Purple Sweet Potato Nutrition & Incredible Health Benefits For Human, Better Than Potatoes

In addition to its sweet taste, sweet potato nutrition also has so many benefits for human health. They are thought to have come from American continent, botanical and agricultural experts estimate the origin of sweet potato plants are New Zealand, Polynesia, and the central part of America. Sweet potato or scientific name Ipomoea batatas is a staple food in Africa, while in Asia, in addition to parts of the tuber is consumed, the young sweet potato leaves are also made as a vegetable. There is also a sweet potato which is used as an ornamental plant for its beautiful leaves.

In the market we can find various types of sweet potatoes, there are purple, red, pale yellow or white. Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants, the more intense the color, it has more antioxidants, choose colorful sweet potatoes for consumption, especially the purple and red. According to The U.S. Sweet Potato Council Inc., Sweet potatoes are cooked with the skin produces more fiber than a serving of oatmeal. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin A, B, C, calcium and potassium which works to relieve inflammation of the stomach.

A single sweet potato contains more than 200 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin A. This vitamin gives yellow color of sweet potatoes in the form of beta carotene. Beta carotene also plays an important role as an antioxidant as well as maintaining eye health. Sweet potato is low calories food, to get more information data about how many calories in sweet potato, you can read it below.

Calories in potato & nutrition facts

Like what we have mentioned above, sweet potato has low calories, because based from USDA Nation Nutrient data base, in every 100 gr baked sweet potato (in skin) contained 90 calories or equal to 376 kJ. According to calorieking site, to burn those calories, you only needs to do activities such as swimming for only 7 minutes, or jogging for 10 minutes, or cycling for 14 minutes. If you prefer walking, it will takes a little longer  time, approximately 25 minutes. 

Besides simple starches, sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta-carotene (a provitamin A carotenoid), vitamin C, vitamin B₆, manganese and potassium.Pink, yellow and green varieties are also high in beta-carotene. In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. Considering fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next on the list, the common potato.

Sweet potato varieties with dark orange flesh have more beta carotene than those with light-colored flesh, and their increased cultivation is being encouraged in Africa, where vitamin A deficiency is a serious health problem. A 2012 study of 10,000 households in Uganda found that 50% of children who ate normal sweet potatoes suffered from vitamin A deficiency compared with only 10% of those on the high beta carotene variety. Below you can read sweet potato nutritional value table.

Raw sweet potato leaves nutritional value

Magnificent sweet potato health benefits

In terms of market competition, the potato tuber is more popular as a practical and could easily be encountered in a variety of menus, ranging from just french fries, croquettes, and so forth. In fact, sweet potatoes proved to be much more healthy than the potato. For your consideration, here are the various health benefits of sweet potatoes:

Keeping Blood Pressure

According to the American Heart Association, the sweet potato is one of the foods that are rich in potassium. Potassium has a very important role in maintaining blood pressure. In addition, potassium also plays a role in controlling muscle and nerve function. On average, adults need as much as 4,700 milligrams of calcium each day, and a large size of the sweet potato contains 300 milligrams of potassium, even more.

Against Cancer

Sweet potatoes contain lots of beta carotene which is an antioxidant, a substance that is not only able to fight free radicals, substances that fight cancer. There have been many studies that prove that the high content of carotenoids beta-carotene in the blood associated with reduced risk of breast cancer. Health experts recommend eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables that contain lots of beta carotene.

Maintain Weight Loss

Want to Slim? Stay away from potatoes! If someone is a hobby enjoyed potatoes, especially in the form of chips and french fries, then do not be surprised if the person will gain weight. But, not all tuber have the same effect, for example sweet potatoes. If you like to enjoy sweet potatoes, your weight will be stable even down. There are a lot of fiber in sweet potatoes would make a person feel full longer, and make a number of blood sugar remains stable. Soluble fiber contained in sweet potato also helps lower LDL (bad cholesterol) in the blood.

One of the best sources of vitamin A

Sweet potato was given the title as a super food by the Center for Science in the Public Interest for nutritional content. A single medium-size sweet potato provides more than 200 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin A. This vitamin appears in the form of beta carotene, which gives on color orange sweet potato.

Vitamin A itself to be beneficial to eyesight, skin, and bones. Sweet potatoes also functions as an antioxidant, helping to prevent infection in the digestive tract, urinary tract, and lungs. In a study conducted by Kansas State University in 2003, and published in The American Society for Nutritional Sciences, discovered the relationship between vitamin A deficiency and emphysema (a lung infection that causes difficulty breathing).

Immune system

Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, the main antioxidant, as well as various other nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin B complex, iron and phosphorus. This makes the sweet potato as a great immune booster.

Helps digestion

Fiber in sweet potatoes are also higher compared to other types of potatoes in general. If both of these factors combined with other minerals such as magnesium contained in sweet potatoes, then this food is the right choice to help digestion. Besides it's, sweet potato is also easy to digested as well as good for gastric and small intestine.

Overcome bronchitis

The content of vitamin C, iron and other nutrients to help cure bronchitis. Sweet potatoes are also believed to warm the body (probably because of the sweetness and other nutrients). The content also serves to cure bronchitis, regardless of other content that could relieve congestion.

Overcoming arthritis

The content of beta-carotene, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B complex to make sweet potato as the right choice to tackle arthritis. Sweet potato cooking water can be applied to the joints to relieve pain from arthritis.

Overcoming diabetes

People with diabetes are often advised to avoid sugary foods. This does not apply to sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are are very effective in regulating blood sugar levels by helping insulin secretion and function. However, does not mean that people with diabetes can eat sweet potatoes without rules. But, they can change their carbohydrate intake with rice or sweet potatoes.

Overcome stomach ulcers

Sweet potatoes are comfortable effect in the stomach and small intestine. Vitamin B complex and vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium and calcium are very effective in relieving inflammation of the stomach. In addition, the fiber in sweet potatoes can prevent constipation and accumulation of acid, because it will decrease the likelihood of gastric inflammation. Anti-inflammatory and soothing content of sweet potatoes can also reduce the pain and inflammation of the stomach.

From so many varieties of sweet potatoes, it is advised to choose purple color, because it has more nutrition compare than other varieties. So, according to a little sweet potatoes health benefits above, do you want to put it on your daily diet menu?

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Writen by: Mr Soed - Sunday, June 16, 2013