Sweet Potatoes - Health benefits & Medicinal benefits

Sweet Potatoes eating Health benefits & Medicinal benefits

Sweet potatoes are sweet, starchy root vegetables that are grown worldwide.

Sweet Potatoes come in a variety of sizes and colors including orange, white, and purple and are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.

They provide a number of health benefits and are easy to add to in the diet.

Highly Nutritious

Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. One cup (200 grams) of baked sweet potato with skin provides, Calories: 180, Carbs: 41.4 grams, Protein: 4 grams, Fat: 0.3 grams, Fiber: 6.6 grams, Vitamin A: 769% of the Daily Value (DV), Vitamin C: 65% of the DV, Manganese: 50% of the DV, Vitamin B6: 29% of the DV, Potassium: 27% of the DV, Pantothenic acid: 18% of the DV, Copper: 16% of the DV, Niacin: 15% of the DV.

Sweet potatoes; especially the orange and purple varieties are rich in antioxidants that protect your body from free radicals.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage DNA and trigger inflammation.

Free radical damage has been linked to chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, and aging. Therefore, eating antioxidant-rich foods is good for your health.  Sweet potatoes are starchy root vegetables that are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They’re also high in antioxidants that protect body from free radical damage and chronic disease.

Promote Intestinal Health

The fiber and antioxidants in sweet potatoes are advantageous to intestinal health.

Sweet potatoes contain two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble.

Fiber stays within the digestive tract and provides a variety of intestinal related health benefits.

Certain types of soluble fiber known as viscous fibers absorb water and soften stool.  On the other hand, non-viscous, insoluble fibers don’t absorb water and add bulk.

Some soluble and insoluble fibers can also be fermented by the bacteria in the colon, creating compounds called short-chain fatty acids that fuel the cells of the intestinal lining and keep them healthy and strong.

Fiber-rich diets containing 20–33 grams per day have been linked to a lower risk of colon cancer and more regular bowel movements.

The antioxidants in sweet potatoes may provide gut benefits as well.

Test-tube studies have found that antioxidants in purple sweet potatoes promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria, including certain Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species.

Greater amounts of these types of bacteria within the intestines are associated with better intestinal health and a lower risk of conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and infectious diarrhea.

Protect from Cancer

Sweet potatoes offer various antioxidants, which may help protect against certain types of cancers.

Anthocyanins — a group of antioxidants found in purple sweet potatoes — have been found to slow the growth of certain types of cancer cells , including those of the bladder, colon, stomach, and breast.

Researchers says extracts of orange sweet potatoes and sweet potato peels have also been found to have anti-cancer properties.

Boost Vision

Sweet potatoes are incredibly rich in beta-carotene, the antioxidant responsible for the vegetable’s bright orange color.

In fact, one cup (200 grams) of baked orange sweet potato with skin provides more than seven times the amount of beta-carotene that the average adult needs per day.

Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body and used to form light-detecting receptors inside the eyes.

Eating foods rich in beta-carotene, such as orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, may help prevent from blindness known as xerophthalmia.  Purple sweet potatoes also seem to have vision benefits.

Boost Brain Function

Consuming purple sweet potatoes improve brain function.

Supplementing with anthocyanin-rich sweet potato extract has been shown to improve learning and memory, possibly due to its antioxidant properties.

Boost Immune System

Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are one of the richest natural sources of beta-carotene, a plant-based compound that is converted to vitamin A in your body.

Vitamin A is critical to a healthy immune system, and low blood levels have been linked to reduced immunity.  It’s also key for maintaining healthy mucous membranes, especially in the lining of intestine.

The gut is where your body is exposed to many potential disease-causing pathogens. Therefore, a healthy intestine is an important part of a healthy immune system.

Studies have shown that vitamin A deficiency increases gut inflammation and reduces the ability of your immune system to respond properly to potential threats.