Last Updated on November 2, 2022 by Nurse Vicky
What is the Health Benefit of Sweet Potatoes?
The sweet potato is a starchy, dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae.
The tuberous roots are sweet, and the leaves can be eaten as greens.
While the main benefit is dietary fiber, sweet potato is also loaded with antioxidants and beta-carotene. Here are the other benefits of eating sweet potatoes.
They can help with your overall health, and even help you lose weight!
Beta-carotene
The orange-fleshed variety of sweet potatoes contains a powerful antioxidant known as beta-carotene.
This compound converts to vitamin A in the body, a vital nutrient for the immune system.
Low levels of vitamin A are linked to lower immunity and weakened heart function.
In addition, sweet potatoes help maintain a healthy immune system by supporting the health of the gut and mucous membranes.
Additionally, high levels of vitamin A are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and certain types of diabetes.
One of the best ways to get the recommended amounts of beta-carotene is by eating sweet potatoes.
This versatile food contains more beta-carotene per serving than any other food.
A single baked sweet potato contains about twenty-three milligrams of beta-carotene, a healthy amount when eaten every day.
Mashable sweet potatoes are even more potent beta-carotene sources, with one cup containing as much as 31 milligrams.
Potassium
In addition to providing a variety of other nutrients, sweet potatoes can also lower cholesterol.
The potassium found in sweet potatoes also helps regulate blood pressure.
Studies have shown that consuming sweet potatoes can help control blood sugar levels.
And while it is still too early to conclude whether sweet potatoes help reduce blood pressure, they are well worth trying.
And they are so delicious! Here’s why! Enjoy the health benefits of sweet potatoes and add them to your weekly grocery list.
Another health benefit of sweet potatoes is their high content of vitamin A.
This antioxidant helps protect your body from several common ailments.
A single 124-gram serving contains 12.8 milligrams of vitamin C. Adults should aim to consume at least 90 milligrams of vitamin C per day.
Vitamin C helps boost the immune system and increases iron absorption.
People with low vitamin A levels may be more prone to infection and iron deficiency anemia.
Insoluble fiber
The antioxidant properties of sweet potatoes are a well-known benefit.
Inflammation in the body is linked to chronic diseases, and eating more of this vegetable may help lower the risk.
It contains several antioxidants, including beta-carotene, which may help reduce the risk of colon cancer. Sweet potatoes are also rich in vitamin A, which helps support healthy hair and skin.
The nutrients in this vegetable promote a healthy metabolism and encourage the turnover of cells.
Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene and flavonoids. Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant and precursor to Vitamin A.
It helps protect the body from the effects of free radicals, which cause damage to DNA and accelerate the aging process.
Other sweet potato benefits include reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
And if you’re interested in learning more about these health benefits of sweet potatoes, check out Getty Images’ Q&A.
Antioxidants
One of the many health benefits of sweet potatoes is their high content of polyphenols, which mop up free radicals.
These free radicals have been linked to cancer and other diseases.
According to University of Scranton professor of chemistry Joe Vinson, the antioxidants in sweet potatoes are released when the plant is struck by electricity.
But if the same thing happens during normal digestion, that may be the reason for the high antioxidant content in sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes also contain high levels of beta-carotene, a compound responsible for the body’s production of vitamin A.
Recent studies have shown that higher beta-carotene intake was associated with a lower risk of developing Lou Gehrig’s disease, a neurodegenerative disease.
Other studies have found that anthocyanins, a polyphenol found naturally in red fruits, have potent antioxidant properties.
Gut microbiome
A new study found that dietary fiber from sweet potato residue promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, thereby promoting an increased number of Bifidobacterium species.
It also improved the balance of gastrointestinal bacteria and physiology.
It suggested that 3% PDF might be an optimal prebiotic dose.
The results support further research on PDF as a functional food.
The study’s authors conclude that eating sweet potatoes regularly can improve gut health.
Another study found that eating walnuts can help balance gut bacteria.
Nuts are high in fiber, which helps the microbiota digest food and absorb nutrients.
Walnuts also increase the number of microbes that produce butyrate, an important fatty acid for colon health.
Furthermore, eating walnuts increased the amount of Faecalibacterium, an important strain that regulates inflammation. These are just a few of the benefits of eating walnuts.
vitamin A
According to a recent study, the orange-fleshed sweet potato may be nature’s unrivaled beta-carotene source.
The vegetable contains between 100 and 1,600 micrograms of vitamin A per 3.5-ounce serving, meeting up to 90% of the recommended daily allowance for humans.
The benefits of sweet potatoes may not only extend to the skin, but to the hair as well. Several researchers believe the nutrient is particularly beneficial for children.
Several other health benefits of sweet potatoes are associated with their high fiber content.
They provide fuel for the body and help the digestive tract maintain normal bowel movements.
The USDA recommends that adults consume 25 to 38 grams of fiber each day, which is equivalent to about four to five servings of whole-wheat cereal.
Sweet potatoes, in particular, contain 21 grams of fiber per 100-gram serving.
These carbs can aid in the metabolism of fats and help lower blood cholesterol levels.
Others inquire
What kind of sweet potato diet is the healthiest?
Compared to baking or frying, boiling sweet potatoes preserves more beta-carotene and increases the nutrient’s absorbability. Limiting the cooking time, such as boiling in a saucepan with a securely covered lid for 20 minutes, can preserve up to 92% of the nutrition. Is daily consumption of sweet potatoes healthy?
With roughly 20 net carbohydrates per medium sweet potato, they are not low-carb vegetables but rather starches. If you’re watching your carb intake, you might want to limit your intake to once in a while rather than daily. Additionally, avoid eating only sweet potatoes for vegetables one day.
Do sweet potatoes benefit the liver?
image outcome
Sweet potatoes may be able to help with liver damage brought on by excessive alcohol use. According to an NIH study with mice, anthocyanins in purple sweet potatoes are also connected to reducing liver damage brought on by excessive alcohol consumption. Your blood sugar levels may be regulated with sweet potatoes.
Are sweet potatoes blood sugar raisers?
Sweet potatoes can cause a blood sugar increase due to their high carbohydrate content. This process is slowed down by the fiber content of these foods. The GI of orange sweet potatoes is greater. Compared to other sweet potato cultivars, this can raise your blood sugar level. 1 Jul 2019
When should sweet potatoes be avoided?
Toss your sweet potato if it is leaking, soft and squishy, discolored, odorous, or has a lot of sprouts. You can either chop off the sprouting section, prepare it right away, and eat it, or you can plant it if there are only a few sprouts and the sweet potato is still firm.
Conclusion
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