Japanese Sweet Potatoes 1Kg

The Japanese sweet potato is a red- or purple-skinned, yellow-white fleshed potato that belongs to the Ipomea batata botanical family. According to Herbal Extracts Plus, the Japanese sweet potato is similar to American yams, but tastes sweeter. Vietnam, China, Japan, India and Indonesia are the biggest producers of Japanese sweet potatoes. It is commonly used in Asia as a thickener and flour substitute, as well as a main ingredient in the Japanese dish tempura and in the liquor shochu. Japanese sweet potatoes are a good source of dietary fiber and provide a number of essential vitamins and minerals.

Japanese sweet potatoes are a rich source of a variety of vitamins essential for optimum health, including vitamins A, C, E and B6. According to the USDA, Japanese sweet potatoes contain 11,062mcg of the beta-carotene form of vitamin A, for 202.2 percent of daily recommended intake of vitamin A. One average-sized sweet potato provides nearly 30 percent of the requirement for vitamin C and about 12 percent of the vitamin B6 requirement. These vitamins are thought to act as powerful antioxidants, preventing cellular damage from free radicals in the body. Because Japanese sweet potatoes are so high in vitamins, they're often recommended as an essential part of a healthy diet