Jakarta –
Purple sweet potatoes and yellow yams are famous sweet potatoes in Indonesia. Both can be processed by baking, boiling, until it is used as additional for cakes or compote.
Besides being chosen as healthy food, sweet potatoes are also often used as diet food. Know the difference between the two below.
The difference between purple sweet potatoes and yellow sweet potatoes
Besides being seen from the color, the difference between purple yam and yellow yam lies in the texture, taste, to its nutritional content.
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1. Color
Quoted from the book Potential Local Food Commodity in Kuningan Regency by Slamet Hadi Kusumah, et al, the difference in color in sweet potatoes is caused by the pigment content in each of the sweet potatoes.
Purple sweet potatoes have a purple color ranging from the skin to the flesh. The purple color is due to the high antocyanin pigment on this sweet potato. (Tong et al. 2020).
Meanwhile, the dominant yellow and yellow yam color is caused by a natural pigment content called Beta Karoten.
2. Antioxidant content
Citing the Livestrong page, all sweet potatoes contain antioxidants. However, the source and number are also determined from the color of the meat.
Sweet yellow yellowish sweet potatoes contain a lot of carotenoids (yellow and orange pigments synthesized by many plants). Meanwhile, sweet potatoes with purple meat are rich in anthocyanin.
Carotenoids function as a source of vitamin A (retinol) in the body. The most common carotenoids include beta carotene, lutein, lycopene, and zeaxanthin.
In addition, carotenoids are also useful for improving the immune system while supporting eye health.
While the anthocyanin content in purple sweet potatoes is a flavonoid that may have anti -inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. According to 2017 research published in Food and Nutrition Research, this content is useful in helping to protect against obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, to cancer.
3. texture and taste
Typically, the texture of purple sweet potatoes is softer when compared to yellow yam in the inside is quite dense. For taste, purple sweet potatoes taste sweeter than yellow yam.
4. Processing
Quoting the Times of India, purple and yellow sweet potatoes can be served in various ways. Purple sweet potatoes can be roasted with olive oil, made pie, or smoothie.
While yellow yam can be processed with soup or stew, fried, or crushed with seasoning salt, cinnamon, and butter.
Better purple or yellow yam for diet?
Reported by the Times of India, quoting from researchers in The American Journal of Clinical, orange/yellow sweet potato is one of the high sources of beta carotene. This is what makes many people prefer orange/yellow sweet potatoes to diet in losing their weight.
(KHQ/FDS)
