Sweet potatoes benefits are often neglected in a diet, however, they have several benefits which should not be ignored. Sweet potatoes are the sweet and starchy vegetables that are common and are available in different sizes and colors.

They are considered to have a huge amount of antioxidants, fibers, vitamins, and minerals which can help you live a sweet, long, long life.

Here are some of the amazing benefits of sweet potato which will compel you to include sweet potato in your diet.

6 Surprising Sweet Potato Benefits

1. Provides Nourishment To The Body

Every variety of sweet potatoes is considered to be a great source of fibers, minerals, vitamins, and nutrients that can nourish and rejuvenate the body. In addition to this lot, sweet potatoes are also rich in antioxidants which help in combating the free radicals in our body.

Free radicals often cause inflammation in our body and also cause serious damage to our DNA. This can, in turn, lead to chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and aging. As long as you eat sweet potatoes which are rich in antioxidants, you can keep these health issues at bay.  

2. Improves The Health Of Your Tummy

As mentioned earlier, sweet potatoes contain fiber as well as antioxidants; the two most important things to ensure the health of your gut. First of all, the fiber in sweet potatoes is found in two types; soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.

A human body is not acquainted with digesting any kind of fiber. Therefore, it remains there in the digestive tract and helps to detoxify the tract from all the impurities. Soluble fibers which are also known as viscous fibers are believed to absorb water and soften the consistency of the stool. On the contrary, the insoluble fibers add more weight to the stool as they do not absorb water.

Soluble and insoluble fibers also help in creating short-chain fatty acids which ensures gut health. The presence of fiber in the digestive tract may also prevent the risk of colon cancer, reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and even prevent diarrhea.

Apart from detoxifying the stool from your body, it will also help you to clean all the mucous membranes from the walls of your gut.  

3. May Help In Reducing The Risk Of Cancer

As mentioned earlier, the high content of antioxidants and fiber prevents the risk of colon cancer. In addition to colon cancer, it also prevents the risk of certain other types of cancers. The presence of anthocyanins, which are especially found in the purple sweet potatoes, which give the potatoes its color, also prevents the risk of cancer in the bladder, colon, stomach, and breasts.

According to the studies conducted on mice by some health experts, it was revealed that sweet potatoes have reduced the risk of colon cancer in them.

4. Improves The Eye-sight

Sweet potatoes contain one of the most important antioxidants for healthy eyesight and that is beta carotene. This antioxidant is also responsible for the bright orange color of the sweet potato.

This antioxidant is generally converted into vitamin A and ameliorates the light detecting receptors which are present in your eyes. Vitamin A is really important for the health of your eyes as its excessive dearth can cause blindness which is known as xerophthalmia.

Not only the orange color sweet potatoes but also the purple sweet potatoes can render benefits to your eyesight. Improvement in eyesight is one of the most beneficial of sweet potato’s health benefits.

5. May Help In The Improvement Of Cognitive Abilities

Honing your brain functions and skills is one of the most essential benefits of eating sweet potatoes. Due to the presence of anthocyanins in sweet potatoes, there will be reduced inflammation in your brain and also stop the radical damage.

In addition to the improvement in mental faculties, sweet potatoes can also help you hone your learning and memory. However, these studies have been conducted on rats and mice and not humans. Therefore, concrete research is still required in this area.

6. Strengthens Your Immune System

As mentioned earlier, sweet potatoes are a rich source of beta-carotene which can be easily converted into vitamin A in your body. Not only vitamin A is useful for your eyesight, but it is also important for a healthy immune system and also helps in maintaining blood sugar levels.

An unhygienic gut often deteriorates your immune system and weakens it. Therefore, for a strong immune system, you need to maintain a healthy gut. When your gut is inflamed, your immune system is drastically weakened which can seriously damage your body.

How Can You Include Sweet Potatoes In Your Diet?

Sweet potatoes are considered to be one of the most versatile vegetables and they can be easily added to any diet. You can consume a sweet potato in any way, be it baked, boiled, or even roasted, they are a perfect delight.

Due to its natural sweetness, they can go with both sweet as well as sour dishes. Here are some popular dishes which include sweet potatoes in them. They are:

Sweet Potato Chips

You can consume these sweet potato chips in a peeled, sliced, and baked manner.

Sweet Potato Toast

The toast can be enjoyed when you cut it into thin slices, toast it and even decorate it with garnishes such as nut butter and avocado.

Sweet Potato Hash

A sweet potato hash can be eaten along with onions when it is perfectly cooked in a pan.

Baked sweet potatoes

Baked sweet potatoes are one of the most delicious forms of sweet potatoes especially when they are baked in a fork-tender.

Mashed sweet potatoes

If these sweet delights are peeled and boiled with milk and seasoning, you are giving yourself the perfect treat of the day.

You can gain maximum sweet potato benefits when you are cooking it with olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado, as it helps in the maximum absorption of beta-carotene which helps in the reduction of inflammation.

Also Read: Reasons To Start Eating Sweet Potatoes