Introduction
Purple potatoes are wealthy, nutritious and versatile, making them a must-have for any seasoned spud-lover.
Although potatoes have a standing for causing weight increase, analyses show that the kind of potato you prefer and how the potato is prepared could make a distinction.
Rather than packing up on French fries, potato chips, or processed potato-based creations, start accumulating purple potatoes, which can support dialling up the health advantages of your daily diet.
Purple sweet potatoes are the eye-catching treasures of the potato aisle.
Like other components of the potato family (Solanum tuberosum), they arrive from a tuber plant native to the Andes peak region in South America.
Even after cooking, they have a blue-purple to almost black outer skin and a bright purple inner flesh.
Some typical types include Purple Peruvian, Purple Majesty, All Blue, Congo, Vitelotte, Purple Fiesta, and Adirondack Blue.
They have a thicker texture and a little nuttier, earthier flavour than white potatoes.
Purple potatoes are a delicious way to add a pop of shade to your plate while wanting a serving of health advantages.
Purple Sweet Potato
Purple sweet potatoes are a valuable source of beta-carotene. Nevertheless, they are a more prosperous origin of anthocyanin pigments, which function as antioxidants that can assist in decreasing inflammation and boost your resistant system. Purple sweet potatoes have almost three times more anthocyanins than the central blueberry.
Purple Sweet Potato Nutrition
Potatoes usually get a bad rap because of their high starch content, but they include many other essential nutrients and can be an extremely healthy complement to your diet.
They have a nutrient range similar to other potatoes in the Solanum tuberosum family. Nevertheless, their mineral content can vary depending on the soil in which they are grown.
There is a misunderstanding that potatoes ‘ nutrients are found in their skin. More than half of their nutrients are found in their meat.
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of boiled or cooked potato with the skin supplies:
- Calories: 87
- Carbs: 20 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
- Fiber: 3.3 grams
- Manganese: 6% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Copper: 21% of the DV
- Fat: less than 1 gram
- Iron: 2% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 18% of the DV
- Potassium: 8% of the DV
- Vitamin C:14% of the DV
Purple Sweet Potato benefits
1. Rich in Antioxidants
The purple sweet potato owes its in-depth hue to a group of antioxidants called anthocyanins.
These potent compounds help defend our cells from harm caused by harmful free radicals, reducing the chance of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Including purple sweet potatoes can increase the antioxidant intake and promote overall well-being.
2. High in Dietary Fiber
Holding a healthful digestive system is necessary, and purple sweet potatoes may play a strong role. They are a great source of dietary fibre, which supports digestion, controls constipation, and promotes a sense of fullness. Also, fibre helps control blood sugar and cholesterol grades, reducing the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
3. May reduce your risk of cancer
A few lab investigations have shown that some of the combinations in purple potatoes, including their antioxidants, may assist in preventing or fighting colon and breast cancer.
In one analysis, cancer cells treated with purple potato extract grew more slowly. In some circumstances, the extract even caused cancer cell death.
It’s necessary to note that the investigation thus far has been confined to cancer cells dined in a lab & cancers in lab rats. Hence, whether eating purple potatoes would have identical effects on humans is unfamiliar.
4. Packed with Essential Vitamins and Minerals
Purple sweet potatoes are a healthy powerhouse, including vital vitamins and minerals. They are very high in vitamin C, which aids a functional immune system and collagen production. They also supply a good vitamin A dose for eye health and immune function. Also, purple sweet potatoes include potassium, iron, and magnesium, vital for different bodily functions.
5. It may improve your blood pressure.
Eating purple potatoes may encourage blood vessels and blood pressure health. It may partially be due to their elevated potassium range, as this nutrient lowers blood pressure, but their antioxidant scope likely recreates a role.
A slight 4-week examination of people with high blood pressure found that consuming six to eight purple potatoes double daily lessened diastolic and systolic blood pressure (the top and bottom numbers of reading) by 3.5% and 4.3%, respectively.
In addition, some studies suggest that eating purple potatoes may decrease arterial stiffness reached with eating white potatoes. Stiff arteries enhance the risk of heart stroke or attack, as the vessels can’t dilate as quickly in response to changes in blood pressure.
Eating more polyphenol-rich foods, including those containing anthocyanins like purple potatoes, may help strengthen and relax the blood vessels.
The polyphenol combinations in purple potatoes and many other foods reduce blood pressure similarly to some blood-pressure-lowering medications known as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
6. Potential Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Inflammation is a natural body reaction, but chronic inflammation can lead to diverse health issues. Investigations suggest that the anthocyanins in purple sweet potatoes maintain anti-inflammatory properties that can assist in combating inflammation. Maintaining these potatoes in the diet may decrease inflammation and its associated risks.
7. Brighten up your plate.
You can use purple potatoes again with white, yellow, or red types.
Substituting them for a more delicate flesh potato is a great way to add more colour and interest to your meals — after all, you eat with the eyes.
Use them to assemble smashed or baked potatoes, and add the favourite toppings for a side dish that everyone will want to try.
If you like them crisp like fries, slice them into wedges, toss them with rosemary, minced garlic, and olive oil, and toast them at 204°C (400°F) for approximately 20 minutes or until tender.
To reap the usefulness of their resistant starch, use purple potatoes to make potato salad.
Escape the skins, cut them into pieces, and boil them until tender. Then empty and toss them with thinly sliced onions, a handful of new minced herbs, and some Dijon-vinaigrette sauce. Refrigerate them and serve them cold.
8. Better for blood sugar
The glycemic index (GI) estimates how much food raises blood sugar. It varies from 0 to 100, and a glycemic index more meaningful than 70 is assumed to be high.
A human comparison analysis found that purple potatoes have a glycemic index of 77, yellow potatoes have a glycemic index of 81, and white potatoes have a GI of 93.
While all potato types influence blood sugar levels because of their carbohydrate scope, purple potatoes may exert less influence than other types due to their high concentration of polyphenol plant compounds.
These mixtures may decrease the absorption of starches in the intestines, thus minimizing purple potato’s impact on blood sugar levels.
An animal investigation observed similar results, showing that providing purple potato extract to rats enhanced glucose tolerance and short—and long-term blood sugar levels.
9. Versatile Culinary Uses
Except for their nutritional advantages, purple sweet potatoes add colour and taste to various dishes. They can be roasted, mashed, or baked, making them versatile in sweet and savoury recipes. The opportunities are endless, from purple sweet potato fries to purple mashed potatoes or even purple sweet potato pie.
Purple Sweet Potato powder
Eating Purple sweet potato powder can encourage healthy blood vessels and blood pressure. It may be partially due to its higher potassium content, which supports lower blood pressure, but its antioxidant content may also play a role.
It can also be used for plating, as a genuine purple food colouring in pasta and bread doughs, and as a colour in desserts, fillings, icings, creams, ice creams, etc. Besides the pretty purple shades this powder brings to your food, it is a vital source of vitamins and minerals for health.
How to Use and Recipes
Purple potatoes are a universal and delicious component that adds to any meal.
In addition to growing purple potatoes at home, there are several opportunities to buy them, from regional farm stands to health food stores and specific supermarkets.
Even though purple potatoes have a rich, vibrant violet colour, their taste is more subtle than other potato types. Because of this, unlike sweet potatoes, which are tasty by themselves, purple potatoes are usually equipped with seasonings.
There are plenty of ways to cook purple potatoes; these tasty tubers can replace regular potatoes in nearly any dish.
They can be boiled, roasted, mashed, baked, and seasoned with herbs and spices, thanks to their mild taste.
Recognize that boiling or baking is the best method versus deep frying, which kills many valuable nutrients. Use olive or coconut oil with some pepper and salt for a delightful addition to any meal.
Here are some rare, tasty purple potato formulae that you can try out to get started:
- Oven-roasted or air fryer Purple Potato Fries
- Roasted Purple Potatoes with Dijon, Thyme Dressing and lemon
- Garlic Purple Mashed Potatoes
Risks and Side Effects
For most individuals, purple potatoes can be a delicious complement to the diet. Nevertheless, they are moderately high in carbohydrates and calories, which can be an essential consideration for distinct groups.
Although the purple potato glycemic index is lower than regular potatoes, eating enormous amounts can still affect blood sugar levels.
Thus, if you have diabetes, you should keep consumption in moderation to help boost blood sugar control.
Purple potatoes on the keto diet or other low-carb diets should also be limited. For best outcomes, keep pieces small and pair them with other non-starchy vegetables as part of a nutritious diet.
Conclusion
Purple sweet potatoes are a healthy powerhouse, including vital vitamins and minerals. They are very high in vitamin C, which aids a functional immune system and collagen production. They also supply a good vitamin A dose for eye health and immune function.
Purple sweet potatoes are a valuable source of beta-carotene. Nevertheless, they are a more prosperous origin of anthocyanin pigments, which function as antioxidants that can assist in decreasing inflammation and boost your resistant system. Purple sweet potatoes have almost three times more anthocyanins than the central blueberry.
