Sweet potatoes are healthy tube-shaped roots from the morning glory family of flowering plants. Sweet potatoes vary in colors and sizes and are high in fibers, multivitamins, essential minerals, and antioxidants.
Sweet potato is a sweet and starchy vegetable. Sweet potatoes fries are also tasty, but frequently eating them may not be healthy as they are rich in fat content.
Health benefits
Sweet potato is a superfood because it is high in minerals and vitamins. Some of the health benefits of sweet potatoes are:
- Sweet potatoes are rich in fibers, vitamin A, C, B3, B5, and B6 that have numerous health benefits like boosting our immune system. These vitamins improve our brain functions.
- Sweet potatoes are high in essential nutrients such as manganese, copper, and potassium. These nutrients are an elixir for our bones.
- Sweet potatoes (mainly the purple and orange varieties) are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radicals in our bodies and decrease the risks associated with aging, heart diseases, and cancer.
- Sweet potatoes contain both soluble and insoluble fibers. Both types of fiber are excellent for our gut health.
- Purple variety of sweet potatoes contains anthocyanin (a group of antioxidants) that reduces the growth of certain types of cancer such as stomach, colon, breast, and bladder cancer. Anthocyanin also protects our eye cells from oxidative damage.
- The orange color of sweet potatoes is due to a large amount of beta-carotene. This beta-carotene gets converted into vitamin A in our body, which is good for our vision.
- Sweet potatoes improve insulin sensitivity and maintain blood sugar levels.
Sweet potatoes contain potassium, so eating them is not suitable for the person who takes beta-blockers. Sweet potatoes naturally inherit a sweet and creamy taste. So one can add them to the diet without any toppings. They are a versatile superfood, as we can consume them in various forms such as baked, roasted, chips, fries, mashed, and soups.