Regular consumption of steamed or boiled PSP can help prevent cancer, as the vegetable helps prevent oxidative damage to our cells. Rich in vitamins and minerals (74.7%/cal) - a good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin B6. Japanese sweet potatoes, also called a Japanese yam, are quite similar to American yams but possess a sweeter taste and softer flesh with a lighter yellow coloring. Baking soda can neutralize acidic ingredients in both sweet and savory foods, but add it only in small amounts, so that it doesn't affect the taste. In addition, the nutrients in Japanese sweet potatoes may help you lose weight, banish depression, improve your vision and control glucose levels. Studies show that in Western cultures, along with aging, DHEA levels drop dramatically. They help control cholesterol levels. Components in Japanese Sweet Potato Tubers, Health Effects of Japanese Sweet Potatoes, Animal & Cell Research (Lacking Evidence), Japanese Sweet Potato as Part of the Lectin Avoidance Diet. Studies show that the antioxidant activity in PSP cultivars is 3.2 times higher than that of a type of blueberry! Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. So whether your goal is walking for weight loss, tracking the foods you eat, or something else entirely, MyFitnessPal has the tools you need to start your fitness and health journey today. Purple potatoes, also known as purple sweet potatoes, have a lot going for them nutritionally. All sweet potatoes are good sources of fiber and potassium, along with vitamins A, B6 and C. They are rich in natural sugars, but their mitigating high fiber content means that they don't deliver as high a glycemic load as regular white potatoes. PSP cultivars are unusually high in antioxidants. As per need, DHEA gets converted into estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone. Required fields are marked *. Change Food Share . Japanese sweet potatoes, like all sweet potatoes, are a good source of beta carotene that your body converts to vitamin A. Digestive HealthFiber in PSP helps improve digestive health. This can make life difficult if you're making a quick-bread containing both purple sweet potato and baking powder, or planning a vinegar-based slaw that also contains sweet potato. It is roughly oblong in shape with a thin, rusted red colored skin, and a densely textured cream colored flesh. However, it refers to a specific type of sweet potato that is that is drier and less sweet than the varieties typical in the US. Adding a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (3.5 g fat) to mashed sweet potatoes (4 servings) can significantly improve the nutritional value of the dish. Various types of sweet potatoes contain almost similar quantities of nutrients. Japanese sweet potatoes are a rich source of vitamins, especially beta-carotene (provitamin A), vitamin B5 and vitamin B6 [ 1, 5, 6 ]. Purple Sweet Potato Calories Baked There's also a cultural norm not to stuff oneself. They are also a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron. Once cooked, the mildly sweet-flavored soft flesh deepens to a golden, cream-colored hue with a dry, starchy texture. Pork (rich in protein and fat), seaweed (rich in minerals), and the purple sweet potato or PSP (rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals) comprised the Okinawan diet. The purple yam (ube) is a starchy root vegetable that's a great source of carbs, potassium, and vitamin C. One cup (100 grams) of cooked ube provides the following ( 1 ): Calories: 140 Carbs:. One cup (132 grams) of cooked taro has 187 calories mostly from carbs and fewer than one gram each of protein and fat ( 1 ). Serve the sweet potatoes soon after preparation as the purple color is likely to turn grayish brown once the flesh is exposed to air. Common at Thanksgiving dinner and a darling of paleo diet enthusiasts, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are just one of more than 400 strains grown around the world. Different varieties come with different unique tastes, however, in general, the taste is starchy and sweet. A 2016 study examined the association of various levels of tryptophan on emotion and cognitive reaction. Their skin additionally has small eyelets, while the inner flesh is a creamy white to pale yellow in color. In short, purple-fleshed sweet potatoes are fat-free, low in calories, high in fiber, and are loaded with antioxidants. By absorbing water and adding bulk to increase the size and soften your stool, fiber helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis and other gastrointestinal disorders. Applications Murasaki sweet potatoes can be baked, boiled, roasted, or sauted, much like a russet potato. Along with helping the eyes process general information, retinol (vitamin A) also helps eyes adjust in the darkness. With 438 milligrams of potassium in every average-sized potato, Japanese sweet potatoes provide nearly 10 percent of the daily requirement. The skin and flesh of these sweet potatoes have rich nutrition in them. I like to eat UCANR's research found that purple sweet potatoes do contain beta carotene, along with the specific phytonutrients that blue and purple produce provides. Daily Nutritional Goals for Age-Sex Groups Based on Dietary Reference Intakes and Dietary Guidelines Recommendations, International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: About IBS: Dietary Fiber, Mayo Clinic: Q and A: Diet, Lifestyle Choices Can Lower Risk of Diverticulosis Developing Into Diverticulitis. Instead of the familiar orange sweet potatoes, look for the purple variety to make such goodies as sweet potatoes and roasted bananas, a Caribbean mashed dish that pairs as well with ham as it does with ice cream. The National Institutes of Health suggests that eating a vegetarian diet high in calcium, magnesium, potassium and fiber, and low in fat, such as Japanese sweet potatoes, may result in lower blood pressure.. They help prevent heart disease, cancer, Parkinsons disease and other neurodegenerative disorders [10]. Can Vitamins Help to Slow Down Your Heart Rate? When raw it is possible for some tubers to have white streaks throughout, however these striations typically disappear and turn deeply purple colored when cooked. The USDA recommends that 10 to 30 percent of your calories should consist of protein, which amounts to about 56 grams for men and 46 grams for women per day. It is commonly used in Asia as a thickener and flour substitute, as well as a main ingredient in the Japanese dish tempura and in the liquor shochu. The University of Hawaii nutrition support service reports that a similar-sized Okinawan purple sweet potato, specifically, has 251 calories. Joe Cohen flipped the script on conventional and alternative medicine and it worked. If acidic or alkaline ingredients are also present, the anthocyanin-tinted color of the purple flesh can change. There exist several varieties of the root vegetable sweet potato (, ). Read more: Can Vitamins Help to Slow Down Your Heart Rate? Hawaiian purple sweet potatoes, also known as Okinawan potatoes, are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Its first known cultivation can be dated back to 50,000 BC. A list of healthier snacks and desserts developed by Mayo Clinic dieticians features several that use sweet potatoes. Japanese Purple Sweet potatoes are available in the fall and winter. Use a fork to pierce five sets of holes throughout each sweet potato. 0 g fat. These vitamins are thought to act as powerful antioxidants, preventing cellular damage from free radicals in the body. In a study of 120 leukemia patients undergoing chemotherapy, eating 200 g of sweet potato per day prevented constipation and increased satisfaction with bowel movements [11]. Japanese sweet potatoes, with their reddish-purple skin, are an alternative to the traditional sweet potato. SelfDecode is a personalized health report service, Punch up the visual effect, and vary the antioxidant content, by replacing orange sweet potatoes with purple sweet potatoes. In a meta-analysis of 41 trials, consuming 2 g of phytosterols a day was found to lower low-density lipoprotein or LDL (bad cholesterol) by 10 % [8]. They contain four times your daily value of vitamin A, half your daily value of vitamin C, as well as manganese, vitamin B6, copper, iron, dietary fiber, and potassium. Purple sweet potatoes aren't just cool for their novelty factor although their hue is sure to liven up any picnic table or dessert sideboard. Applications Roasted root vegetables are a crowd-pleaser for Sunday dinner, but there can be a sea of oranges in your mix, including carrots, winter squash and traditional sweet potatoes. Vitamin A is known to help prevent dry eyes and night blindness. Read more: Sweet Potatoes Have Almost No Drawbacks, Unless You Have a History of Kidney Stones The Difference Depends on Color How to Cook Purple Yams: Baked, Boiled or Roasted, University of California's Agriculture and Natural Resources, Why Potatoes With More Color Are Healthiest, University of Hawaii at Manoa: "Sweet Potato, Okinawan", Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction: "Sweet Potato History", University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: "Vibrant Purple Sweet Potatoes", Harvard School of Public Health: "Sweet Potatoes", US National Library of Medicine: "Effect of Domestic Cooking Methods on the Anthocyanins and Antioxidant Activity of Deeply Purple-Fleshed Sweet Potato", USDA My Food Data: "Cooked Sweet Potatoes", University of Hawaii at Manoa: "Sweet Potato Haupia Pie", University of Hawaii at Maui: "Purple Sweet Potato Haupia Pie", University of Maryland Extension Service: "Baking, Chemistry, and Purple Sweet Potatoes". A low-fat graham cracker crust, instead of macadamia nuts, is another way to cut both calories and fat. Prevention of DiseasesAs explained above, the antioxidants in PSP help prevent cardiovascular diseases. With the exception of one animal study that looked at the effect of sweet potatoes on artery hardening, all other research has been on sweet potato extracts. Controlling blood glucose can help prevent and delay the onset of complications, including heart disease, stroke and damage to your nerves and kidneys, advises the American Diabetes Association. KEY FACTS. Japanese sweet potatoes are a rich source of a variety of vitamins essential for optimum health, including vitamins A, C, E and B-6. Japanese sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins C and E. These potent antioxidants scavenge toxic free radicals and prevent the incidence of cancers in significant body organs. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Japanese sweet potatoes contain approximately 4 grams of dietary fiber, providing about 16 percent of the daily value for fiber. According to the USDA Agricultural Research Service Nutrient Data Laboratory, an average-sized raw Japanese sweet potato -- approximately 5 inches long and weighing 130 grams -- contains about 113 calories. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Like all sweet potatoes (such as purple and Japanese sweet potatoes), they are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and vitamin E. Additionally, they provide dietary fiber, potassium, copper, manganese, and iron and are low in fat and cholesterol [ 1 ]. There are numerous other dishes which can reap purple sweet potato benefits by swapping white potatoes or orange sweet potatoes for purple sweet potatoes. 184 Cal. Helps regulate glucose levels - Sweet potato starch is higher in amylose than amylopectin, which raises blood sugar slowly. . Sweet potatoes of all varieties are high in vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese. Even the leaves of the plant carry antioxidant properties and are included in soups in many cuisines. All make a sweeter, moister alternative to plain white potatoes. located in the retina of your eye, have been shown to prevent or delay the progression of chronic eye diseases such as age related macular degeneration and cataracts, according to American Optometric Association. Calorie Lab: Satsuma-imo: Even Better Than a Sweet Potato, and Now Available in Purple, Harvard T.H. However, a 2018 meta-analyses of clinical trials showed diets containing foods high in carbohydrates and fiber, but with a low glycemic index, and low in fat are associated with weight loss and a decrease in body composition. Of all the vitamins, vitamin A is the one most closely associated with vision health. These fat-soluble antioxidant carotenoids. Sweet potatoes are very low in fat, with just 0.1 g in a 100 g serving. However, the studies listed below should not be interpreted as supportive of any health benefit. Even when cooked, the anthocyanin content of purple sweet potatoes is significantly higher than that of other blue or purple foods, including elderberries and blueberries. Sweet potato glycosides exhibit significant antibacterial and antifungal properties. Studies show that in Western cultures, along with aging, DHEA levels drop dramatically. Hormonal Balance and Anti-aging EffectPSP is also a good source of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), a precursor hormone. The secret of the long life of the residents of Okinawa perhaps lies in their diet rich in purple-fleshed sweet potatoes. The anthocyanin content may vary according to the cultivar. Michelle Kerns writes for a variety of print and online publications and specializes in literature and science topics. In other parts of the world, it is referred to as Japanese purple potato or Japanese sweet potato. To keep it healthy, the University of Hawaii-Maui suggests blending the purple sweet potatoes with nonfat milk and egg whites for the middle layer, and using nonfat milk, coconut extract and artificial sweetener for the topping, instead of the traditional coconut milk and sugar. Vitamin A also helps your body process and use iron properly. Ana has many years of experience in clinical research and health advising. 2. Of this, around 12.7 g are starch, 4.2 g are sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose, and maltose) and 3.0 g is fiber. Of course, creating an all-purple dish is even more dramatic. Sometimes, these purple sweet potatoes are called purple yam, but yams are quite different from both sweet potatoes and common potatoes. Tryptophan is the precursor of both serotonin and melatonin. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The flesh is dry, starchy and subtly sweet. These include potato salad, shepherd's pie, stew and of course the basic baked potato side dish. Japanese sweet potatoes are native to regions of China and Japan, areas that are much colder than most sweet potato cultivars can survive. Improved MemoryAnthocyanins in purple sweet potatoes have memory-enhancing effects. Traditionally grown in Japan and Okinawa, it is now available at grocery stores across North America. SelfDecode does not treat, diagnose or cure any conditions, SelfHacked has the strictest sourcing guidelines in the health industry and we almost exclusively link to medically peer-reviewed studies, usually on PubMed. Japanese sweet potatoes have sweeter-tasting and softer flesh than most yams. Eating a sweet potato might help you chase away the blues. Keep reading to learn more about the health benefits of the Japanese Sweet Potato. Berkeley Wellness. With the high-carb content of Japanese sweet potatoes you might think they would cause you to gain weight. It makes a healthy choice for diabetics. Japanese sweet potatoes are a rich source of vitamins, especially beta-carotene (provitamin A), vitamin B5 and vitamin B6 [1, 5, 6]. Baking reduces the "purple power" by about 10 percent, while frying and stir-frying can cut anthocyanin content by up to 49 percent. Taking both iron and vitamin A together has been shown to be more effective against anemia than taking either supplement alone. 1 cup (150 g) serving of these sweet potatoes can provide 220 calories and about 1,442 retinal equivalents of vitamin A (more than 500% of the daily value). Find calories, carbs, and nutritional contents for Japanese Sweet Potato, Purple Skin, White Flesh and over 2,000,000 other foods at MyFitnessPal Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd., all rights reserved. While trace amounts of all essential amino acids are present, the potatoes contain the compounds threonine, leucine, phenylalanine, valine, alanine and serine in the largest amounts. Anti-inflammatory ActivityThe antioxidants exhibit anti-inflammatory properties too. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there! Sweet potatoes, as a group, prefer hot, humid climates. Of course, you can also focus on desserts that don't have ingredients that might tip purple potatoes into either the blue or red zones. 2011;2011:584832. doi:10.1155/2011/584832, Sugata M, Lin CY, Shih YC. Thus, PSP can improve visual functions. Yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes are also rich in flavonoids (Peonidin, quercetin, kaempferol, and chrysoeriol) [7]. With more nutritionists advocating adding highly nutritious ingredients like avocado, prunes and sweet potatoes into dessert recipes because they provide nutrients without adding saturated or trans fats, it's no surprise that purple sweet potatoes have their place in the world of healthy ingredient substitutions. This is evidenced in a 2018 systematic review that analyzed the effect of glycemic diets in patients with Type 2 diabetes. The USDA recommends that your intake of carbs be 45 to 65 percent of your daily caloric intake. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of Japanese sweet potato for any of the below-listed uses. In addition, conclusions from a 2019 study published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, found fiber in the diet reduced the incidence of colorectal cancer, perhaps from its role in increasing the weight of the stool. Phytosterols are a cholesterol-like molecule found in plant cells. When you boil potatoes the temperature cannot go above the boiling point of water or 212 F. Baking is typically done at 350 F, which breaks down the starches more completely, making them easier to digest. Jonathan Ritter, PharmD, PhD (Pharmacology). She has served as a book columnist since 2008 and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. Japanese sweet potatoes contain approximately 27 grams of carbohydrates. Percentages are based on a diet of 2000 calories a day. Soluble fiber helps stabilize blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Because of this stabilization, they may play an important part in fighting diabetes and obesity. In animal studies, it lowered blood sugar and cholesterol and had anti-fatigue effects [13, 23]. Foods low on the GI index, such as boiled sweet potatoes, have a place in a healthy diet for people with diabetes. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. In a study of human cancer cells, polyphenols (caffeic acid and 3,4,5-tri-O-caffeoylquinic acid) extracted from sweet potato leaves suppressed cancers growth [17]. The quintessential purple sweet potato pie dessert recipe is known as sweet potato haupia pie, a Hawaiian favorite. This effect has not been studied in humans, so its unclear whether the effect would be similar and how much we would need to eat [16]. Sweet potatoes belong to the same family as morning glory (Convolvulaceae), while potatoes are considered a type of nightshade (Solanaceae).