Why Sweet Potatoes Deserve a Spot in Your Diet

In addition to being delicious and popular, It is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Not to mention, they provide many health benefits and are easy to add to your diet.

In this article, you will see what its properties and benefits are and the best ways to cook it.

What is sweet potato?

The sweet potato or sweet potato, native to Peru, belongs to the class Convólvulos or Ipomea. It was discovered around 750 BC. C for Christopher Columbus.

There are at least 400 varieties of sweet potatoes, which vary in the color of their skin and pulp, from cream, yellow, and orange tones to pink and even purple.

To highlight: Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. 200 grams (about one cup) of baked sweet potato provides numerous nutritional values, such as vitamin A, vitamin B6 and potassium, among others.

Beta-carotenes give sweet potatoes their characteristic orange color. And its properties help to improve health significantly, as you will see below.

8 health benefits of sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes have numerous health benefits, especially the orange and purple varieties, since they are richer in antioxidants that protect the body from free radicals.

Note: Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage DNA and trigger inflammation. Free radicals are associated with serious diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart disease and aging.

Therefore, Eating a diet rich in foods rich in antioxidants is good for your health and to avoid all kinds of diseases.

1. Strengthens intestinal health and helps in digestion

Being rich in fiber, the sweet potato adds volume to the diet and helps maintain the regularity of bowel movements.

To highlight: People who eat a high-fiber diet have much lower rates of constipation than those who eat a low-fiber diet. Additionally, a diet rich in fiber is related to having fewer hemorrhoids and diverticula in the colon.

However, Too much fiber can cause loose stools, bloating, or even diarrhea. That’s why It is important to find a good balance.

2. Regulates blood sugar

Not all potatoes are the same, some are beneficial for those suffering from type 2 diabetes.

Sweet Potato Helps Keep Your Blood Sugar Levels Under Control it is rich in fiber, as well as contains a variety of vitamins and beneficial minerals to control blood sugar such as niacin and potassium.

Important: It is recommended to consume half a plate of non-starchy vegetables per meal and a quarter of a plate of high-fiber starchy vegetables, such as sweet potatoes with skin, to increase daily fiber intake.

Something that must also be taken into account is cooking. When boiled, sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index.

3. They fight cardiovascular diseases

Eating sweet potatoes helps promote cardiovascular health, thanks to their high levels of potassium.

Note: He potassium It helps us excrete more sodium, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart disease according to the American Heart Association.

The Institute of Medicine suggests that adults consume 4,700 milligrams of potassium per day (1).

4. Reduces risk of colon cancer

In a study, published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, The role of sweet potatoes in preventing colon cancer was examined. The authors of the study conducted two experiments where they compared the anti-cancer effects of three varieties of sweet potato.\

They injected a group of mice with a known carcinogen and then placed them in different groups to receive different diets.

After six weeks, they noticed changes in the colon that could lead to cancer. It turns out that mice that ate a diet rich in purple sweet potatoes seemed to interrupt the normal growth cycle of cancer cells. (2).

5. Improves brain function

Eating purple sweet potatoes can improve brain function. Studies have found that the anthocyanins present in purple sweet potatoes protect the brain from inflammation and prevent free radical damage. (3).

6. Helps strengthen the immune system

The sweet potato helps strengthen the immune system, as studies indicate. Sweet potatoes are excellent for the immune system because they are rich in antioxidants and vitamin A (4).

Vitamin A helps maintain healthy skin, which promotes the fight against infections, strengthening the immune system.

7. Take care of your skin

Sweet potatoes have vitamin C and vitamin E, crucial for maintaining the elasticity of the skin and making it healthier and brighter.

The high levels of beta-carotene make sweet potatoes a great ally to combat free radicals that cause skin aging.

8. Help with vision problems

As with the skin, the vitamins and antioxidants present in sweet potatoes also help improve eyesight. Our body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, the best vitamin for the eyes par excellence since it helps prevent dry eyes and night blindness.

Furthermore, according to several studies, Vitamin A may also help reduce the risk of eye infections.

Important: We have good news, if you don’t like sweet potatoes, try other foods rich in beta-carotene. How to find them? Easy: all bright orange vegetables, such as carrots and squash.

Additionally, bright green foods, such as spinach and broccoli are rich in vitamin A. Finally, Beta-carotene and vitamin A are better absorbed when consumed along with some healthy fats like olive oil.

Sweet Potato Properties

Below we explore a little about the properties of the sweet potato since there are many benefits of the numerous micronutrients present in the sweet potato:

Nutritional values ​​(every 200 grams):

Micronutrients (percentages in daily values):

• Vitamin A: 769%
• Vitamin C: 65%
• Manganese: 50%
• Vitamin B6: 29%
• Potassium: 27%
• Pantothenic acid: 18%
• Copper: 16%
• Niacin: 15%

It would be interesting to briefly explain what each of its micronutrients is for, so below we will see a brief description of each micronutrient.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin naturally present in many foods, such as sweet potatoes.

This vitamin It is important, especially for vision, to strengthen the immune system and reproduction.

It also helps the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs function properly.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C has become the supplement to prevent colds, par excellence. This vitamin helps protect cells from oxidation and keeps them healthy.

Therefore, Helps maintain healthy skin, blood vessels, bones, teeth, and cartilage. And as if that were not enough, it also promotes wound healing.

Manganese

Manganese is a trace element, meaning it is an essential element for the human body, but we only need it in small quantities.

Note: Manganese contributes to numerous bodily functions, such as regulating metabolism, cholesterol, and blood glucose. It also plays an important role in bone formation, blood clotting, and reducing inflammation.

Vitamin B6

Also known as pyridoxine, it is a water-soluble vitamin that The body needs to carry out various functions, such as metabolizing proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, as well as for the creation of red blood cells.

Important: The human body cannot produce vitamin B6 on its own, so it must be obtained from foods or supplements, such as sweet potatoes.

Potassium

Potassium is one of the most important minerals for our body. Helps regulate fluid balance, so it helps us fight inflammation.

Besides, helps regulate muscle contractions and nervous system signals, That’s why it helps prevent cramps.

To highlight: A diet rich in potassium can help lower blood pressure and prevent strokes, osteoporosis and kidney stones.

pantothenic acid

Also known as vitamin B5, it is a water-soluble vitamin essential for life. Helps in the synthesis of fatty acids, Which is why it is effective in reducing cholesterol.

Copper

Copper is an essential trace element necessary for survival.

It is present in all tissues of the human body and It plays a primary role in the production of red blood cells, the maintenance of nerve cells, and the immune system.

Additionally, as if that were not enough, it helps form collagen and absorb iron.

Niacin

Niacin is a B vitamin essential for the proper functioning of the metabolism. Niacin contributes to the health of the heart and nervous system.

How to prepare sweet potato

There are many ways to prepare sweet potatoes, it depends on what you are looking to cook. You can boil it to make puree or sweet potato gnocchi with the puree, you can bake it to make healthy “fries”, and you can also steam them to preserve their properties.

To highlight: If you’re in a hurry, you can cook it quickly in the microwave. Simply prick it with a fork, drizzle with a little olive or coconut oil, and microwave for 3 to 5 minutes (depending on power).

Compared to roasted or baked sweet potatoes, Boiled sweet potato has been shown to have a more favorable impact on blood sugar regulation and results in a lower glycemic index value than baked.

Note: Several studies have shown better absorption of the beta-carotene present in sweet potatoes when they contain fat, so sautéing or baking them with olive oil is a good way to cook them.

Whatever way you choose to cook it, without a doubt, Adding this tuber to your diet will be beneficial for your health and that of your family. As we have seen in this last section of the article, there are various ways to cook it and make a delicious dish.

Beyond consuming it like a regular potato, whether in mashed or baked form, there are other ways to include it in your diet: You can use it as a filling for a cake, empanada, or even stuffed pasta, You can make a sweet potato soup, in a stew, in the form of a sauce, and you can even use the puree to make a dough.

It is such a noble and diverse food that it can be adapted to many styles of meals!

Key takeaways

• Sweet potato is a tuber that comes in a wide variety of sizes and colors, including orange, white and purple. There are at least 400 varieties of sweet potatoes, which vary in the color of their skin and pulp, from cream, yellow and orange tones to pink and even purple.
• Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. 200 grams provide numerous nutritional values, such as vitamin A, vitamin B6 and potassium, among others.
• Among the benefits of sweet potatoes, we find that they reduce the risk of colon cancer, regulate blood sugar levels, take care of the skin, help strengthen the immune system, improve brain function, strengthen intestinal health and help with digestion. inter alia.
• Sweet potato is a nutritious food, rich in carbohydrates and fiber but has a low glycemic index. It also has vitamins such as vitamin A, B6 and C; and minerals such as potassium, copper, niacin and manganese. It is also rich in pantothenic acid.
• You can prepare sweet potato in different ways, you can boil it to make puree or sweet potato gnocchi with the puree, you can bake it to make healthy “fries”, and you can also steam them to preserve their properties. Another way, if you are in a hurry, you can cook it in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes.