Do you love sweet potatoes? Do you only eat them at holiday meals? If you rarely eat them, you may want to reconsider! Sweet Potatoes are a superfood, which means they are packed full of nutrition and health benefits! We’re going to talk about just a few of them.
Sweet potatoes were brought back to Spain by Christopher Columbus and were being cultivated already during the 1500s. Sweet potatoes have been valued for over 5,000 years in South American cultures for their healing properties. They come in not only the orange color you are used to seeing, but also white, red, pink, yellow, and purple.
Sweet potatoes were brought back to Spain by Christopher Columbus and were being cultivated already during the 1500s. Sweet potatoes have been valued for over 5,000 years in South American cultures for their healing properties. They come in not only the orange color you are used to seeing, but also white, red, pink, yellow, and purple.
One sweet potato contains about 700% of your daily needs of vitamin A
Sweet Potatoes are Packed with Vitamin A
Sweet potatoes, particularly the orange variety, contain beta carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A. In fact, one sweet potato contains about 700% of your daily needs of vitamin A! Vitamin A is utilized by your body in a number of ways, including keeping both your eyes and your skin healthy. Vitamin A triggers your DNA to create new, healthy skin cells. Plus, some research is suggesting that it may reverse free radical damage and thereby reduce wrinkles. Vitamin A is vital to eye health. In fact, vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. Cooking, such as steaming or baking sweet potatoes makes the vitamin A more accessible to your body.
Purple sweet potatoes contain 3 times the antioxidants as blueberries
Sweet Potatoes May Help Prevent Cancer
Studies show that sweet potatoes contain powerful antioxidants that may help treat certain types of cancer. Diets rich on carotenoids (found in orange sweet potatoes) have been found to lower the risk of stomach, kidney, and breast cancer. Antioxidants reverse the damage of free radicals, which are substances that can cause cancer. Purple sweet potatoes have been found to have the highest level of antioxidants, containing 3 times more the blueberries, which are considered extremely high in antioxidants! Purple sweet potatoes contain a substance called anthocyanidins. These prevent stomach, lung, colon, and breast cancer cell growth.
Try Caiapo sweet potatoes for the biggest benefit
Sweet Potatoes are Great for Diabetics
It may seem counterintuitive for a diabetic to eat sweet potatoes, but they are actually low on the glycemic index, which means they won’t spike your blood sugar. In fact, sweet potatoes actually help regulate your blood sugar. A certain type of sweet potato (Caiapo) is thought to have the most blood sugar regulating benefits. Just make sure you consume them in moderation, because they do contain sugars.
Sweet potatoes are high in fiber and make you feel full for longer
Sweet Potatoes for Weight Loss
One of the reasons sweet potatoes can help with weight loss is the reason we just talked about—they have a low glycemic index, so they don’t cause a spike in blood sugar, which can pack on weight. They are high in fiber, which keeps you feeling full for longer. They are also high in potassium, but low in calories. Just make sure you don’t top it with lots of butter and sugar!
Sweet Potato Recipes
Sweet Potato Cauliflower Soup
Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Black Bean Salad
Perfect Sweet Potato Fries
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Black Bean Salad
Perfect Sweet Potato Fries
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts
Try some of these recipes this week and let me know how you liked them! If you would like some help with incorporating more superfoods and healthy foods into your diet, contact me today for a Free Nutrition Discovery Session!
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