Why You Should Buy Sweet Potatoes From Burundi

You’ve probably heard of purple sweet potatoes, which are commonly grown in the tropical areas of Asia and have a purple flesh. But have you ever heard of red-fleshed sweet potatoes? Most likely not. To most people, sweet potatoes are orange. Even at specialty grocers, you’ll find mostly yellow or orange tubers with perhaps the occasional white sweet potato thrown in for variety. But that’s about to change. Red-fleshed sweet potatoes from Burundi will soon be hitting the shelves of your favorite market—with good reason. These new sweet potatoes are nutrient dense and packed with more beta carotene than other types (that’s why they’re red!). Here are 5 reasons why you should buy red-fleshed sweet potatoes from Burundi:

They’re very nutritious

Sweet potatoes are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. One cup of cooked sweet potato provides 36% of your daily recommended amount of Vitamin A, which is an essential nutrient for good vision, bone health, and more. Vitamin A is also crucial for your immune system, which means that a deficiency can increase your risk of getting sick. One cup of sweet potato also provides 9% of your recommended daily amount of Vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant that supports your immune system and helps fight inflammation. One cup of sweet-potato also contains significant amounts of B vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.

They’re an excellent source of vitamin A

Aside from being incredibly nutritious, sweet potatoes are one of the best sources of Vitamin A. One cup of cooked sweet potato provides about 75% of your daily recommended amount of this essential vitamin. Vitamin A is crucial for good vision, healthy skin, and strong bones. Your body can convert some of the Vitamin A in sweet potatoes into retinol, the form of Vitamin A that your body needs. Unfortunately, not all foods are as easily converted into Vitamin A as sweet potatoes. In fact, there are many foods that contain no Vitamin A at all—that’s why Vitamin A deficiency is a very real and widespread problem. You can fight against this by eating foods like sweet potatoes that contain large amounts of Vitamin A.

They also provide lots of Vitamin C

Sweet potatoes are also an excellent source of Vitamin C. One cup of cooked sweet potatoes provides 56% of your daily recommended amount of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that supports your immune system and helps fight inflammation. It also helps you maintain healthy collagen, keeps your blood vessels healthy, and aids in the formation of strong bones. Unfortunately, many people don’t get enough Vitamin C in their diets—and as a result, they’re more likely to catch colds, get injured, and develop joint pain. You can prevent these problems by including more Vitamin C-rich foods in your diet.

They have a rich dose of antioxidants

Sweet potatoes are packed with antioxidants that support your immune system, protect your cells, and fight free radical damage. Antioxidants also help prevent cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Sweet potatoes have been shown to have high antioxidant activity. This means that they’re particularly good at neutralizing and getting rid of harmful free radicals. Sweet potatoes are one of the best food sources of beta carotene, an important antioxidant that your body converts into Vitamin A.

And they’re rich in fiber too!

Sweet potatoes are also excellent sources of dietary fiber. One cup of cooked sweet potatoes provides about 4 grams of fiber—about 12% of your daily recommended amount. Dietary fiber comes from plant-based foods like sweet potatoes and helps you stay regular, supports your heart health, and lowers your risk of certain types of cancer. Unfortunately, many people don’t get the recommended amount of fiber in their diets—and that can lead to all sorts of health problems. You can avoid these problems by increasing your intake of fiber-rich foods like sweet potatoes.

Why you should buy sweet potatoes from Burundi today!

Burundi is located in Africa. While growing sweet potatoes is common in Central and South America, it’s not something that happens much in Africa. But Burundi is changing that. They’re growing and harvesting red-fleshed sweet potatoes, which are rich in beta carotene. This significantly increases the nutritional value of the sweet potatoes and makes them even more nutritious than orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. Burundi has a strong focus on food security. This means that they want to make sure the country has enough food to feed their people. Food security is a pressing global issue: there are 815 million people who don’t have enough food; and 88% of those people live in rural areas. By growing red-fleshed sweet potatoes, Burundi is solving two crucial problems: malnutrition and food insecurity. When people eat more nutritious foods, they’re less likely to suffer from malnutrition. By growing more nutritious foods, people in Burundi are making their diet healthier. And when people have healthier diets, they’re less likely to suffer from malnutrition.

Bottom line

Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients, and the red-fleshed sweet potatoes from Burundi are particularly nutritious. These sweet potatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin A, they provide a rich dose of antioxidants, and they’re also rich in fiber. When people eat more nutritious foods, they’re less likely to suffer from malnutrition. When people eat more nutritious foods, they also have a lower risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, and other serious health problems. Unfortunately, many people don’t get the recommended amount of nutrients in their diets—and that can lead to health problems. You can avoid these problems by increasing your intake of nutritious foods. When you buy sweet potatoes from Burundi, you get the most nutritious sweet potatoes possible.