ANTHOCYANIN CONTENT AND BENEFITS IN SWEET POTATO (IPOMOEA BATATAS) - A REVIEW

Anthocyanins are the chemicals responsible for intense colours in several fruits and vegetables. Countless health benefits of anthocyanins have been described, especially in the prevention of diseases associated with oxidative stress. In contrast to their popular content in berries and vegetables, sweet potatoes also contain varied contents of anthocyanins and they also belong to staple foods. Tubers from purple sweet potato varieties contain high amounts of anthocyanins, while leaves of several sweet potato cultivars can even surpass them in anthocyanin content. The current article sets to review the content and several benefits of anthocyanins contained in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), a widely and extensively grown crop.