The benefits of sweet potatoes are many; What distinguishes it is that it is a suitable meal for most groups, including children, the elderly, and the sick, and for everyone who needs a meal that is easy to digest and quick to prepare, and at the same time rich in nutrients.
In addition to its sweet taste of sweet potatoes are one of the most famous sources of vitamin A and are rich in antioxidants that protect against diseases. They also contain a variety of essential vitamins and minerals such as, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6)& thiamine (vitamin B6). B1) & many others.
The benefits of sweet potatoes
It is considered a starchy vegetable and it is grown all over the world and it comes in different sizes and colors, such as: orange, white, and purple. Roasted sweet potatoes are a snack that provides us with energy and boosts our immunity and healthy heart and arteries.
These are its main benefits:
Promote eye health
Sweet potatoes are rich in the antioxidant beta-carotene, which gives potatoes their orange color (generally found in orange-colored vegetables), which is converted into vitamin A in the body and used to form light-detecting receptors inside your eyes.
One cup (200g) of roasted orange sweet potatoes, with the skin on, contains more than twice the amount of beta-carotene an adult needs per day; this means that eye disorders related to vitamin A deficiency can be controlled by eating orange sweet potatoes.
Vitamin A deficiency can cause night blindness or exophthalmia. A long-term deficiency can lead to total blindness. Therefore, eating foods rich in beta-carotene, such as orange sweet potatoes, helps protect eye cells from damage and improve their health.
Resistant to cancer
One of the benefit’s of sweet potatoes is that they play a major role in fighting some types of cancer including prostate cancer & colon cancer. Because it is rich in flavonoids, it also helps protect against lung and oral cancers.
Purple sweet potatoes contain many antioxidants (anthocyanin’s), which help protect against cancer and reduce the risk of certain types of cancers, by slowing down the growth of cancer cells.
The carotenoids in sweet potatoes are also very beneficial, as they help prevent prostate cancer in males and ovarian cancer in premenopausal women.
It reduces the risk of cardiovascular health
One of the benefits of sweet potatoes is that it is suitable for those who suffer from high blood pressure. One medium-sized grain contains 542 mg of potassium and about 6% of magnesium both of which are essential for fighting high blood pressure and reducing cardiovascular disease.
It is known that potassium helps maintain normal levels of blood pressure and works to reduce them if they are high by getting rid of excess sodium in the body which often causes high blood pressure.
Studies indicate that the fiber and antioxidants present in potatoes help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease & the high level of anthocyanin’s in purple sweet potatoes helps reduce coronary artery disease.
It enhances brain functions
One of the benefits of sweet potatoes is that they help boost brain function. One 2018 animal study found that anthocyanin’s can help protect the brain by reducing inflammation and preventing free radical damage.
Another recently published study found that supplementing with anthocyanin-rich sweet potato improved spatial working memory in rats, due to its antioxidant properties.
There have been no human studies to test these effects but generally speaking, diets high in fruits, vegetables & antioxidants are linked to a 13% lower risk of mental illness decline and dementia.
Important for gut health
Beta-carotene, which gives sweet potatoes their orange color and turns into vitamin A in the body is essential for supporting a healthy immune system. It is essential for maintaining healthy mucous membranes, especially in the lining of the intestines.
In a review published by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) vitamin A deficiency has been shown to increase intestinal inflammation & reduce the immune systems ability to properly respond to potential risk’s.
There are two types of fiber in sweet potatoes: soluble and insoluble. Our body cannot digest either type. Therefore, fiber remains within the digestive tract and provides a variety of gut-related health benefits.
Certain types of soluble fiber known as viscous fiber absorb water & soften stools. On the other hand, non-viscous, insoluble fiber does not absorb water, and pumps up large amounts of it.
High-fiber diets, containing 20 to 33 grams of fiber per day, have been linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer and increased bowel movement regularity. The antioxidants in purple sweet potatoes also promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria.
Helps manage diabetes
They are naturally rich in sugar and starch, however one of the benefit’s of sweet potatoes is that they have a low glycemic index & their low glycemic index means that potatoes release sugar slowly into the bloodstream, unlike other starchy foods.
This stationary phase, of the blood sugar mixing process, helps control the rise in blood sugar; At the same time, it protects diabetics from having a sharp drop in blood sugar, or from cell resistance to insulin.
One of the benefits of sweet potatoes for type 2 diabetics is that they contain a large percentage of fiber which improves blood sugar & insulin levels. There are 6 grams of fiber in one medium sweet potato with the skin on
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