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Bioactive Compounds in Organic Sweetpotato
Authors: Sochinwechi Nwosisi, Dilip Nandwani, Ramasamy Ravi
Number of views: 552
Bioactive compounds in foods have gained popularity worldwide for beneficial effects on human wellbeing. Opportunities for a bioactive food or component, for diet, begin with identifying a link between a bioactive food or ingredient and health or to a disease. The role of bio-actives in health has been established with many research findings. At present bioactive components that promote weight management and lower the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease have received the most attention. Sweetpotato contains various types of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds and carotenoids. Phenolic compounds that are found in sweetpotato include phenolic acids and anthocyanins, which are predominant in purple-flesh sweetpotato. Carotenoids, such as α-carotene, β-carotene, and β-5 cryptoxanthin are predominant in orange-fleshed sweetpotato. Sweetpotato is rich in dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins and bioactive compounds such as beta-carotene, phenolic acids and anthocyanins which provide sweetpotato with distinctive flesh colors like cream, yellow, orange and purple.