February is Sweet Potato Month
Sweet potatoes are not just for Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole,
anymore! This versatile red/orange vegetable offers a slightly sweet, earthy flavor
that pairs nicely with both sweet and savory flavors and spices. One cup of sweet
potatoes offers nearly 7 grams of fiber, is an excellent source of vitamin C and a
good source of potassium.
Sweet potatoes also provide beta-carotene, an antioxidant and yellow-orange
pigment found in yellow, orange and green leafy fruits and vegetables (including
carrots, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe and winter
squash). Generally speaking, the more intense the color of the fruit or vegetable, the
more beta-carotene it has to offer.
Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is important
for healthy eyes, skin and for strengthening the immune system. A 2005 study from
the American Society for Clinical Nutrition looked at the impact sweet potato
consumption has on vitamin A status in children. It was found that consuming
sweet potatoes improves vitamin A status and can help to control vitamin A
deficiency.
For ideas about how to add sweet potatoes to your menu, from preparation
methods to seasoning suggestions, please check out the resources available on the
United States Department of Agriculture website, Healthy Meals Resource System:
Team Nutrition, available at the following link:
https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/sweet-potatoes-and-yams-0
References:
Basic report: 11508, sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, flesh, without salt. US
Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service website. May 2016.
Retrieved from https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3208?manu=&fgcd=
Accessed February 09, 2017.
Ehrlich, SD. Beta Carotene. University of Maryland Medical Center. March 2015.
Retrieved from http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/betacarotene
Accessed February 09, 2017.
Jaarsveld, PJ, Faber M, Tanumihardjo SA, Nestel P, Lombard CJ, Benade AJ. Betacarotene-rich orange-fleshed sweet potato improves the vitamin A status of primary
school children assed with the modified-relative dose response test. Am J Clin Nutr.
2005; 81: 1080-1087. Retrieved from
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/81/5/1080.full Accessed February 09, 2017.