Sweet potato

Sweet potatoes, scientific name Ipomoea batatas, belong to the Convolvulaceae family and are characterized by an orange pulp and a sweeter taste than the common potatoes that are used in cooking. Actually, apart from the name, sweet potatoes do not have much in common with this kind of potatoes that belong to a different family, the family of the Solanaceae, the same as tomatoes, aubergines and peppers. Sweet potatoes are tubers discovered by Christopher Columbus in America, though they can now be found everywhere. They are rich in vitamins such as A, C, E, carotenes, which are antioxidant substances with a protective action on the cardiovascular system since they prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and anti-aging processes, and minerals, such as potassium, very useful to control blood pressure, iron, phosphorus, manganese and calcium. According to the book Anti-Cancer written by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber's, sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A and lycopene with a demonstrated ability to inhibit the progression of cancer cells. In addition to this, sweet potatoes, despite the sweet taste similar to that of the chestnut, do not have a high glycemic index and this is very important because a diet rich in high glycemic index foods in the long period can induce a condition called insulin resistance, diabetes type 2, obesity, inflammations and cardiovascular diseases. Finally, sweet potatoes are rich in fibers that are useful against constipation. How to eat them? Sweet potatoes are so good that they can be eaten even alone after a boiling of 15-20 minutes. You can remove the peel but you can also decide to consume it together with the precious pulp because, according to a study performed by the Institute of Biomedical Engineering of Cnr of Padua in collaboration with the University of Vienna it was discovered that the peel of sweet potatoes contains a substance able to reduce fasting blood glucose and cholesterol. You can also cook sweet potatoes in the oven but in this case the glycemic index increases.