Superfood - Sweet Potato

Healthy Facts about Sweet Potatoes

1. Sweet Potatoes Are Highly Nutritious
   Sweet potatoes contain vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, fiber, B vitamins, potassium and even iron. In fact, Whole Foods considers sweet potatoes one of the healthiest vegetables we eat. A medium sized sweet potato contains more than your daily requirement of vitamin A, nearly a third the vitamin C you need, almost 15 percent of your daily dietary fiber intake and 10 percent of the necessary potassium. Sweet potatoes may even protect cigarette smokers and those who live with them from emphysema by virtue of its vitamin A, as cigarette smoke creates a deficiency of this vitamin. This deficiency may be one of the causes of emphysema. Quitting smoking would be best, but eating plenty of sweet potatoes while you work on it may save your life.


2. Healthy Antioxidants Abound in Sweet Potatoes
   Antioxidants abound in sweet potatoes, which also have anti-inflammatory properties. The beta-carotene and vitamin C in these tubers work together to rid the body of cancer-friendly free radicals. Free radicals are necessary for some biological functions, including vascular tone control. However, free radicals can also cause damage in reactions with DNA, and antioxidants work to lessen and then repair damage caused by these free radical exchanges. Vitamins A and C are also anti-inflammatory, making sweet potatoes an excellent food for those suffering from either form of arthritis or asthma.


3. Take Advantage of a Low Glycemic Index
   Diabetics can eat sweet potatoes without worry as these tubers have a low glycemic index. The glycemic index of a food reflects the food's effects on a person's blood glucose level. Fast glucose absorption, a rise in blood sugar and its resulting dive happens with high-glycemic foods and is not desirable. It's better for the body to slowly absorb any gluclose, sustain a moderate rise in sugar levels and experience a gradual return to the regular level. Since white potatoes, rice and flour have a high glycemic rating, diabetics will benefit from eating sweet potatoes instead.