Health Benefits of Sweet Potato

Health Benefits of Sweet Potato

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is best suited for southern gardens due to the need for a long, frost free growing season. Sweet potatoes belong to Convolvulaceae, the morning glory family. The sweet potato flower is very similar to ornamental morning glories-funnel-shaped and about the same color and size.

The sweet potato evolved in tropical America and ranked second only to the Irish potato as an important vegetable until World War II. The nutritive value of the sweet potato is high. It is a good source of sugars, carbohydrates,calcium, iron, and other minerals and vitamins, particularly A and C.

Nutritive Values : Per 100 gm.

• Vitamin A : 7,700 I.U.
• Vitamin B : Thiamine .09 mg.;
• Riboflavin : .05 mg.
• Niacin : .6 mg.
• Vitamin C : 22 mg.
• Calcium : 30 mg.
• Iron : .7 mg.
• Phosphorus : 49 mg. 
• Potassium : 300 mg.
• Fat : .7 gm.
• Carbohydrates : 27.9 gm.
• Protein : 1.8 gm.
• Calories : 123

Health Benefits of Sweet Potato
1. Sweet potato is rich in Vitamin A (betacarotene) and Vitamin C. Both Vitamins A and C are powerful antioxidants that work in the body to remove free radicals, this free radicals are chemicals that damage cells.
2. Sweet potato is good for stomach ulcers and inflamed conditions of the colon.
3. It is beneficial for low blood pressure.
4. May be helpful for hemorrhoid because of its high fiber content.
5. Sweet potato is a good food for people involved in heavy muscular work, since this food is high in vitamins and minerals.
6. Sweet potato may help prevent cancer in glands and organs with epithelial tissue due to its high Vitamin A content.
7. Sweet potato is a good food for diabetics, because it helped stabilize blood sugar levels.

13 Huge health benefits of sweet potatoes

13 Huge health benefits of sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes, also commonly labeled as yams, are an excellent and inexpensive staple to have on hand. These deep orange-fleshed nutritional powerhouses add several important components to the diet. Their health and weight management benefits far exceed the nutritional value found in ordinary white and yellow fleshed potatoes. How sweet it is for your health to eat sweet potatoes! Not only do they taste like dessert, but they provide some surprising health benefits. Many people think about sweet potatoes as being nothing more than plain old potatoes that can tweak our taste buds with some extra flavor. Yet cutting-edge research on sweet potatoes tells us that nothing could be further from the truth as they have so many unique nutritional benefits to offer!

The sweet potato is one of the most nutritious foods in the world.

1. Anti-Inflammatory
Sweet potato has anti-inflammatory properties thanks to the vitamin C, vitamin B6, beta-carotene, and manganese it contains. They are just as effective in curing both internal and external inflammations. Lowered inflammation has been shown in brain tissue and nerve tissue throughout the body following the consumption of sweet potato.

2. Arthritis
Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, which has been found to help in the prevention of chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Studies have found that those who ate foods rich in beta-cryptoxanthin were 50% less likely to develop inflammatory arthritis than those who ate very of those foods. Just one serving per day of foods containing beta-cryptoxanthin, such as sweet potatoes, provided significant benefit.

3. Sweet potatoes are used as estrogen replacement therapy, as well as for managing menstrual problems and osteoporosis. Other uses include reducing diverticulitis, which is an ailment of the intestines; gallbladder complaints; and arthritis

4. Blood Sugar 
The carotenoids in sweet potato can help your body respond to insulin and stabilize your blood sugar. Sweet potatoes also have a significant amount of Vitamin B6, helping resistance to diabetic heart disease. Their high content of soluble fiber aids in lowering both blood sugar and cholesterol, and their abundance of chlorogenic acid may help decrease insulin resistance.

5. Stomach Ulcers
Sweet potato is soothing for the stomach. The B vitamins, vitamin C, potassium, beta-carotene, and calcium they contain help in the healing of stomach ulcers. The fiber in sweet potatoes helps prevent constipation and acidity, consequently reducing the possibility of ulcers. The anti-inflammatory properties of sweet potatoes also soothe the pain and inflammation of ulcers.

6. Digestive Tract
Sweet potatoes are a good source of dietary fiber, helping to promote a healthy digestive system. Research has found that they may also help to cleanse heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury from the digestive tract.

7. Superior fiber content
Sweet potatoes contain almost twice as much fiber as other types of potatoes. Contributing close to 7 grams of fiber per serving, they make an excellent starchy addition to any meal. The high fiber content gives them a"slow burning" quality. This basically means their caloric energy is used more slowly and efficiently than a low-fiber carbohydrate.

8. Heart-healthy
They contain a large amount of vitamin B6. This vitaminis crucial in breaking down a substance called homocysteine, which contributes to hardening of the arteries and blood vessels. Vitamin B6 helps keep the walls of these important blood passageways flexible and healthy which allows blood to flow freely.

9. In addition, sweet potatoes contain high amounts of potassium. Potassium plays an important role in lowering blood pressure by ridding the body of excess sodium and regulating fluid balance. It is also an important electrolyte that helps regulate the natural rhythm of the heart, and maintains normal function of the brain and central nervous system.

10. Beta-carotene also helps to internally protect your skin from sun damage by both deflecting and repairing cell damage caused by excessive UV exposure. It also is an excellent nutrient for eye health and has been linked to prevention of vision loss and macular degeneration.

11. Treatment of Anemia
It also is a cofactor in enzymes that play an importantrole in the generation of energy as well as the efficient utilization of antioxidants. It is used for the treatment of anemia and is useful as a treatment for several premenstrual symptoms in women as well.

12. Rich in vitamins C and E
As if being one of the top vegetable sources of beta-carotene weren't enough, sweet potatoes are also rich in vitamins C and E. These are potent antioxidant vitaminsthat play an important role in disease prevention and longevity.

13. Both vitamins also play a huge role in the health and beauty of your skin and hair, making them popular supplements. The combination of beta-carotene, vitamin E and vitamin C in one food makes the sweet potato one heck of a "beauty food". These nutrients all contribute to a healthy, glowing complexion and vibrant hair.