A lot of you must have enjoyed sweet potato chaat on the streets made with boiled and roasted sweet potatoes with a dash of lemon juice. Your mouth must be watering remembering this scrumptious healthy snack on a breezy evening, right? Well, apart from being a delicious snack, sweet potato is also great for your health. These tubers are full of nutrition and probably this is why experts recommend consuming sweet potatoes whenever you can get your hands on them. However, there are myriad benefits that you may receive upon regular consumption of sweet potatoes in either form. Let us tell you all the health benefits of eating sweet potatoes in this article.
Lose Weight By Eating Sweet Potatoes
While potatoes are your enemy if you are trying to lose weight, you must make friends with sweet potatoes. It is because sweet potatoes contain resistant starch which is similar to fibre and doesn’t get absorbed by the body. Instead of having carbohydrates, you must have foods with resistant starch as it can speed up fat burning process and make your weight loss journey smoother. Eating sweet potatoes would also curb your hunger pangs and you would feel full for a longer time.
Powerhouse of antioxidants
In case you don’t know, antioxidants are essential for the body to reduce oxidative stress that can cause an array of health problems. Antioxidant foods help prevent premature aging of cells that make you look and feel aged. Besides, this also helps in the prevention of many chronic diseases. Also, purple sweet potatoes possess more antioxidant benefits as compared to regular sweet potatoes.
Rich in Vitamins A and C
Vitamin A and vitamin C are two of the most essential vitamins required to boost overall health. One must consume foods that are high in both of these vitamins to avert minor to major illnesses including autoimmune diseases. However, consuming sweet potatoes would provide you with both of these vital vitamins. Eating sweet potatoes in monsoon and winter can reduce the risk of cold, cough and flu.
Nutritional Powerhouse
Apart from vitamin A and C, sweet potatoes are also high in other essential nutrients. B vitamins, manganese, potassium, etc. are some of them. These boost collagen production for healthy-looking skin and promote bone health to minimize the risk of wear and tear.
Also Read: Dietitian Explains Health Benefits Of Eating Purple Yam
Eat sweet potatoes for diabetes control
If you have diabetes and you feel that eating sweet foods would shoot up your blood sugar levels, you are wrong! Sweet potatoes contain resistant starch that is very different from the starch you get from carbs. The high-fibre content of sweet potatoes causes this starch to burn slowly providing energy for a long time. Also, these don’t cause an increase in blood sugar and your diabetes would remain normal. Your sweet cravings can be satisfied with this yummy vegetable.
Also Read: Yam Vs. Sweet potato, How are these two Different
Blood pressure regulation
If you have fluctuating blood pressure problem or you are a patient of hypertension or hypotension, don’t fear eating sweet potatoes as these help in managing blood pressure and keeping it under control. One boiled or baked sweet potato offer potassium which is higher than a banana. Potassium helps in eliminating extra sodium from the body that helps in regulating blood pressure. In addition to this, it also promotes cardiovascular health.
Anti-inflammatory benefits of sweet potatoes
Inflammation is one of the underrated factors but now, everyone has become aware of the disastrous consequences of inflammation on health. This is the trigger of all chronic ailments. You can prevent yourself from falling prey to inflammation by eating sweet potatoes daily. This natural anti-inflammatory food can boost your health in numerous ways.
Sweet potatoes are more than just starchy food as these can promote your health in numerous ways. Eating a sweet potato daily is good for your body and you should not miss out on this tuber vegetable.
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