Health & Life

Sweet Potatoes: The Healthier Choice?

Sweet potato farming offers the option to harvest both the leafy greens for consumption and the tubers at the end of the season, or to focus primarily on the tubers while discarding the foliage. Is the tuber truly superior to the leaf?

Administrator

21 April, 2024

In the market, water spinach is sold quite cheaply, around 5,000 VND for a large bunch. Sweet potato tubers are expensive, sometimes even more expensive than rice, with prices ranging from 25,000 – 30,000 VND/kg. In the past, water spinach leaves were only fed to pigs, occasionally eaten by people as a famine-fighting vegetable, and eaten temporarily in late winter when vegetables were scarce.

In modern times, there are sweet potato varieties specifically for harvesting leaves, which have smaller tubers and less bitter leaves. Water spinach in the market is still a cheap vegetable but is eaten by more people than before because it is usually less sprayed with pesticides than other vegetables. Some people argue that the sweet potato tuber provides the most nutritional value, while the leaves are just common, not as delicious, and not as nutritious as some other vegetables.

Water spinach and sweet potato tubers have different purposes

In reality, it is difficult to compare sweet potato tubers and water spinach leaves because they both have their own nutritional value and uses.

Sweet potato tubers provide a lot of starch, which is a type of food. Sweet potatoes can be used instead of white rice, vermicelli, rice noodles, pho… As for the tops and leaves, they belong to the leafy vegetable group and are used to prepare dishes, such as soups, boiled dishes, and stir-fries.

Water spinach is relatively rich in vitamins B2, C, B6, fiber, and antioxidants. Eating water spinach helps cleanse the digestive system, cool the body, detoxify, and effectively reduce blood fat. In particular, water spinach contains flavonoids, which promote glucose absorption in peripheral tissues and increase insulin secretion, helping to prevent diabetes. Water spinach can be eaten regularly in combination with other vegetables.

Meanwhile, sweet potato tubers are rich in starch, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and contain many antioxidants that help protect the body. However, they should not be eaten in large quantities at one time, or eaten continuously, as they can increase blood sugar levels due to their high starch content.

In terms of taste, water spinach and sweet potato tubers taste different. Sweet potato tubers are sweet, nutty, and fragrant. Water spinach has a slightly strong, acrid, and bitter taste. Therefore, some people only like to eat sweet potato tubers and not water spinach.

It can be said that from the characteristics above, it shows that both water spinach and sweet potato tubers have good health benefits, help promote bowel movements, and increase vitamins. However, the functions of water spinach and sweet potato tubers are not completely the same. So you should eat both sweet potatoes and water spinach. However, when eating sweet potato tubers, be careful to avoid sudden increases in blood sugar.

Frequently asked questions

In the past, water spinach leaves were primarily fed to pigs and only occasionally consumed by people during famines or in late winter when vegetables were scarce.

Today, there are sweet potato varieties specifically grown for their leaves, which have smaller tubers and less bitter leaves. Water spinach is also gaining popularity as it is usually sprayed with fewer pesticides compared to other vegetables.

Sweet potato tubers are a good source of starch and can be used as a substitute for white rice or noodles. The leaves of the sweet potato plant are considered common and less delicious. Water spinach, on the other hand, is relatively rich in vitamins B2, C, B6, fiber, and antioxidants, offering a range of health benefits.

Yes, water spinach has a slightly strong, acrid, and bitter taste, while sweet potato tubers are sweet, nutty, and fragrant. This difference in taste may influence some people’s preferences.

Both water spinach and sweet potatoes offer good health benefits, including promoting bowel movements and increasing vitamin intake. Water spinach helps cleanse the digestive system, cool the body, and reduce blood fat. Sweet potatoes, due to their starch content, should be consumed in moderation to avoid sudden increases in blood sugar levels.