Health Benefits Of Sweet Potato, Nutritional Benefits Of Sweet Potato

Top 5 Health Benefits Of Sweet Potato

About Sweet Potato :-

Believed to be one of the oldest vegetables known to mankind, the sweet potato was domesticated 1000 decades ago in Central America. Its history dates back to 750 BC in Peruvian records, from where it spread to the Caribbean and South America. It was discovered by Christopher Columbus and his shipmates on their second voyage to the New World in 1492. Sweet potatoes were found on the island of Saint Thomas. Later, this vegetable got introduced to the European shores. In the 16th century, Spanish explorers took sweet potatoes to the Philippines while the Portuguese introduced them to Africa, India, Indonesia and southern Asia. The south of the United States was introduced to this delicious root around the same time and it is now considered a staple food there. Today, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, India and Uganda are the major cultivators of sweet potatoes.

Nutritional Benefits Of Sweet Potato
Sweet potato has moderate number of calories, about 90 calories/100 gms. The calories are mainly from starch. It has a higher content of amylose, (rather than amylopectin, which is predominant in potatoes) and therefore raises blood sugar levels SLOWLY.

Sweet potato is free of cholesterol and saturated fats and is ca good source of dietary fiber.

It is an excellent source of Vitamin A and beta carotene, heading the list of root vegetables having excellent levels of this vitamin.

Sweet potato is also rich in the Bcomplex vitamins like pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, thiamine, niacin and riboflavin, and folates.

It contains good levels of the minerals potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese with moderate amounts of calcium and zinc.

Sweet potato leaves are richer in iron, floates, vitamins C & K and potassium than the tuberous root on a weight to weight basis and are lower in sodium.

Health Benefits Of Sweet Potato

1.Sweet potatoes are heart healthy since the high amounts of vitamin B6 they contain break down the homocysteine that is responsible for hardening of the arteries and blood vessels. Vitamin B6 helps in keeping them soft and supple

2.Sweet potatoes are regarded as one of the healthiest foods to eat due to the presence of vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, fiber, B vitamins, potassium and iron. One of the major benefits of this root vegetable is that it protects cigarette smokers from emphysema. This reason behind this is that smoking leads to a deficiency of vitamin A, which is provided when consuming sweet potatoes.

3.Sweet potato is effective in reducing congestion of the nose, bronchii and lungs thus giving relief in asthma and bronchitis.

4.Sweet potato protects the skin from the damaging ultra violet rays and also repair the cell damage caused by them. All this is possible due to the excellent levels of beta carotene/vitamin A. Beta carotene also protects the eyes from macular degeneration and vision loss.

5.Enriched with potassium, sweet potatoes help in preventing heart attacks and strokes. By maintaining fluid and electrolytic balance of body cells, this nutritious root promotes regular functioning of the heart. Deficiency of potassium leads to muscular cramps and an increased susceptibility to injuries. Therefore, including these root vegetables in your daily diet reduces the risk of injury.