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Amazing benefits of sweet potato

Health benefit of sweet potato focuses on consumption of its fleshy starch, but there is a market rise in use of sweet potato flour products which has led researchers to focuss on creating sweet potato processing industry. Let us know what is sweet potato?

Written on May 26, 2024

Sweet potato is a root tuber classified under starch, its large and found with different colors like purple, brownish white and orange yellow. It has sweet-tasty fleshy starch which can be eaten raw, cooked as a whole or get products from its flour.

Do you know you can extract sugar and flour from sweet potato? Homemade flour extraction method is very simple and easy but time consuming.
Washed and peeled raw sweet potato is cut into pieces then dried on the sun for about 3-5 days or until the water is totally dehydrated from the potato pieces then grinded into flour.

According to research gluten-free consumption is growing rapidly, and sweet potato flour is the most valued alternative source of gluten-free flour.

Transformed foods like cake, cookies, chapati, fried bread (eastern Africa call them mandazi) soups, crackers which are all found on shelves. Sweet potato flour is slightly nutritious than all-purpose flour. It is rich in-

1. Vitamin A

Studies show sweet potato ranks second as the source of vitamin A after beef liver. Vitamin A has a precursor known as beta-carotene which has been proved to boost vision immunity.


2. Fiber

Sweet potato has more fiber which slows down absorption rate which makes a person satiated, it also helps in good digestion of food which is very beneficial to the gut leading to healthy digestive system riding out excessive gas, constipation, bloating and abdominal pain.


3. Vitamin B6

Apart from vitamin A sweet potato as a starch is rich in vitamin B6 which is essential vitamin for metabolism

4. High in minerals

Minerals like potassium, zinc, iron and copper are all found in sweet potato which provides good health for our body immunity.


5. Regulates blood sugar level

Sweet potato is high in natural sugar content and sugar is the source of glucose, during digestion this glucose is converted to energy which used to support body function and physical activity. Less or no processed sugar is used during baking because of its high natural sugar content which keeps your blood sugar level in check


6. Antioxidants

Sweet potato contains vitamin C which prevents oxidation of free radicals thus preventing certain diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes and also slows down formation of ulcers.

7. Good source of energy

As a carbohydrate sweet potato gives our body enough energy for motion and physical activity

Different methods of cooking sweet potato

Sweet potato can be cooked in different method like boiling method; which is considered to be of nutritious than any other method, baking, frying, sun dried, roasted you can also blend sweet potato juice. Let's start with boiling

Boiling sweet potato is achieved when the root tuber is peeled off its skin or boiled with peels in water which is seasoned with salt for about 50 to 60 minutes. Sweet potato peels are also nutritious too, they are a good source of fiber which aids in digestion and they also retain sweet potato nutrients when cooked.

Boiled potatoes are mostly consumed during breakfast together with other beverages. Boiled potatoes can be mashed together with other cooked foods like beans or green vegetables and then eaten with soup. Look at different methods of preparing soups.


Potato fried French fries, crisp, noodles are deep fried while mashes, soup, mandazi, muffin and chapati are made from potato flour and most of them are found on shelf.


Roasted sweet potato is a street food for most countries apart from being cooked at home


Potato juice extraction is made mostly from peeled orange flesh potato then blended to fine, thick, sweet-tasty drink