Have you ever tried sweet potatoes? This type of potato is a bit different in taste than the regular potato, and the flesh can be yellow-orange or white. There’s even a Japanese variety with purple flesh.
What’s more, it’s much healthier than the regular one, being high in vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber, and low in calories. Also, it contains some potassium, calcium, and iron.
But, is it good for glucose levels?
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of slow-digesting carbs – the type of carbs recommended for diabetics in order to stay healthy, but are frozen sweet potato fries healthy? Also, they have a low glycemic index, making them ideal for blood sugar control.
Here are 15 more reasons why everyone should include this food in their diet.
Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
1. Aid Digestion
The high levels of fiber in sweet potatoes can help improve digestion and prevent constipation.
2. Insulin Resistance
The natural sugar in this food could help control blood glucose levels and insulin resistance in people with diabetes.
3. Heart Health
The high levels of potassium in this potato help balance electrolytes and blood pressure levels. This, in turn, reduces the risk of heart disease. What’s more, it could help regulate the heart rate and heartbeat.
4. Prevent Emphysema
Carotenoids and vitamin A in sweet potatoes support the regeneration of the respiratory system. This is especially beneficial for smokers as it helps them avoid emphysema (over-inflation of the air sacs in the lungs.)
5. Boost Immunity
The vitamin D in sweet potatoes boosts the immune system, teeth, bones, skin, heart health, and thyroid health. All of this is important for a person who’s prone to many health complications.
6. Help Fight Stress
The high magnesium and potassium content could help control the body’s water balance and reaction to stress. Moreover, it supports the oxygen flow in the body and regulates the heartbeat.
7. Healthy Muscles and Tissues
Sweet potato’s nutrients could help reduce cramps and swelling, thus relaxing the muscles and boosting their energy.
8. Support Fetal Development
The folic acid it contains supports the fetus’s cell development, preventing fetal tissue damage.
9. Antioxidant Boost
Sweet potatoes are abundant in antioxidants which help fight arthritis, asthma, gout, aging signs, etc.
10. Prevent Common Cold and Flu
Thanks to their high vitamin C content, sweet potatoes could help fight the common cold, and flu, as well as a persistent cough.
11. Improve Skin
We can use the water where sweet potatoes have boiled to clean our faces and relieve skin inflammation. This water contains anthocyanins which provide amazing skin benefits. So, use a cotton ball and apply some of the water to your face.
12. Fight Anemia
Being rich in iron, they boost the production of red and white blood cells, thus treating anemia.
13. Relieve PMS Symptoms
The high levels of magnesium and iron found in this food could help relieve premenstrual discomfort.
14. Boost of Minerals
Eating sweet potatoes may boost our levels of important minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, and manganese, as well as nutrients like protein and slow-digestive carbohydrates.
15. Improve Hair Quality
These delicious potatoes contain beta-carotene which helps maintain our hair strong and healthy.
We hope these are enough reasons for you to start eating more sweet potatoes.
