When it comes to healthy eating there is one food that steals the show. It’s so versatile and tasty that having it at least once a day in your meals or snacks can give oodles of benefits. We are talking about sweet potatoes!
This holiday favorite has earned the status of superfood.
In today’s article let’s discuss what happens to your body when you start eating sweet potatoes every day. Does it improve your memory? What about great vision and protection from cancer? We’re discussing all that and more.
Does Your Local Grocery Store Have Purple Sweet Potatoes?
admin | Sweet potatoes are available in a variety of colors. You can buy white, yellow, red, purple, and brown-skinned varieties. You’ll see rich color when you cut them open. The flesh can be yellow, orange, white, or red.
Experts believe that there are almost 400 different varieties around the world. They are native to the northern part of South America. But today they’ve reached almost every part of the world and befriended everyone’s taste buds. Remember to put sweet potatoes on your shopping list next time.
Want To Know Why?
admin | This humble spud is extremely nutrient-dense. The purple and orange varieties are packed with antioxidants which give their typical colour. The darker the variety the higher will be the antioxidants. They help keep the free radicals out of your system.
If you are into gymming and focusing on protein-rich foods then don’t skip sweet potatoes. One cup will give you four grams of protein. But the real kicker is the vitamin content in this root veggie. You can get a whole array of Vitamin C along with copper, potassium, and manganese in just a cup.
Magnesium from this tuber can also promote the relaxation of muscles and help you sleep better. The catch here is to have sweet potatoes with the skin. Peeling it will rob you of these amazing nutrients.
But Do You Crave Potatoes All The Time?
admin | I know they are so tasty that it becomes difficult to resist. But overeating them can be unhealthy.
You can easily swap white potatoes with sweet potatoes. You will get more nutrients plus overeating them will be a little less dangerous. They are super quick to cook. So now you can have all the last-minute meal prep sorted. You can make delicious mashed sweet potatoes, hash browns, chips, fries, and even toast with sweet potatoes.
You’ll find the best variety of any product when these vegetables are in season. You will see sweet potatoes in your grocery store for the entire year. But the best time to get highly nutritious sweet potatoes will befall or early winter. That’s why you will see them on most Thanksgiving menus.
But a word of caution. If you cook them in butter or sugar you will not be getting the benefits you want. So, before you order sweet potato fries, give a thought to the oil used for deep frying. The best way to go about it is to fry sweet potato wedges or match sticks in an air fryer at home.
Sweet Potato Is A Treat Not Only For Your Taste Buds But Also Your Gut. Here’s How It Helps Your Digestive System.
admin | This starchy culinary star has one nutrient that keeps things moving. Soluble fibre adds bulk to your stool and softens it by absorbing water. It also has insoluble fibre that is non-viscous and difficult to digest.
As your gut bacteria feast on both types of fibre, they start the process of fermentation and release short-chain fatty acids. This lubricates the lining of the intestine. In short, when these bacteria are happy your gut will be happy too.
Studies have shown that eating fibre-rich food can help you have regular bowel movements. It will also keep you away from colon cancer. One cup of baked sweet potato will contain 6.6 grams of fibre. So, if you’re having a tough time every morning on the toilet then try some amazing sweet potatoes. They’re great for relieving constipation, diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Sweet Potatoes Also Come Out On Top When You Need Something For Your Brain.
admin | Who doesn’t want to be great with numbers and remembering people or events as you grow old?! Sadly with advancing age, brain function may diminish. Scary diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia can set in early, making life miserable for the suffering person as well as the family.
Certain foods can prolong or even enhance brain function. You may find this interesting; purple sweet potatoes reduce inflammation of the brain. Inflammation is said to be the precursor of Alzheimer’s. These royal-coloured sweet potatoes are so good that they also stop the multiplication of free radicals in your body.
But This Doesn’t Mean You Start Having Sweet Potatoes In Your Old Age Alone. You Have To Start Early.
admin | Have difficulty remembering things?
Sweet potatoes can put an end to your distress. If you feel you are experiencing problems related to memory, just eat more sweet potatoes. A study done on mice found that eating sweet potatoes could improve learning and memory. The researchers fed study animals with sweet potato extract. The anthocyanins impart an antioxidant properly to this vegetable that makes it so important for the brain.
Researchers claim that if you have sweet potatoes along with other fresh veggies and fruits you will get loads of antioxidants to prevent mental decline. You can even have a 13% less chance of getting dementia.
Another Attribute That Pulls Our Attention Is Its Ability To Fight Cancer.
admin | Sweet potato has been a staple of many cuisines for centuries. People have revisited this food and turned it into a fad for all the right reasons. Anthocyanins from sweet potatoes are known to reduce lifestyle-related diseases including cancer. A few test-tube studies found that antioxidants from purple sweet potatoes could kill cancer cells in the stomach, bladder, colon, and breast.
The purple variety offered a high degree of protection against colorectal cancer in mice. It’s not just the purple sweet potatoes that have this magical power. Orange ones also have similar anti-cancer properties. Isn’t this another reason to love sweet potatoes?
If you’re on a weight-loss mission then you should know that 200 grams of baked sweet potato will contain 180 calories and 41 grams of carbs which is almost equal to regular potatoes. They offer complex carbs. When you have to choose between sweet potatoes and white rice, white bread or pasta then definitely sweet potatoes should be your top priority. They bring a whole catalogue of other nutrients and trace minerals that elevate their nutritional profile.
Carbs are the basic source of energy for your body. This is the reason why many developing countries like Africa include this vegetable in the diet of undernourished children.
Another thing that makes them so great is their impact on their vision.
Don’t Want To Wear Spectacles In The Future?
admin | Then say yes to sweet potatoes.
It’s not just carrots that give you great eyesight. There are other foods too. And a remarkable similarity between carrots and sweet potatoes is their typical orange colour. It is because of Beta carotene that these two vegetables look so alike and have the exact same effect on your vision.
Brace yourself as we are about to tell you something mind-blowing. 1 cup of orange sweet potato has 7 times more beta carotene than you require each day. How cool is that?! Your body converts beta carotene into vitamin A. If you have dry eyes, or as doctors say xerophthalmia, then sweet potatoes could be especially important.
The orange-fleshed potatoes can also protect you from night blindness. Looks like the purple and orange varieties are always in competition. Purple ones have been proven to be beneficial to enhance eye health too.
Confused About Picking Up The Right Miracle Cream While You’re Walking Through The Skin Care Aisle?
admin | Chuck those chemical-laden tubes and tubs. You need something natural and much more potent than the buzzy commercial products. Your skin is constantly renewed after every few days. The turnover rate is faster when you are young but as you age the cells die rapidly, slowing down the turnover rate. It can make your skin look old. But the vitamin A and E from sweet potatoes can up new cell growth.
The skin utilizes vitamin A and E from them in the best way possible to nourish it. Vitamin C boosts collagen production and safeguards your skin from fine lines and wrinkles. It can even tackle sun damage. Those flavourful sweet potato pies and decadent stews not only give you plump skin but also rejuvenate your hair.
With This Vegetable, Every Day Will Be A Good Hair Day.
admin | Undernourished and lifeless hair can take away your confidence. Hair prone to breakage is brittle. Sweet potatoes strengthen the hair shaft and nourish the hair follicle. It will not happen overnight but regular consumption can give you denser hair, and prevent hair fall and premature graying. Thanks to the high vitamin A content and them.
Want To Know What Vitamin A Is For?
admin | For boosting your overall immunity! For a strong immune system, there have to be adequate stores of all essential vitamins, especially vitamin A in your body. Studies have shown that if you have low vitamin A you will have reduced immunity. Your body’s capacity to ward off infections and diseases will be lowered and you will fall sick frequently. But there is a simple way to avoid it. Your body absorbs more vitamins when they come from fresh fruits and vegetables. So rather than having vitamin A supplements focus on eating a well-balanced diet consisting of sweet potatoes.
