It is very important to eat green vegetables to keep your body healthy. Regular consumption of these green vegetables rich in various nutrients protects our body from various diseases or helps in curing many diseases. One such vegetable rich in different nutrients is sweet potato. This article describes a comprehensive overview of the benefits of sweet potatoes.
What is Sweet Potato?
Sweet potato is a nutritious and delicious root vegetable that is rich in many health benefits. Sweet potatoes are plants in the Convolvulaceae family. This plant is native to tropical America. Sweet potatoes are widely grown in tropical and warm temperate climates and are an important food crop in South America, Tropical America, and the Caribbean, the Pacific region, Japan and parts of Russia. The fleshy roots are served as cooked vegetables.
Plant Description
The sweet potato plant is a branching, creeping vine with ornate lobes, heart-shaped leaves and white or purple flowers. The edible part is a much longer tuberous root, becoming rectangular or pointedly ovoid. Tubers can be variable in shape and can be red, yellow, brown, white or purple in color. Sweet potato vines can reach 4 m (13 ft) in length and the plant is usually grown as an annual, harvested after an extended season.
Nutritional value of per 100 g of Sweet Potato/Ipomoea Batatas
| Nutrients | Value |
| Energy | 378 kj (90 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 20.7 g |
| Starch | 7.05 g |
| Sugar | 6.5 g |
| Dietary fiber | 3.3 g |
| Fat | 0.15 g |
| Protein | 2.0 g |
| Vitamin A equiv | 961 μg |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.11 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.11 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.5 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.29 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 6 μg |
| Vitamin C | 19.6 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.71 mg |
| Calcium | 38 mg |
| Iron | 0.69 mg |
| Magnesium | 27 mg |
| Manganese | 0.5 mg |
| Phosphorus | 54 mg |
| Potassium | 475 mg |
| Sodium | 36 mg |
| Zinc | 0.32 mg |
| Water | 75.8 g |
Scientific Classification of Sweet Potato/Ipomoea Batatas
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Tracheophytes
- Clade: Angiosperms
- Clade: Eudicots
- Clade: Asterids
- Order: Solanales
- Family: Convolvulaceae
- Genus: Ipomoea
- Species: I. Batatas
- Scientific name: Ipomoea batatas
Benefits of Sweet Potato
1. For diabetes
Sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index and their consumption can help regulate insulin secretion and function. [1] It is high in fiber which helps in regulating blood sugar levels in people with type 1 diabetes. The same fiber product helps improve blood sugar, lipid and insulin levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
2. For cancer
Purple sweet potatoes are more effective than orange sweet potatoes in limiting the development of cancer cells. Orange sweet potato beta-carotene helps prevent or reduce breast cancer in premenopausal women and ovarian cancer in premenopausal women. The presence of vitamin C in sweet potato vegetables helps in preventing or delaying various types of cancers such as colon, kidney, prostate, intestines and other internal organs.
3. Improves women fertility
The iron content of sweet potato helps to increase fertility in women of childbearing age. Sweet potato beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A inside the body, helps with hormone production during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
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4. Reduce inflammation
Sweet potatoes contain Choline, a very important nutrient that is beneficial for us in various ways. It helps in regulating physical functions such as sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory. Choline helps reduce chronic inflammation. Sweet potatoes contain vitamin C, beta carotene and magnesium to help treat both internal and external inflammation.
5. Good for digestion
Sweet potatoes are rich in digestion fiber and contain minerals like magnesium which helps in improving digestion. Due to the presence of white fat, sweet potatoes are very easy to digest and reduce the risk of constipation and other digestive problems.
6. Relief stress
Sweet potatoes contain magnesium, a mineral that helps reduce stress. In addition to maintaining the health of your arteries, heart, blood and bones, magnesium helps promote relaxation, calmness and also improves your mood.
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7. Boost immunity system
It is very important to develop a robust immune system to prevent harmful bacteria and other foreign particles from causing serious damage. Including sweet potatoes in your diet will help boost your immune system thanks to the presence of beta-carotene, vitamins like Vitamin C and B complex and powerful antioxidants like minerals like iron and phosphorus.
8. Good for weight gain
People who want to gain weight can include sweet potatoes in their diet. These vegetables are rich in protein and many important minerals, vitamins and proteins. These visions are very easy to digest and help add mass to your body.
9. Helps in bronchitis treatment
Sweet potatoes contain some nutrients that help warm the body. It helps in treating bronchitis and other related complications like congestion. This positive effect can be attributed to vitamin C, iron and nutrient concentration.
10. Good for stomach ulcer
Sweet potato contains B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, potassium and beta-carotene which help in effective treatment of stomach ulcers. Sweet potatoes are high in dietary fiber which adds large amounts to the stools and facilitates easy excretion. Sweet potatoes help prevent gas formation, constipation and this reduces the risk of acid formation and ulcer development.
Uses of Sweet Potato
Sweet potatoes can be eaten in different ways such as boiling, frying, baking and roasting. Sweet potatoes can be added to meat, fish, soups and tuts. In addition, sweet potatoes can be served as an ingredient in salads, cookies, cakes, puddings and custards.
Side effect of Sweet Potato
Apart from the benefits of sweet potato, there are also some disadvantages. People with heart disease and those taking beta-blockers should avoid taking this vegetable. This is due to the fact that beta-blockers cause an increase in potassium levels and complications can arise from eating too much potassium-rich sweet potato. Again, people with kidney problems should avoid sweet potatoes as excess potassium needs to be removed from the blood, which could otherwise prove fatal. Excessive use of sweet potatoes can make your skin and nails look slightly orange. Sweet potatoes are high in carbohydrates. Some cooking methods, such as baking, roasting and frying, will raise their glycemic index and raise your blood sugar. If you have type 2 diabetes, you should talk to your doctor about how to safely include these vegetables in your diet. Although very rare, some people have a severe allergy to sweet potatoes.
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Therefore, sweet potato should be used in the right amount considering its benefits and harms as excessive use of any product can harm our health. The above is information provided for general information purposes only. It is recommended that you consult your doctor before using sweet potatoes for healing.
Conclusion
The information discussed in this article is about the health benefits of sweet potato. In this article you will learn about the benefits and harms, uses and other information of sweet potato. I hope the information mentioned in this article will be useful to you. Thank you!
FAQ
1. Is sweet potato heart healthy?
Ans: Sweet potato is rich in potassium which helps promote a healthy heart.
2. What is the best time to eat sweet potato?
Ans: The best time to eat sweet potatoes is at lunchtime.
3. Is sweet potato good for digestion?
Ans: Sweet potatoes are rich in digestive fiber and contain minerals like magnesium which helps in improving digestion. Due to the presence of white fat, sweet potatoes are very easy to digest and reduce the risk of constipation and other digestive problems.
4. To which family does the sweet potato plant belong?
Ans: The sweet potato plant belongs to the Convolvulaceae family.
5. What is the scientific name of sweet potato?
Ans: The scientific name of sweet potato is Ipomoea batatas.