Natural health benefits nutrients of sweet potatoes are high in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), niacin (vitamin B3), vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, and copper.
There are various types of sweet potatoes. Some have white or cream-colored flesh. Others are yellow, red, or purple. The “Covington” is the variety that has pink skin and bright orange pulp.
While yams and sweet potatoes may look alike, a true yam is a tuber vegetable, like a regular potato.
Sweet potatoes earned the name “superfood” because of the amount of natural health benefits nutrients of sweet potatoes.
Studies show that sweet potatoes is often consumed as a snack. They can be easily found both in traditional market or modern market. Even though several nutrition in sweet potatoes are good for our body, we have to be aware of the risk for our health that might come after we consume sweet potato.
Natural Health Benefits Nutrients of Sweet Potatoes.
The unique nutritional profile of sweet potatoes makes them powerful allies in preventing disease and supporting overall health.
Here are some Natural health benefits nutrients of sweet potatoes in your diet.
1. Reduce Risk of Diabetes.
Sweet potatoes contains low glycemix index. In the lattest research, it shown that sweet potatoes can reduce the level of blood sugar and insulin resistance in diabetes patient.
Mangnesium in sweet potatoes can help to control the level of our blood sugar in our blood. Therefore, people who consume high diet of magnesium rarely suffer diabetes.
Sweet potatoes can still be consumed by patients of diabetes because it can manage the level of blood sugar. They can be used to replace rice or another source of carbohydrate.
A medium sweet potato contains of 6 gr of fiber. However, the patients of diabetes should consume sweet potatoes based on the suggested portion.
2. Prevent Blood Pressure.
Sweet potatoes are rich in potassium. People with high blood pressure find it helpful to consume foods that are rich in this nutrient. Potassium aids in reducing sodium in the blood.
High potassium intake can decrease 20% the risk of death because of high blood pressure. Besides maintaining our cholesterol level, sweet potatoes can manage blood pressure.
3. Increasing Immunity.
Sweet potatoes contain high vitamin C and beta carotene that offer high immunity from the strong combination of their nutrition. Vitamin C in sweet potatoes functions as illness prevention through a virus, such as flu.
4. Heart health:
Several researches opined that sweet potatoes may reduce bad cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, prevent diabetes, and maintain healthy blood sugar levels. All these factors protect and lower the risk of heart events.
5. Resolving Inflammation.
Choline is one of important and multifunction nutrition in sweet potatoes. It is useful for our sleeping pattern, muscles, and memory. It is also useful for maintaining the cells membrane structure, nerves impulse transmission, absorbing fats and resolving inflammation.
6. Healthy Eyes.
Bright color in fruits or vegetables shows that those fruits and vegetables contain of important substances. Sweet potatoes have such a bright yellow color. It shows that it contains of high Vitamin A in the form of beta carotene. Vitamin A in sweet potatoes can fulfill our 1.033% of our daily nutrition. Lack of vitamin A deteriorates the outside segment of fotoreceptor which eventually breaks normal vision. Consuming vitamin A with high beta carotene will return our vision ability. Vitamin C and E in sweet potatoes are proven effective to support the health of our eyes as well as prevent them from degenerative failure.
7. Vitamins and Minerals.
Just one sweet potato gives you 400% of the vitamin A you need each day. This helps keep your eyes healthy as well as your immune system, your body’s defense against germs. It’s also good for your reproductive system and organs like your heart and kidneys.
8. Healthy Digestive System.
High contains of fiber in sweet potatoes prevents constipation and promotes healthy digestive system. The fibers in sweet potatoes are higher than potatoes. However, sweet potatoes have food source that are easy to digest so that they are good both for our colon and stomach. Moreover, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium and calcium in sweet potatoes are effective in reducing gastritis.
9. Fight Cancer.
Carotenoids in sweet potatoes might lower your risk for cancer. Purple sweet potatoes are high in another natural compound called anthocyanin that might lower your chances of getting colorectal cancer.
Beta carotene is anti oxidant that functions as the antidote of free radical against cancer. It, together with vitamin C in sweet potatoes, becomes an important component to overcome cancer, especially colon cancer, kidney, heart, and prostate.
10. Fight for Healthy Heart.
Sweet potato is also good for our heart because they contain 27% of Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is good to prevent the cumulation of homosistein in our blood.
If the level of homosistein in our blood is high, it can trigger the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Vitamin B in sweet potatoes in the form of Pantotenat Acid helps sweet potatoes to produce stress hormone so that our body has sufficient vitamin B while it is under stress.
Improve eye health.
Sweet potatoes are incredibly rich in beta-carotene, the antioxidant responsible for the vegetable’s bright orange color.
The Beta-carotene in sweet potatoes converts to the active form of vitamin A, which is an essential element for the formation of light-detecting receptors inside the eye.
Vitamin A and anthocyanins protect the eye cells from damage and lower the risk of vision loss.