In Philippines,
sweet potato tops or leaves are common in many native dishes. Filipinos have
learned to cook the vegetables in various ways, too numerous to state, the
usual method being simply steaming by placing on cooking rice and salting. These
crops are easy to grow and cultivate, and grows well in a wide range of
climatic conditions. All one needs to do is to plant a vine into the ground,
and it establishes. It is a vine, which most people just allow to crawl on the
ground and it can also grow on trellis too. A few weeks later the tops
are available for picking as vegetables. If you choose to leave the tops, the roots
will start growing forming tubers which can be pulled from the ground later for
food. The crop grows continuously all the year round. It is drought tolerant
and can ensure throughout the year availability of greens and subsequent good nutrition.
Apart from being tasty, these simple vegetables are packed with nutrition,
being the only vegetables with Iodine, a common substance found in seafood. It
also contains vitamin A, C and Calcium; In the Philippines, it is widely
believed that lactating mothers fed sweet potato tops improve their breast milk
production. In fact, it is now a major ingredient of a commercially available
food supplement drink in the Philippines.
It is also a folk remedy which is used to treat diarrhea and dizziness;
Sweet potato vegetables are good sources of vitamins A,
vitamin K and folate, or folic acid. You can eat the leaves of the sweet potato
as they are nutritious, delicious and medicinal. The vegetables are known to
contain minerals, antioxidants, dietary fiber and essential fatty acids,
according to dietitian Pace M. Johnson of the Department of Food and
Nutritional Sciences at Tuskegee University in Alabama.
The bioactive compounds in the leaves improve immune function by combating free
radicals that damage cells. This action helps fight against cancer cell growth
and heart disease. Combining sweet potato leaves with mushrooms works well in a
heart healthy diet plan to protect you from disease. The tops contain phenolic
compounds which are known to fight cancer and heart disease. Here is a simple
recipe for these nutritious vegetables which are easy to prepare, and can be
eaten with starchy foods
1 large bunch of tender sweet potato tops
4 pcs Irish potatoes, peeled and diced into about 1.5 cm
squares
4 medium tomatoes
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 bulb onion
3 cups water
Salt to taste
Heat the oil, add the Irish potatoes and stir fry them
until the outer parts start to change color. Add and stir fry the onions and
tomatoes until they become tender. Add the water and allow it to boil. Add salt
and the Sweet potato tops. Continue to cook, around 5 minutes, until cooked and
tender enough, stirring once or twice to ensure the ingredients are cooked
evenly. Serve warm. Grow sweet potato tops in your backyard garden and stay healthy.
There are numerous healthy green vegetables for our consumption growing out
there! Club Mami ''The greatest Wealth is Health''http://www.mamiverse.com/15-foods-that-will-make-your-skin-glow-14878/