Health Benefits of the Sweet Potato

Sweet Potatoes - Health Benefits and Nutritional Value

Health Benefits of the Sweet Potato

Potatoes kind of tend to get a bad rap. They aren’t considered to be all that healthy and then we make them worse by deep frying them. But a potato which is gaining more popularity these days is the sweet potato. And the reason it has been gaining popularity is because of how healthy it is. So you get all of the great potato stuff without all of the bad potato stuff added in. 

On top of it all, some would argue that sweet potato tastes better than the russet potatoes which are normally the more popular potato. So something that once only used to grace the Thanksgiving table is now becoming an everyday vegetable that people are just loving.

Health Benefits of the Sweet Potato

* They contain vitamin B6. This important vitamin is great at reducing chemicals in our body which have been linked to causing heart attacks. 

* They contain high amounts of vitamin C. Of course you are aware that vitamin C is great for the common cold, but it does so much more. It helps with digestions, bone and tooth formation, blood cell reformation, and even helps in healing wounds. It also plays an important role in the production of collagen, which is what helps the skin keep its youthful elasticity. So in essence sweet potatoes keep you young.

* It’s a good source of vitamin D. This is a vitamin that for the most part is best gotten from the sun. So in the winter months many people suffer from a vitamin D deficiency because they don’t have that exposure to the sun. Vitamin D is important for our energy level, mood, and to keep our bones, heart, nerves, skin, and teeth healthy and strong.

* Sweet potatoes have iron in them. This is important for keeping your energy up and keeping your blood healthy. Iron also helps metabolize protein.

* Need to de-stress? Well, with such high magnesium amounts in sweet potatoes, that’s just what this vegetable can do for you. For health arteries, bones, blood, heart, muscles, and nerve function we need magnesium.

* They contain potassium. Potassium helps regulate the blood pressure. It’s great for the heart and the kidneys because it reduces swelling while relaxing the muscles.

* They contain natural sugars. This is part of their taste appeal and of course why they are called sweet. But because they are naturally sweet the natural sugars are slowly released into the blood stream, giving you much more sustained energy throughout the day.

* The orange color means they have beta carotene which is good for the eyes. Also those beta carotenes help fight off cancer while also making us appear younger.

Sweet potatoes are a great addition to any diet with so many key vitamins and minerals. They are full of things which will keep you not only looking young, but also feeling young by boosting your energy. And because of their natural sweetness they make a great addition to many foods making them great to cook with. 

Make a sweet potato puree or add them to stews and soups. Steam them, bake them, grill them, add them to the top of leafy greens and make a salad. You’ll be happy you did because not only does the sweet potato taste great, but it’s healthy for you too.