These Incredible Benefits Of Sweet Potatoes Will Surprise You

Dec 11, 2018

Human beings, over thousands of years, have cultivated plants on a trial and error basis. One crop that passed the test with flying colors is Ipomoea batatas, better known as the sweet potato.

A staple in South America and other tropical locations like the Philippines, this edible is grown from the plant group/family known as Dicotyledon Convolvulaceae. In places like North America, the common name "sweet potato" is sometimes applied to the yam, a biologically distinct species altogether.

Delectable and inexpensive, the sweet potato packs a powerful nutritional punch, nourishing both the body and the mind.

The potato is the tuberous part of the plant, i.e. the underground section of stem that feeds the plantlet that emerges from the soil. Round and flat--almost heart-shaped--the leaves and stem spread along the ground rather than stand upright. Meanwhile, the tuber forms in a range of colors, from purple to white and many hues in between.

This variety reflects differing soil textures, minerals present and the location's climate. Most often, the pulp of the sweet potato is of a white to a yellow shade. This slightly sweet foodstuff is especially popular with rural Filipinos, who call it kamote.

This starchy vegetable does, in fact, contain large amounts of fiber. This property assists the body in expelling waste that amasses in the colon. The generous magnesium in the sweet potato aids you in like manner. Beyond fiber's role in better bowel health, it also helps to regulate blood sugar and cholesterol.

Beta-carotene is an antioxidant with many benefits: reduction of joint pain, better eyesight, prevention of certain forms of cancer and fostering of the immune system. Receiving this nutrient in a rich food source is considered safer, in many quarters, than using beta-carotene supplements.

Vitamin D is long respected for its positive effects on teeth and bones. Likewise, vitamin C has an equally long history as an infection repellent. In addition to preserving good vision, vitamin A helps to suppress disorders of the respiratory tract, such as colds and flu.

If the Harvard School of Public Health is to be believed--and it is--B6 can effectively degrade homocysteine presence in the cardiovascular system. In so doing, it keeps blood vessels and arteries supple and robust. In fact, B6 is credited with helping to prevent strokes, cardiovascular disease and heart failure, according to a study published by the American Heart Association. Moreover, the potassium in sweet potatoes wards off heart attacks by balancing fluid levels.

Those who suffer from anemia are experiencing a low count of red blood cells. Without them, i.e. without the hemoglobin protein they carry, oxygen can not move from the lungs to the other tissue in the body efficiently. This is anemia, with all the fatigue, diziness and shortness of breath that accompanies it: bad for anyone, worse for pregnant women. Iron is the element that augments the generation of red blood cells. Sweet potatoes are iron-rich flora that can stave off anemia.

Speaking of red blood cells and developing children, the folic acid in sweet potatoes is good for growing fetuses. It builds up the neural tube that attaches to the brain and spinal cord, preventing the onset of spina bifida and anencephaly, for example.

The vitamins and minerals in sweet potatoes can also be very beneficial for your skin and hair. After adding sweet potatoes into your daily diet, expect to see your hair and skin glowing like never before! You can also use the water from boiled sweet potatoes as a toner for your skin, but test it on a small area first, just to be sure your skin doesn't have a negative reaction.

Clearly, sweet potatoes are hearty and vigorous nutritional options. Prepared in a wide variety of ways, these vegetables are strong medicine that promote wellness and vitality. People ina all conditions are well advised to add them to their regular diets.

Are you going to start eating more sweet potatoes after reading this? Let us know in the comments and pass this along to a friend who loves sweet potatoes!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!