SWEET POTATO LEAVES’ (TALBOS NG KAMOTE)

AMAZING HEALTH BENEFITS

Category: Library Health News
Published: 04 June 2018

The lowly “talbos ng kamote” or “sweet potato leaves” is a kind of

plant (scientifically called Ipomoea Batatas) that we always see
growing in vacant lots and on the roadside anywhere we go in the
Philippines. It grows all year round and doesn’t need that much
maintenance because it grows wild most of the time.

According to a study of the Louisiana State Agricultural Center, sweet

potato leaves or “talbos ng kamote” provide ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)
and Vitamin B to the body. But it also offers other vital nutrients like
Vitamin A, Vitamin K, B-Carotene, B6, Thiamine, Niacin, Zinc,
Riboflavin, Iron, Folic Acid, Calcium, and Protein.

It is an all-season vegetable with so much more to offer. Here are some

of the health benefits of sweet potato leaves:

* Anti-Diabetes

They said foods like sweet potato leaves are desired for its anti-
diabetes properties and for diet therapy. Several studies have already
proven that this plant has anti-diabetic compounds that lower blood
glucose content. This is advantageous to know considering that the
Philippines was reported to be a diabetes hotspot now with 6 million
Filipinos having diabetes in the country today.

* Helps in Heart Health

Sweet potato leaves have lots of Vitamin K which helps in de-calcifying

arteries of hard and harmful plaque deposits, a major cause of heart
attacks. Vitamin K in sweet potato leaves also helps reduce
inflammation of the cells lining the blood vessels along your veins and
arteries. Including sweet potato leaves in your daily diet helps you
maintain a healthy blood pressure and reduces the risk of having heart
attacks.

* Anti-mutagenic and Antioxidant

Now, this is the most interesting quality of sweet potato leaves: they
have antioxidants and antimutagenic compounds or substances that
reduce the rate of mutation of cancer cells. In fact, a study of the
effects of 82 kinds of vegetables and plant compounds on the mutation
and replication of cancer cells indicated that sweet potato leaves are
the one with the highest cancer checking rate.

* Anticoagulant

The vitamin K component of sweet potato leaves facilitates the blood

clotting abilities of our blood. Sweet potato leaves are known to have
this particular quality, assisting the body to help recover fast from
cuts, bruises, and blood clotting problems.

* Enhances Eye Health

Sweet potato leaves are proven to be high in lutein and zeaxanthin

(xanthophylls) which is supposed to contribute to the prevention of
cataracts and Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Lutein is also
an antioxidant which means it prevents oxidative damage to eye lens
muscles that contribute to cataracts due to old age.

* Anti-bacterial

An extract from the lyophilized sweet potato leaf powder from a variety
of sweet potato provided antibacterial properties. Moreover, the water
extracted from the sweet potato leaves inhibited the further growth of
food poisoning bacteria such as the pathogenic E. coli, Staphylococcus
aureus, and Bacillus cereus.

* Helps in Bone Health

The Vitamin K in sweet potato helps in maintaining the calcium in our

bones, thus reducing the risks of developing osteoporosis (bone loss)
and lowers the incidence of bone fractures in post-menopausal
women.

Any other benefits from sweet potato leaves that you know about?
Share in the comments section below!

SOURCE: http://naturalcancermedicine.org/sweet-potato-leaves-talbos-
ng-kamote-amazing-health-benefits/