Curious about when purple sweet potato is in season? Here's the answer!

Recently when I was strolling in the vegetable market, I found a lot of purple sweet potatoes. I wanted to buy them but I didn't know if it was suitable to eat them now. Therefore, I sorted out some information about purple sweet potatoes. Is purple sweet potato in season now? Let's take a look together!

Is purple sweet potato in season now?

It is winter now and it is not the in-season time for purple sweet potatoes. But purple sweet potatoes at this time can be eaten.

The peak production period of purple sweet potatoes is in autumn, that is, around September to November every year. During this period, purple sweet potatoes, after sufficient sunlight and rain nourishment, have sufficient sugar accumulation and the taste is the most sweet, soft and glutinous.

However, with the progress of agricultural technology, purple sweet potatoes can be bought all year round now. And even if they are produced out of season, the nutrition and taste of purple sweet potatoes are still very good. Therefore, even though it is winter now, you can still buy and eat purple sweet potatoes.

What's special about purple sweet potatoes?

Purple sweet potatoes have the following characteristics:

Appearance and color: The flesh of purple sweet potatoes is purple to dark purple. This unique color is mainly because purple sweet potatoes contain a large amount of anthocyanin substances. Not only is the appearance beautiful, but the nutritional value is also very high.

Taste and flavor: Purple sweet potatoes have a soft, glutinous and sweet taste with a faint rose fragrance. This unique taste makes it stand out among many delicacies and is deeply loved by many people.

Nutritional value: Purple sweet potatoes are a kind of food with very high nutritional value. They contain rich dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin E, β-carotene and other nutrients. Among them, the content of anthocyanin and selenium is higher, which is beneficial to human health.

Does purple sweet potato taste the same as ordinary potatoes?

The taste of purple sweet potatoes is different from that of ordinary potatoes.

You should know that purple sweet potatoes have a strong natural sweet taste. The faint sweetness will not make people feel greasy. It is like the sweetness given by the earth. At the same time, the taste of purple sweet potatoes is glutinous and delicate. After being steamed and boiled, it melts in the mouth. Every bite can feel that sweet potato fragrance.

Ordinary potatoes have a relatively lighter taste. There is a faint earthy smell mixed with the taste of starch. The taste of potatoes will be different depending on the cooking method. However, even if the potatoes are cooked very soft, they do not have the strong sweet taste of purple sweet potatoes. They are more inclined to a faint and simple taste.

If purple sweet potatoes are made into desserts, like purple sweet potato puree, the sweetness will be more prominent. But when ordinary potatoes are made into mashed potatoes, the taste mainly depends on the added seasonings. The taste itself is relatively low-key.

Which is healthier, sweet potato or purple sweet potato?

Both sweet potatoes and purple sweet potatoes are very healthy foods. You can choose according to your needs:

In terms of nutritional components, sweet potatoes contain a large amount of carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and other substances. Among them, carotene can be converted into vitamin A in the human body, which is very good for human vision. And potassium is helpful for maintaining the normal function of the heart and stabilizing blood pressure.

Purple sweet potatoes contain a large amount of anthocyanin. Anthocyanin is an antioxidant that can effectively remove free radicals in the human body. It has a certain role in delaying aging and protecting the cardiovascular system. At the same time, purple sweet potatoes also contain rich dietary fiber, which can help promote the peristalsis of the human intestinal tract and is beneficial to gastrointestinal health like sweet potatoes.

In terms of calories, the calories of sweet potatoes and purple sweet potatoes are similar. About 80 - 100 kilocalories per 100 grams. They are all low-calorie and high-fiber foods, suitable for people who want to control their weight.

In general, it is difficult to determine which is healthier, sweet potatoes or purple sweet potatoes. But if you are more concerned about the antioxidant function, purple sweet potatoes will be a better choice. If you want to supplement carotene, sweet potatoes will be a good choice.

Will purple sweet potatoes still remain purple after being cooked?

Under normal circumstances, purple sweet potatoes will still remain purple after being cooked.

This is because purple sweet potatoes contain anthocyanin. This substance is a natural pigment. Anthocyanin will present different colors in different acid-base environments. In the weakly acidic environment of the cell sap of purple sweet potatoes, it presents purple.

During the process of cooking purple sweet potatoes, although the cell structure of purple sweet potatoes is destroyed, as long as there is no encounter with strong oxidants or a great change in acidity and alkalinity, anthocyanin will not be destroyed or change color. Therefore, purple sweet potatoes will still maintain their purple color after being cooked.

But it should be noted that if the water for cooking purple sweet potatoes is relatively alkaline, or if the cooking time is too long and the temperature is too high, resulting in the destruction of anthocyanin, then the purple color may fade or change.

The efficacy and function of purple sweet potatoes

First of all, purple sweet potatoes contain a large amount of dietary fiber. This substance can promote the peristalsis of the human intestinal tract, help the human body better digest and absorb, and prevent constipation. If you eat too many greasy things in life, you can eat some purple sweet potatoes to clean your stomach.

Secondly, purple sweet potatoes contain a large amount of anthocyanin, which has a very good antioxidant effect. It can remove free radicals in our body. Free radicals are the "little villains" that cause our body to age and get sick. Anthocyanin can effectively delay cell aging, make the skin more elastic and reduce the generation of wrinkles. It is simply a natural "beauty agent".

In addition, purple sweet potatoes contain rich selenium and iron elements. Selenium is an important trace element and has the function of enhancing immunity. Iron is helpful for preventing iron deficiency anemia and making our complexion better.

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, purple sweet potatoes are sweet in taste, neutral in nature, and belong to the spleen, stomach and large intestine meridians. They have the functions of tonifying the middle and nourishing the blood, replenishing qi and promoting fluid production, widening the intestines and stomach, and relieving constipation. Whether it is eaten directly by steaming or made into delicious foods such as purple sweet potato puree and purple sweet potato porridge, these effects can be exerted.