Sweet Potato - Focus Food for the week of November 16

Sweet Potato – Focus Food for the week November 16. The sweet potato has multiple personality and colours. Not a potato at all but a large edible root belonging to the morning glory family, it is sometimes called a yam, though it bears no botanical relation to the true yam, a tuber native Africa.

• The reddish-brown skin and orange flesh (the so-called yam) is most common in grocery stores.
• Red and purple varieties are often harder to find but can be found in specialty stores.

Nutrients: beta-carotene, carotenoids, chlorogenic acid (anticancer compound), fibre, potassium, vitamin C

May help with: high blood pressure, eyes and skin, immunity, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, prostate and breast cancer, insulin resistance

Recipes to try: Stay tuned for 3 recipe ideas to incorporate more nutrients in your meal planning.

Buying:

Choose sweet potatoes that:

• firm and smooth

Avoid sweet potatoes that have:

• wrinkles or bruises
• sprouts or decay

Storing

Store in a dry, cool place unwashed, uncut for a month if stored at room temperature. Also, store in refrigerator unwashed, uncut or if peeled, store in seal bag or container with paper towel to avoid moisture.

Cooking and/or Baking

• Bake potatoes; to retain more fibre and nutrients, scrub the sweet potatoes but do not peel.
• Mash cooked sweet potatoes can be eaten as is or used in baking muffins, breads and cookies.
• Use in soups and salads.

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sources: staying health with nutrition, foods for health, eat well be well, healthline.com, factyhealth.com