Blog | 4 benefits of sweet potatoes (2024)

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Blog | 4 benefits of sweet potatoes? ›

Research shows that sweet potatoes can lower your LDL "bad" cholesterol, which may lower your odds of heart problems. Macular degeneration. Large amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin A, which are in sweet potatoes, can lower your chances of getting this eye disease, which is the most common cause of vision loss.

Research shows that sweet potatoes can lower your LDL "bad" cholesterol, which may lower your odds of heart problems. Macular degeneration. Large amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin A, which are in sweet potatoes, can lower your chances of getting this eye disease, which is the most common cause of vision loss.

Sweet potatoes are a staple food in many regions because they are rich in fiber, vitamins, potassium, proteins, and essential nutrients. They are rich in antioxidants that boost immunity and protect the health of essential organs, such as the heart and kidneys.

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

Sweet potatoes are a more nutritious if cooked with the skin on. Sweet potatoes should be washed and dried thoroughly before being cooked. Sweet potatoes should not be refrigerated unless cooked. Storage at low temperatures can cause flavor loss.

Of the thousands of vegetables available today, sweet potatoes are considered one of the most nutritious. The orange- (or sometimes purple) fleshed vegetables are loaded with minerals and A, B, and C vitamins. This has led to sweet potatoes being called a superfood by many.

Antioxidants Aplenty

Purple-fleshed sweet potatoes are thought to contain super-high levels of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. As these substances pass through your system, they balance out free radicals -- chemicals that harm your cells.

Therefore, from a nutritional standpoint, boiling rather than baking should be recommended for cooking sweet potato. Boiling may theoretically be best, but sweet potatoes are so incredibly healthy that the actual best way to prepare them is whichever way will get you to eat the most of them!

How to tell if sweet potatoes have gone bad. If your sweet potato is soft in spots, smells rotten, or oozes a mysterious liquid, that potato should be discarded. Another sign that sweet potatoes have taken a turn for the worse is if they start growing stalky purplish sprouts.

Sweet Potatoes

Plus, their high fiber content helps protect the body from free radical damage and supports a healthy digestive tract, which is critical in the body's natural detox process.

Are sweet potatoes actually healthier? ›

Sweet potatoes are often touted as being healthier than white potatoes, but in reality, both types can be highly nutritious. While regular and sweet potatoes are comparable in their calorie, protein, and carb content, white potatoes provide more potassium, whereas sweet potatoes are incredibly high in vitamin A.

One small sweet potato contains half the calories as a piece of toast. Vitamins A and C don't even register on the charts for bread, while sweet potatoes offer a good source of vitamin C and some potassium.

Sweet potatoes are root vegetables that are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds, including beta-carotenes. They are good value for money, count as one of your 5 a day and make an easy, nutritious swap for other carb-rich staples.

Gastrointestinal Health

Along with anti-inflammatory properties, sweet potatoes have plenty of gut-friendly fiber, especially if you eat the skin. They are a mixture of soluble fiber, which can lower cholesterol and balance glucose, and insoluble fiber, which helps keep your bowels healthy and regular.

Sweet potatoes contain the “good” kind of carbs – often called “complex carbohydrates.” Complex carbohydrates are considered healthier than simple carbohydrates. They take longer to digest and create more lasting energy.

Sweet Potatoes and Health

Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are richest in beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh are richer in anthocyanins. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant “phyto” chemicals that give vegetables their bright colors.

Though they can both be part of a healthy diet, sweet potatoes are generally healthier than regular potatoes, partly because of their incredibly high vitamin A content. Sweet potatoes are also lower on the glycemic index, meaning that they are less likely than regular potatoes to make your blood sugar spike.