Ipomoea Botates
Sweet potatoes, also known as yams, grow on a vine. Don’t confuse them with wild yams. They are a different herb.
Sweet potatoes are high in Vitamins A, B, C, iron, calcium, potassium phosphorus and high in antioxidants. They are also have dietary fibre which is higher than oat meal; therefore they are useful for constipation. They are known as a semi-complete food.
Sweet potatoes may be beneficial for diabetes, particularly white ones. Other studies have been done on their anticancer properties.
Sweet potato leaves have been used to help with asthma and even the common cold. They have been made into a poultice to help with insect bites.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, sweet potatoes are used to help the spleen Qi. Many people and horses have weakened spleen Qi and this affects digestion. The sweet potatoes are often feed to horses to help with the horse’s digestion. They can be chopped into pieces and fed directly to your horse. ½ a sweet potato daily is the usual amount added to a horse’s feed.
