appearance.
This vitamin can promote skin health and counteract acne . It keeps wrinkles and lines away by producing more collagen, and keeps your skin looking young and hair healthy.
Improve Vision:
Vitamin A helps prevent macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness. Intake of Vitamin C , Vitamin A , Zinc , Vitamin E and copper helps to reduce the chances of macular degeneration by 25%.
Dry eyes can be treated by applying Vitamin A eye drops that help provide relief. It also helps to treat Stargardt’s disease which is an eye disease of vision loss in young people.
Fight Inflammation:
Vitamin C has antioxidants that eradicate free radicals from the body that damage cells and tissues. Vitamin A reduces the likelihood of food allergies and prevents harmful overreaction. It reduces inflammation, reducing the chances of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
How to use?
You can use both raw and cooked sweet potato leaves as a stir-fry or stir-fry. They can be used raw in salads, green smoothies, or in place of any greens like spinach or turnip greens.
They can also be sautéed with garlic and olive oil or cooked in coconut milk and served with rice or pasta.
Sweet potato leaves should be used as fresh as possible as they can wilt. To store, place them in a sealed bag in the fridge.
What is sweet potato leaf tea for?
Sweet potato leaf tea can help you lose weight as it can reduce appetite and treat metabolic problems. So, here’s the simplest way to prepare sweet potato leaves.
How to Make Sweet Potato Leaf Tea?
HOW TO MAKE:
- Wash sweet potato leaves well and chop into smaller pieces before cooking;
- Put the sweet potato leaves in hot or boiling water;
- Reserve the slightly bitter broth to use as a hot or cold drink, as the water will contain nutrients.