Sweet potatoes are the sweeter and starchier fruit. Once baked, the richness of taste gets doubled. Are you also a sweet potato lover? Do you know sweet potato is not limited to one variant? Instead, Sweet potato comes in different varieties. One of the variant is known as Murasaki sweet potato or Japanese sweet potato. There are many health benefits of Murasaki sweet potato.
Murasaki sweet potato is a purple skinned Japanese sweet potato. This Japanese sweet potato has a dry, white flesh and nutty flavour. It is rich in dietary fiber and vitamin C.
You might be wondering how the skin colour of sweet potato makes this difference. Here at Mavcure, I will tell you everything about Murasaki sweet potato.
Table of Contents
How Do Murasaki Sweet Potatoes Taste?
The outer flesh of Murasaki sweet potato is brown with reddish hues. The inner flesh is creamy white to pale yellow in colour. It has a sweet, nutty flavour and dry texture.
Health Benefits Of Murasaki Sweet Potato
The purple skinned sweet potato is is filled with nutrition. The murasaki sweet potato has many health benefits. These benefits are mentioned below.
1. Constipation
Murasaki sweet potato are great source of dietary fibers. It improves digestion. High starch content helps in easy digestion. Thus, it helps to get rid of constipation.
2. Memory
Murasaki sweet potato contains a nutrient called anthocyanin. The antioxidant agents present in anthocyanin help in enhancing your memory. Studies show that purple sweet potato possesses memory enhancing properties.
3. Diabetes
Murasaki sweet potatoes have low glycemic index. This aids in regulation of blood glucose level. It contains a fiber called pectin. Pectin helps in reducing food consumption and blood sugar. Sweet potatoes are a good source of magnesium. Magnesium minimizes the risk of type II diabetes.
4. Blood Pressure
Murasaki sweet potatoes contain magnesium and potassium. Magnesium and potassium are effective in treating hypertension. They help in regulating blood pressure. Studies show that higher intake potassium and magnesium reduces the risks of hypertension.
5. Cancer
Murasaki sweet potatoes contain high potent of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a strong anti-oxidant and anti-cancerous agent. It helps in lowering the oxidative damage in the body. It prevents the occurrence and further growth of cancer in your body.
6. Fertility
Murasaki sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A .It helps in enhancing fertility in women. Iron is also effective in promoting fertility in women. Studies show that intake of iron and vitamin A promotes fertility. But, excess intake of iron can reverse the effect too.
7. Muscle Cramps
Potassium is present in good amount in Murasaki sweet potato. It helps in regulating your body’s fluid balance and muscle contraction. This way it helps you in your muscle cramps.
8. Inflammation
Murasaki sweet potato has anti-inflammatory properties. It contains vitamin C and magnesium. It contains nutrients called choline and anthocyani. These nutrients reduce inflammation in your body. Studies show that purple sweet potato is helpful in reducing inflammation.
9. Vision
Murasaki sweet potato is rich in vitamin A. Vitamin A is a good source for improving your vision. You lose your vision due to deficiency of vitamin A. So, consume Murasaki sweet potato if you want to cure your eye problems.
10. Stress
Murasaki sweet potato are an essential source of magnesium. Magnesium is very effective in increasing your body’s magnesium level. It helps in reducing depression, stress and anxiety. It is also helpful in reducing insomnia
11. Stomach Ulcers
Ulcer occurs when inflamed tissue covers mucus membrane or skin. Studies show that Murasaki sweet potato contains high amount of free radicals. It helps in healing wounds and stomach ulcers.
12. Dehydration
Murasaki sweet potatoes have high water content present in them. This helps to overcome the need of water in your body. It helps you to stay hydrated.
13. Arthritis
Murasaki sweet potato contains beta-cryptoxanthin. It helps in the prevention of chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Vitamin C helps in maintaining collagen and reduces risk of development arthritis. Studies show that foods rich in beta-cryptoxanthin reduce the risk of arthritis to 50%.
14. Anti-microbial Properties
Murasaki sweet potato contains antimicrobial agents. They are helpful in prevention and treatment of bacterial infections. Studies show that Murasaki sweet potato have antimicrobial properties.
15. Bronchitis
The presence of sweet nutrients in Murasaki sweet potato helps in warming up your body. This increases your body temperature. When your body temperature increases, it clears your congestion. When your congestion clears, it heals your bronchitis as well.
16. Asthma
Murasaki sweet potatoes contain sweeter nutrients in them. These nutrients help in clearing your mucus. When the mucus gets cleared, it helps your lungs. It helps you to breathe in better way. Research suggests that beta-carotene in sweet potatoes converts into vitamin A. This reduces the seriousness of induced asthma and cures it.
17. Heart Diseases
High content of fiber and free radical help in fighting heart diseases. It reduces oxidation. This helps in reducing heart risks.
18. Anaemia
Anaemia is the deficiency of blood in your body. When you lose a lot of blood, you need to gain in back. You can increase your blood level by consuming iron. Murasaki sweet potato contains high amount of iron. Intake of Murasaki sweet potato provides iron to your body. It increases the blood level in your body.
19. Bones
Murasaki sweet potato is rich in vitamins, potassium, magnesium and calcium. They increase your bone density. Without adequate amount of vitamin D and calcium in body, your bones are prone to breaking very fast. So, the richness of vitamins and calcium help in keeping bones strong.
20. Piles
Constipation causes piles. In this, the area around anus gets inflamed. You should consume this, if you are suffering from piles. The inflammatory property of the sweet potato helps in treating the inflammation.
21. Teeth And Gums
Murasaki sweet potato is rich in Vitamin A. It is very important for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. It maintains the mucus membrane and soft tissue of gums. This potato also maintains keratin, an agent that promotes formation of tooth enamel.
22. Treats Thyroid Disorder
Deficiency of vitamin D also results in thyroid disorder. Murasaki sweet potato is a good source of vitamin D. It is very helpful in treating thyroid disorder.
23. Alzheimer’s Disease
Neurodegenerative disorders cause Alzheimer’s disease. This disease shrinks your brain. Vitamin D responds to brain well. Intake of Murasaki sweet potato provides vitamin D to your body. The anti-inflammatory properties present in this sweet potato also help in treating inflammation.
24. Epilepsy
If you are suffering from epilepsy, your manganese blood level should be in control. For blood level to be normal, manganese should be provided to your body. Murasaki sweet potato is a good source of manganese. Consuming it is an effective in treatment of epilepsy.
25. Herpes
Viruses cause herpes. It targets lymphocytes and epithelial cells. It affects your memory cells. Studies show that for treating this virus, high dose of vitamin C should be taken. Murasaki sweet potato contains 40% vitamin C content in it. Intake of this sweet potato is very helpful in treating herpes.
Murasaki Sweet Potato For Body Building
1.Builds Muscles
Sweet potatoes are rich in carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitaminn C, manganese and potassium. It provides higher carbohydrate content to your body. It is a very essential nutrient in building of muscles.
2. Immunity
Murasaki sweet potato is rich in antioxidants, vitamin and minerals. The antimicrobial property helps in fighting the bacteria and infections. This makes your immune strong.
3. Weight Management
A dietary fiber, pectin is effective in reducing food intake and reducing weight gain. Studies show that higher intake of sweet potato lowers down body weight.
Murasaki Sweet Potato For Skin
1. Prevents Wrinkles
Vitamin C has anti-aging properties. It helps in production of collagen. Collagen maintains the elasticity of your skin. Consumption of Murasaki sweet potato provides richness of vitamin C to your skin. This prevents you from wrinkles.
2. Improves complexion
Murasaki sweet potato contains vitamin E. Vitamin E is beneficial for health and skin. It improves complexion of your skin. It provides you a flawless skin.
3. Heals Cracked Skin
Murasaki sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, dietary fiber and carotenoids. Anthocyanin are antioxidants which increase activity of antioxidan enzymes. The anti-inflammatory properties of this sweet potato help in healing your cracked and dry skin. It soothes your skin from pain.
4. Treats Acne
Murasaki sweet potato contains high vitamin A and C content. These vitamins help to prevent and speed the healing of acne.
Murasaki sweet potato are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help in fighting free radicals.
Nutritional Content In Murasaki Sweet Potato
Murasaki sweet potato contains carbohydrates (6%), proteins (3%) and no fats.
Total Carbohydrate 27g
Dietary Fiber 4g
Sugar 8g
Protein 3g
Vitamin A 500%
Vitamin C 40%
Calcium 4%
Vitamin B6 10%
Iron 6%
Sodium 45mg
Potassium 620mg
Component of Murasaki Sweet Potato
- Carbohydrates
The main component of Murasaki sweet potato is carbohydrate. It makes 53% of carbohydrate content.
- Fiber
Fibers are both soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibers such as pectin help in decreasing food intake and blood sugar level. Insoluble fibers help in reducing the risks of health.
- Proteins
Murasaki sweet potatoes contain 3g of protein. It contains a unique protein called sporamin. Sporamin accounts for more than 80% of total proteins. These are low in proteins but a very important source of protein.
- Vitamins
Murasaki sweet potato are rich source of vitamins including vitamin A, C, E and B6. They act as strong antioxidant. It helps in preventing you from damage of free radicals.
Murasaki Sweet Potato Vs Sweet Potato
Murasaki sweet potato varies in taste. It is much more sweeter and starchier than regular sweet potato. They contain high content of carbohydrates, dietary fibers, vitamins and minerals. The Murasaki sweet potato has 60% more sugar than the traditional sweet potato.
The glycemic index of Murasaki sweet potato is 75 and exceeds 90 when baked. The traditional sweet potato has glycemic 46 and reaches 90 when baked. The glycemic index of Murasaki sweet potato is lower than traditional sweet potato.
Both the sweet potatoes are good for your health. But Murasaki sweet potato is healthier. It contains good amount of nutrients.
Side Effects Of Sweet Potato
1. Stomach Pain
Sweet potatoes contain a type of sugar called mannitol. It causes stomach pain if you have a sensitive stomach. In some cases, mannotol causes bloating and diarrhoea.
2. Blood Glucose Level
Sweet potato has low glycemic index. When it bakes,the glycemic index increases. The increased glycemic index increases the glucose level in your body. This increased glucose level is not good for your health.
3. Change In Skin Colour
Sweet potatoes contain high amount of vitamin A. It changes the colour of your skin. The skin colour changes to orange or yellow.
Health Risks Caused By Murasaki Sweet Potato
- Heart Disease
Sweet potato is rich in carbohydrates. The higher consumption of carbohydrates can increase heart problems. The increased carbohydrate diet expands your arteries. This can reduce elasticity of veins. It causes heart diseases or sudden deaths.
- Gallstones And Kidney Stones
Sweet potatoes contain high amount of oxalates. It plays an important role in formation of calcium-oxalate kidney stone. It is the most common form of kidney stone. If you consume sweet potatoes, you are likely to get this type of kidney stones.
- Foetal Problems
High consumption of sweet potato is not good for pregnant woman. It causes foetal problems. They include physical defects, liver damage, miscarriages or preterm births.
Final Talk
Murasaki sweet potatoes are very nutritious and healthy. They have high content of dietary fibers, vitamins and minerals present in them. This helps you in fighting against eye diseases and keeps your immune strong. It is very effective in reducing other risks. Murasaki sweet potatoes are easy to cook. You can cook or bake them to enjoy their sweeter taste. Include them in your daily diet and protect your immune.
