When it comes to healthy snacking, sweet potatoes are often savored by the people at large. They are sweet, starchy, and loaded with many nutrients. Sweet potatoes have various sizes and colors – orange, white, and purple – all of which are a treat to your tongue.
What are the Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes?
This vegetable has many health benefits. Keep reading this article, and we are sure you would love to add them to your diet by the end of it.
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No More Vitamin A Deficiency
The deficiency of Vitamin A is a serious issue. It can lead to decreased resistance to infectious disease, increased infectious morbidity, dry eyes, cough, cold, and others. Sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin A, thus helping your body fight infections and boosting your immunity.
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Say Goodbye to Stress
You can add delectable sweet potatoes to your diet and say goodbye to stress. According to many studies, they include magnesium, an essential mineral that aids the normal functioning of your body. Magnesium also protects your brain from depression and anxiety. Thus, next time you feel depressed, have a bite of sweet potatoes.
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Treat Arthritis Naturally
Sweet potatoes are highly beneficial against inflammation. They can also fight the symptoms of arthritis-like pain, inflammation, swelling, and others. The presence of beta-carotene in this vegetable neutralizes free radicles produced at the site of inflammation. So, why pop painkillers when you can treat arthritis naturally with sweet potatoes?
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Anti-Cancer Properties
One of the superior advantages of eating sweet potatoes is that they have anti-cancer properties. They are filled with a protein known as Sporamin. Many studies have claimed that this protein may prevent the development of cancerous cells in your body.
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Improved Digestion
Sweet potatoes are rich in magnesium and dietary fiber, and both these properties make them an excellent facilitator of digestion. The presence of starch in sweet potatoes makes it easy to digest and has a soothing effect on your stomach and intestine.
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Reduced Inflammation
The high concentration of beta-carotene, magnesium, and Vitamin C present in sweet potatoes reduces internal and external inflammation. This property is common in both sweet potatoes and regular potatoes.
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High in Antioxidants
Sweet potatoes are high in antioxidants. They are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Orange-colored sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which is a powerful antioxidant. Regular consumption of sweet potatoes flushes out all the toxins from your body.
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Aids Weight Loss
If you are trying your best to lose extra pounds from your body, but in vain – eating sweet potatoes may give you a sigh of relief. Sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber. It means that their consumption will keep you full for a long time, thus reducing your food cravings. You can pair up the consumption of sweet potatoes with other dietary food and exercise, and you will notice changes within a few weeks.
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Regulates Blood Sugar
Many studies have established that the consumption of sweet potatoes reduces elevated blood sugar. You can add it to your daily diet without worrying about your sugar levels.
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Improved Brain Function
Another benefit of adding sweet potatoes to your daily diet is that it improves your overall brain function and prevents aging. The vegetable extracts avoid oxidative damage in your brain and aid in improved memory and enhanced cognitive functions. Regular consumption of sweet potatoes in any form keeps Alzheimer’s at bay.
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Helps with Dehydration
The water content in sweet potatoes is high, thus aiding a dehydrated body. The roughage of fiber in this vegetable helps retain water in the body and keeps you hydrated. If you suffer from dehydration now and then, eating sweet potatoes will help you fight this problem.
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Improved Hair and Skin
Sweet potatoes are a nutritious vegetable. They are rich in the nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. According to many studies, the supplementation of Vitamin E in your daily diet helps fight hair loss. It is because this nutrient is rich in antioxidants. On the other hand, the content of Vitamin C in this vegetable keeps your skin healthy and fights against signs of aging, pigmentation, and other issues. Vitamin C also neutralizes the oxidative stress caused as a result of exposure to UV light.
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Improved Fertility
Not many people know this, but eating sweet potatoes may improve fertility in women. The high doses of vitamin A present in this vegetable makes it ideal for women to enhance their fertility.
How to Add Sweet Potatoes to Your Diet?
Now that you are aware of the many advantages of sweet potatoes, you must add them to your daily diet to stay fit and healthy. Here are the different ways to consume this vegetable:
- You can dice peeled and cooked sweet potatoes and drizzle them with maple syrup or honey. It also makes a quick side dish and a healthy and delicious dessert for sweet lovers.
- If you are a connoisseur of sandwiches, adding sweet potatoes to your daily meals is a good idea. Just cut thin slices of cooked sweet potatoes and put in inside the bread.
- You can add sweet potatoes to your breakfast and cook sweet potato pancakes. Top it with any topping of your choice.
- Replacing regular spuds with sweet potatoes in your salad is another good idea to add to your diet.
- Grilling sweet potatoes until lightly browned is another delicious way of eating them. You can drizzle some lime juice to make it even tastier.
- Treat your little ones with sweet potato fries. All you need to do is cut them into slices, coat them in olive oil and bake them.
- If you are too lazy to try the above-listed recipes, simply peeling your sweet potatoes and mashing them is a good idea to add them to your diet.
The next time you hear someone talking about sweet potatoes, do not forget to share these health benefits. For more on beauty, health, fitness, and lifestyle, keep in touch.