The power of anthocyanin in PURPLE sweet potatoes.

[Janus]

I first heard of purple sweet potatoes on a bbc program that I watched recently. This vegetable is a power-house of antioxidants, the most powerful and beneficial being anthocyanin. (Black currents are high in anthocyanin too), but the size of the sweet potato in comparison to black currents mean it is easier to get more anthocyanin in to the diet.

 

Although mentioned in the bbc clip that it is difficult to obtain this exotic vegetable in the uk, I managed to purchase some in Sheffield a few days ago. I just boiled them like ordinary potatoes, but the YT clip below shows other methods of cooking them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03q0lnd

[Cyclone]

Argh, pseudo nutritional science.

[Janus]

What is pseudo nutritional science

[medusa]

Well, a population living a long time wouldn't have one single cause, would it? It's ridiculous to suggest that it could be so simple, given how complex humans are as organisms.

 

Keeping a low body weight, consuming very little fat, having genes on your side and a whole load of other things are all likely to play a part in why populations live longer.

[Janus]

I’m going to neither agree or disagree. I’m sure people can make their own minds up on what they want to put in their mouths.

[medusa]

I’m going to neither agree or disagree. I’m sure people can make their own minds up on what they want to put in their mouths.

 

Agree entirely, but if they're taking the title of the BBC piece at its word then no amount of purple sweet potatoes in your diet will make any difference if it's a complex reason why people live so much longer in Japan, will they?

[Janus]

Personally, at least in this country I would not advocate or promote a single entity as being key.

 

It’s been mentioned numerous times that the low incidence of coronary heart disease of the Eskimo people is due to a diet high in fish /seal blubber etc. No one mentions the cold temperature or other aspect of their existence.

 

I feel we have to give ourselves what we believe are the greatest chances. As you know, there is so much potentially against us health wise.

[Cyclone]

The whole dietary anti oxidant thing is a biomechanical reductionist view of a very complex system.

We NEED free radicals in our body, our immune system uses them to fight disease. Yet the argument for consuming dietary anti oxidants is that they reduce free radicals in our bodies, because in some situations those free radicals contribute to the ageing process.

[Daryl3434]

The whole dietary anti oxidant thing is a biomechanical reductionist view of a very complex system.

We NEED free radicals in our body, our immune system uses them to fight disease. Yet the argument for consuming dietary anti oxidants is that they reduce free radicals in our bodies, because in some situations those free radicals contribute to the ageing process.

this is nice comment