Here are some facts about sweet potatoes you probably don't know:

这里有一些关于红薯你可能还不知道的事实：

Sweet Potatoes Originated in the Americas

红薯起源于美洲

They're in the family of plants that includes morning glories and are in a different family than yams. Yams are from Africa and are more closely related to lilies.

红薯和牵牛花是同一科的植物，但和山药不属于同一科。山药源于非洲，和百合花关系更近。

A 5000 Year-Old Food

红薯有5000年的历史

When Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas in the 15th century, sweet potatoes were already a staple¹ crop. He took some with him back to Spain and by the 16th century, gardens all over Europe were growing them.

15世纪哥伦布到达美洲，那时红薯已是当地的主要作物了。他带了一些回西班牙，到了16世纪整个欧洲的花园都种植红薯。

A Rich Source of Beta-Carotene

红薯富含β-胡萝卜素

This powerful antioxidant gives the tuber its yellow, gold, or orange (and sometimes even purple) coloring and coverts² to vitamin A in your dog's body. It's thought to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer and provide protection against heart disease.

强大的抗氧化剂使得这种块茎呈黄色、金色、或橙色(有时甚至呈紫色)，并在你的体内转化成维生素A。有降低患某些癌症风险的功效，并预防心脏病。

A Good Source of Minerals

富含矿物质

Sweet potatoes are a good source of potassium, manganese, and magnesium³. They also contain calcium⁴, iron, and zinc⁵ but are low in sodium⁶.

红薯富含钾、锰、镁，同时也含有钙、铁、锌，但钠含量比较低。

High in Fiber⁷, Low in Fat

高纤维、低脂肪

Sweet potatoes are high in dietary fiber which is great for digestive health. Plus, they contain very little fat.

红薯富含膳食纤维，对消化大有健康益处。另外，红薯含的脂肪很少。

A Healthy Alternative

健康的选择

White potatoes may be cheaper than sweet potatoes but sweet potatoes have more nutritional⁸ value. Plus, white potatoes have more carbohydrates⁹ which can lead to obesity¹⁰ and blood sugar problems.

土豆比红薯便宜，但红薯的营养价值更高。另外，土豆含的碳水化合物偏多会导致肥胖和血糖问题。