The efficacy and function of sweet potato leaves and the way to eat sweet potato leaves

Sweet potato leaves (perennial vine herb) are also called sweet potato leaves, which are the leaves on the stems of sweet potatoes during their growth. Sweet potato leaves have many uses, such as improving immunity, protecting eyesight, delaying aging, and detoxifying. Generally, the young leaves on the top of the above-ground vines of sweet potatoes are eaten in autumn when they mature.

Sweet potato leaves have the health functions of improving immunity, stopping bleeding, lowering blood sugar, detoxifying, preventing and treating night blindness, promoting metabolism, facilitating bowel movements and urination, raising platelets, preventing arteriosclerosis, preventing cell canceration, promoting lactation and detoxifying. Sweet potato leaves can make the skin smooth, and regular consumption can prevent constipation, protect eyesight, keep the skin delicate and delay aging.

The efficacy and function of sweet potato leaves

1. Detoxification

Rich in chlorophyll, it can "purify the blood" and help detoxify;

2. Improve immunity

Contains 5-10 times more antioxidants than ordinary vegetables, which can improve immunity and "prevent colds";

3. Prevent anemia

Taking 30g of sweet potato leaves every day can replenish the iron and vitamins A, C, and E needed by the human body for a day;

4. Prevent high blood pressure

Rich in potassium, it helps control blood pressure and prevents hypertension;

5. Improve constipation

Rich in dietary fiber, it can promote gastrointestinal motility and prevent "constipation and hemorrhoids";

6. Anti-cancer

Rich in polyphenols, it can prevent cell canceration;

7. Improve menopausal symptoms

Rich in phytosterols, it can achieve the same effect as hormones in regulating body functions;

8. Promote milk secretion

Rich in flavonoids and other substances, it can promote milk secretion;

9. Improve vision

Rich in vitamin A, it can enhance vision.

Nutritional value of sweet potato leaves

Sweet potato leaves are the leaves of sweet potato vines, also known as sweet potato leaves. They are a sweet potato plant of the Convolvulaceae family. They are a variety of sweet potato seedlings with pointed and tender stems at the top that are bred through artificial selection for human consumption. In Hong Kong and even in the world, they are known as the "Queen of Vegetables", "Longevity Vegetables" and "Anti-Cancer Vegetables". The Asian Vegetable Research Center has listed sweet potato leaves as a high-nutrition vegetable variety.

Sweet potato leaves are very nutritious, the leaves are green, tender and refreshing. Most of their nutritional content is much higher than that of high-nutrient foods such as spinach and celery. In particular, the carotenoid content is 3 times higher than that of ordinary carrots and more than 600 times higher than that of fresh corn, taro, etc.

Sweet potato sprouts are rich in nutrients. Every 100 grams of sweet potato vines contain 10-15 cm of tender leaves and petioles, which are called stems. Sweet potato stem tips are rich in protein, carotene, vitamins, iron and calcium.

According to laboratory analysis, the crude protein content of stem tips is 21.1%-15.1% of dry weight, which is equivalent to that of pork and beef. The protein content of stems, leaves and stem tips is 2.7%, carotene is 5580 international units/100 grams, vitamin C is 41.07 mg/kg, calcium is 74 mg/kg, iron is 4 mg/kg, vitamin B1 is 3 mg/kg, niacin is 6 to 10 mg/kg, and B6 is 2.1 mg/kg. According to the test of the Chinese Medical College of Preventive Medicine, compared with 13 kinds of vegetables such as celery, cabbage, spinach, cabbage, rape, leek, cucumber, eggplant, carrot, and tomato, among the 14 nutrients, sweet potato leaves rank first in 13 items such as protein, fat, calories, cellulose carbohydrates, calcium, iron, phosphorus, carotene, vitamin C, B1, B2, and niacin.

Medicinal value of sweet potato leaves

Studies have found that sweet potato leaves have health functions such as improving immunity, stopping bleeding, lowering blood sugar, detoxifying, and preventing and treating night sweet potato leaf blindness. Sweet potato leaves can make the skin smooth. Regular consumption can prevent constipation and protect eyesight. It can also keep the skin delicate and delay aging. A "sweet potato leaf fever" has been set off in Europe, America, Japan, Hong Kong and other places. Sweet potatoes are longevity health foods, but sweet potato leaves are discarded or used as feed. Studies have found that sweet potato leaves have extremely high content of protein, vitamins, and mineral elements. The protein content is 2.74%, carotene is 5580 international units/100 grams, vitamin B2 is 3.5 mg/kg, vitamin C is 41.07 mg/kg, iron is 3.94 mg/kg, and calcium is 74.4 mg/kg. Compared with spinach, celery, cabbage, rape, leek, cucumber, pumpkin, wax gourd, lettuce, cabbage, eggplant, tomato and carrot, sweet potato leaves rank first in 13 of the 14 nutrients, including protein, fat, carbohydrate, calories, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, Vc, VB1, VB2 niacin, etc. Sweet potato leaves have good health functions such as enhancing immune function, improving the body's disease resistance, promoting metabolism, delaying aging, lowering blood sugar, facilitating urination, increasing platelets, stopping bleeding, preventing arteriosclerosis, preventing cell canceration, promoting lactation and detoxification, protecting eyesight and preventing night blindness.

Side Effects of Sweet Potato Leaves

Side effects are caused by poor drug selectivity and are inherent in the drug itself. Whether it is a prescription drug or an over-the-counter drug, it should be used under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist. If you feel uncomfortable while taking the drug, you must stop taking it in time and consult a doctor or pharmacist to avoid unnecessary damage.

Taboos on using sweet potato leaves

Not everyone is suitable for eating sweet potato leaves. People with poor gastrointestinal digestion and kidney disease should not eat too much.

How to eat sweet potato leaves

1. Sweet potato leaves with garlic: Wash the tender sweet potato leaves and stems, blanch them in boiling water, remove them, rinse them with cold water, and cut them into sections. Peel the garlic and mash them. Put the wok on the fire, heat the vegetable oil to 40%, add the minced garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, add the tender sweet potato leaves and stems, stir-fry, add the fresh soup, refined salt, and rice wine, stir-fry until the flavor is good, add MSG and sesame oil, sprinkle with the remaining minced garlic and mix well.

2. Sweet potato leaves with oyster sauce: remove the old stems of the sweet potato leaves and rinse them with clean water; cut the red pepper into shreds; flatten and peel the garlic; mix 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water to make cornstarch water; boil the water in a pot, add 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of oil, put in the sweet potato leaves and blanch them until the leaves are soft, then remove and drain the water; heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pot, sauté the garlic and red pepper shreds over low heat, then pour in 1 cup of water; add 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of rice wine, 1/3 tablespoon of sugar and 1/5 tablespoon of salt, mix well and boil, then pour in the cornstarch water to thicken; add the blanched sweet potato leaves, stir-fry evenly, and serve.

3. Sweet potato leaves stewed with winter melon: 60 grams of fresh sweet potato leaves and 100 grams of winter melon, stewed and taken. It is mainly used to treat diabetes with dryness and heat in the lung and stomach, thirst, polydipsia, dry mouth and tongue, thin body and hunger, red tip of tongue, yellow and dry tongue coating, and rapid pulse.