Why we love sweet potatoes so much is because they are both healthy and feel like a real treat when consumed.
This underground tuber is an abundant source of vitamins and fiber.
Sweet potatoes are particularly rich in an antioxidant called beta carotene, effective at raising blood levels of vitamin A, particularly in children, as per Healthline.
This root vegetable is native to South and Central America but is grown and consumed all around the world. Nowadays, there are over 400 different types of sweet potatoes.
Below are just some of the health benefits sweet potatoes offer.
Reduce Inflammation
Among the rest, sweet potatoes contain anti-inflammatory properties, especially the varieties with a purple color. The orange ones on the other hand are rich in beta carotene, which the body turns into Vitamin A.
The orange-colored sweet potatoes contain 400% of our Vitamin A daily requirements.
Full of Nutrients
Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, folate, and choline are just some of the nutrients sweet potatoes contain.
Help with Wight Loss
Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for a healthy body. Consuming sweet potatoes can help you with your weight because it contains starch, which the body doesn’t digest. This starch releases peptides that send a message to the brain that our body is full, decreasing the amount of fat stored in it.
Regulate Blood Sugar
This underground tuber is rich in fiber that make the intestines absorb sugar at a slower rate, preventing spikes in blood sugar levels. They also contain adiponectin, a protein produced by fat cells that circulate in the bloodstream, low levels of which are common in people who struggle with metabolizing insulin.
A study shows that “higher levels of this protein were monotonically associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.”
Improve Eye Health
The Vitamin A we get from the beta-carotene of this vegetable help maintain eye health.
Enhance Heart Health
The fiber found in these delicious roots helps lower cholesterol levels. This happens because fiber binds to the bile acids in the gut and causes the liver to use cholesterol to create more bile. Excess cholesterol is then removed from the bloodstream.
Some potential downsides of consuming too much of this sweet vegetable is that it may increase the risks of kidney stones because it’s rich in oxalates.
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