Food: Nutritional Benefits of Sweet Potatoes – Davie County Business Records

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SAlthough wet potatoes are enjoyed year-round, their popularity can peak in the fall and winter when they become an important part of holiday meals. Sweet potatoes were cultivated in Central and South America at least 5,000 years ago. These were eventually introduced to Europeans by explorers like Christopher his Columbus, and soon these bright orange delights became a staple food around the world.

According to WebMD, sweet potato is not a potato, but a sweet root of the morning glory family. There are hundreds of varieties of sweet potatoes. The most common ones have bright orange flesh, but there are also varieties with yellow, red, and purple flesh.

There are many reasons to enjoy sweet potatoes on a regular basis. According to Healthline, sweet potatoes have many nutritional benefits and are worth adding to any diet.

• Low in calories: A 1-cup serving of sweet potatoes has about 180 calories, little fat content, 41 grams of carbohydrates, and 6.6 grams of dietary fiber.

• Helps stabilize blood sugar levels: Sweet potatoes have more fiber than white potatoes, which can help stabilize blood sugar levels more, says Everyday Health. The fiber in sweet potatoes helps slow down the digestion of sugar from food, resulting in a steady rise and fall of blood sugar levels.

• Packed with vitamin A per serving: Sweet potatoes contain 213 percent of your daily vitamin A intake. Vitamin A is important for eye health and can boost your immune system. It is also effective for organs such as the heart and kidneys. The vitamin A found in potatoes reduces the risk of macular degeneration and age-related cataracts.

• Beta-carotene connection: Sweet potatoes are also rich in beta-carotene, a carotenoid that converts to vitamin A. Beta-carotene, like other carotenoids, may aid macular health and sharpen vision.

• Promotes gut health: The fiber and antioxidants found in sweet potatoes are important for digestion. Sweet potatoes contain soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps move stool. According to Healthline, this fiber can also be fermented by digestive bacteria, creating a healthy digestive biome that keeps your gut healthy.

• May reduce inflammation. Consuming the beta-carotene found in sweet potatoes doesn’t just improve your eyesight. Some researchers believe that this antioxidant can remove free radicals from the body that can cause inflammation in the body. Some studies have shown that low levels of beta-carotene increase the risk of heart disease.