Sweet Potato was found in it’s wild form in Asia then was cultivated on the Polynesian islands. They are used as staple foods, being full of carbohydrates that our bodies need for energy, but they also provide a variety of nutrients. Kamote is renowned for being one of the healthiest sources of Carbohydrates, so let’s take a look at what exactly makes it so nutritious.
Effects on Immunity
There are clearly more minerals in the sweet potato than in a regular Potato. They contain high levels of calcium and magnesium. These minerals are needed by our immune system to communicate and program it’s cells.
Sweet Potatoes also contain a lot of Vitamin A, which is used by our body to maintain the protective mucous of our respiratory system.
COVID Resistance:
Vitamin A is needed for your lungs to regenerate after taking damage making it essential during infection recovery.
Magnesium helps your immune system to regulate itself, reducing inflammation and allowing you to avoid Cytokine storms, which are a leading cause of death from the virus.
Special Information
Sweet potatoes are very easily cultivated, using either tubers or cuttings of stems. The edible leaves are highly nutritious as well. It is highly tolerant to storms as the plants are low to the ground. Waterlogging will destroy the tubers but not the leaves. Because of it’s hardiness and ease of cultivation it has become a reserve food of many indigenous cultures.
Despite the saying “kung tamad ka magtanim ka ng kamote”, we need to recognize that the Kamote plant is a very valuable crop for food security and resiliency.
Choose Organic
Because of the aforementioned hardiness, Sweet potatoes are not grown with any chemicals and are mostly organic. However due to the rise of commercial Kamote farming, some large scale farms fertilize heavily to compensate for poor agricultural practice. Avoid this produce if possible.