How to eat sweet potatoes to maximize vitamin A absorption.

Sweet potatoes are not only naturally sweet and easy to eat, but they are also a rich source of beta-carotene – a plant pigment that the body converts into vitamin A.

This nutrient is essential for vision, the immune system, and skin. Just one medium-sized sweet potato is enough to meet your daily vitamin A needs.

However, according to Eating Well, experts say that the nutritional value of sweet potatoes also depends on how they are prepared and combined with other foods. Accordingly, boiling or steaming sweet potatoes with a small amount of fat is considered the optimal way for the body to absorb vitamin A best.

Cooking potatoes helps the body absorb beta-carotene better.

Although raw sweet potatoes theoretically contain more beta-carotene, the body absorbs this nutrient less effectively than cooked sweet potatoes. This is because beta-carotene is "locked" within the tough cell walls of plants. Cooking temperatures break down this structure, making the nutrient more easily accessible to the digestive system.

Experts believe that cooking does not destroy nutrients but rather "releases" them so that the body can absorb them more effectively.

Boiled sweet potatoes offer many nutritional benefits. (Illustrative image: AI)

Boiling and steaming are better than grilling.

According to American nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner, steaming and boiling help retain more beta-carotene than baking, with steaming slightly outperforming boiling. Studies show that these two methods can preserve more than 80% of the original beta-carotene content, significantly higher than baking or frying.

Expert Blatner also stated that steaming has the advantage of minimizing the loss of water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and B6 because the food is not directly submerged in water.

Nutrition expert Abbie Gellman (USA) suggests using sweet potatoes in soups or stews, as the water-soluble vitamins are retained and absorbed along with the dish.

Keeping the peel on increases nutritional value.

Studies show that sweet potato peels contain more antioxidants, including beta-carotene, than the flesh. While baking can reduce the amount of antioxidants in the peel, steaming and boiling have less of an impact.

Expert Gellman advises keeping the peel on most vegetables and fruits whenever possible. According to her, sweet potatoes are one of the foods that are very suitable to eat with the peel on after washing and cooking.

Fats help in the more efficient absorption of vitamin A.

Beta-carotene is fat-soluble, so the body needs fat in the diet for proper absorption. Studies show that just 3-5g of fat, equivalent to a teaspoon of olive oil, can significantly increase beta-carotene absorption.

Expert Katie Morford (USA) says she often stocks up on foods rich in healthy fats such as avocados, full-fat Greek yogurt, nut butter, and chili oil to pair with sweet potatoes.

Meanwhile, expert Gellman suggests eating sweet potatoes with full-fat yogurt, cheese, roasted nuts, and avocado to increase nutrient absorption.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/cach-an-khoai-lang-giup-hap-thu-toi-da-vitamin-a-2516763.html