Sweet potatoes are a healthy root vegetable chock full of antioxidants that protect your cells from damage. Plus, the nutrients in sweet potatoes are excellent for your gut, eyes, immune system, and more.
Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and zinc.
This article explains eight benefits of sweet potatoes, their nutrition facts, and the healthiest way to eat them.
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Gut Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Research has found that the dietary fiber in sweet potatoes is good for gut health. One study found that the dietary fiber in sweet potatoes acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics stimulate healthy gut bacteria growth and help improve digestion and overall health.
Researchers have found sweet potatoes benefit the intestinal barrier (the structure that allows your body to take in nutrients and block harmful substances).
Sweet potato has been traditionally relied on to support diarrhea and other stomach problems.
Immune Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
The phytochemicals (plant compounds that protect the body from illness and infection) in sweet potatoes include:
These chemicals help your body fight disease and boost your immune system.
Anticancer Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Research found that sweet potatoes have anticancer benefits.In one study found that purple sweet potatoes inhibited the growth of the following types of cancer cells:
Phytochemicals are again to thank. These chemicals’ antioxidant activity can reduce free radical damage to cells.
What Are Free Radicals?
Free radicals are unstable molecules in the body. They are made as a normal byproduct of metabolism and exposure to environmental toxins. Free radicals damage cells and change DNA, increasing the risk of developing cancer.
Eye Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Polyphenolic compounds are the most readily accessible form of antioxidant in your diet. And sweet potatoes contain this chemical, which protects eye and retinal health.
Studies have found that anthocyanins (found in sweet potatoes) have an anti-inflammatory response on the eye surface and can treat eye disease, including dry eye syndrome.
Brain Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Another potential benefit of the antioxidants in sweet potatoes is its effect on memory. While human studies on this subject are lacking, some animal studies have found that sweet potatoes have memory-enhancing effects.
One review found that sweet potato extracts improved spatial learning and memory in mouse models and even repaired memory impairment. Further studies are needed to confirm how these results apply to humans.
Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
In the same way that antioxidants protect the body from cancer by repairing free radical damage, they also reduce inflammation. When inflammation in the body is chronic, it can lead to health conditions such as:
Eating foods, like sweet potatoes, that are high in antioxidants is an excellent way to keep inflammation in check naturally.
Heart Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
The dietary fiber in sweet potatoes is great for your heart. A healthy diet that includes adequate dietary fiber can reduce the risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease. That’s because dietary fiber binds with bile acids, preventing reabsorption in the liver and inhibiting cholesterol formation.
In one study, participants who ate sweet potato and cassava increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (considered good cholesterol) and decreased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (considered bad) cholesterol) compared to the control group, who ate white bread.
Blood Sugar Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Out of three randomized controlled trials in a review, one study found significant improvement in A1c levels (a measurement of the body’s average blood sugar levels) at three to five months with 4 grams daily of sweet potato compared to placebo (fake treatment).
However, researchers claim the studies are low quality and more trials are needed.
Should You Eat Sweet Potatoes If You Have Diabetes?
As a high carbohydrate food, sweet potatoes may be on your radar as a food to avoid if you have diabetes. That’s because high-carb foods often also have a high glycemic index (GI), measuring how carbs affect blood sugar (glucose).
However, not all carbs are created equal, and sweet potatoes tend to have medium GI, which means they have a less immediate impact on blood sugar. They are usually fine to enjoy in moderation.
Nutrition Facts for One Sweet Potato
The nutritional content of a sweet potato is far better than a regular potato. One 5-inch long sweet potato contains:
- Protein: 2 grams (g)
- Carbohydrates:26 g
- Dietary fiber: 4 g
- Starch: 16 g
- Calcium: 39 milligrams (mg)
- Magnesium: 32 mg
- Phosphorus: 61 mg
- Sodium: 72 mg
- Vitamin C: 3 mg
- Folate: 14 micrograms (mcg)
- Vitamin A: 922 mcg RAE (retinol activity equivalents)
Sweet potatoes are considered a “superfood,” not a scientific term but a word used to describe foods packed with nutrition.
What’s More Nutritious: Baked, Boiled, or Sauteed Sweet Potatoes?
Boiling is often the worst method for retaining nutrients in your food. But when it comes to sweet potatoes, the opposite is true: Boiling retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods.
In addition, in a study that evaluated the nutrient degradation in baked vs. air-fried sweet potato chips, researchers found that air-frying retained more beta-carotene than baking.
Summary
Sweet potatoes are a powerhouse of nutrition and an excellent addition to nearly any diet. The antioxidants in the tuberous vegetable contain many health benefits, including by boosting the immune system, fighting cancer, and improving gut, heart, and eye health, and more. Surprisingly, boiling retains most nutrients and is one of the best ways to cook sweet potatoes.
