As deep autumn arrives, street vendors selling sweet potatoes gradually become more common. Sweet potatoes are sweet in taste and rich in carbohydrates, dietary fiber, carotene, vitamins, and more than 10 elements such as potassium, magnesium, copper, selenium, and calcium. Though small, sweet potatoes have great nutritional value and health benefits.
The health benefits of sweet potatoes
1. Weight loss and beauty
Will eating sweet potatoes cause weight gain? According to scientific research, eating sweet potatoes will not cause weight gain; on the contrary, they are an ideal food for weight loss. They are very low in calories, much lower than regular rice, so there's no need to worry about gaining weight after eating them; instead, they can have a weight-loss effect. Sweet potatoes also contain a substance similar to female estrogen, which has a certain effect on protecting the skin and delaying aging. Therefore, many women abroad treat sweet potatoes as a food for maintaining youth and beauty.
2. Anti-cancer
The most anti-cancer nutrients in the diet are beta-carotene (a precursor of vitamin A), vitamin C, and folic acid, all of which are relatively abundant in sweet potatoes. A small sweet potato (about 2 ounces) can provide twice the daily human requirement of vitamin A, one-third of the daily requirement of vitamin C, and about 50 micrograms of folic acid; its dietary fiber content is higher than that of a bowl of oatmeal. Regular consumption of sweet potatoes helps maintain the body's normal folic acid levels, as low folic acid levels in the body can increase the risk of cancer. The high content of dietary fiber in sweet potatoes promotes gastrointestinal motility, prevents constipation, and reduces the risk of colorectal cancer.
3. Beneficial for the heart
Sweet potatoes are rich in potassium, beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, all five of which help prevent cardiovascular disease. Potassium helps maintain the balance of body fluids and electrolytes in cells, and maintains normal blood pressure and heart function. Beta-carotene and vitamin C have the effect of anti-lipid oxidation and preventing atherosclerosis. Supplementing with folic acid and vitamin B6 helps lower the level of homocysteine in the blood, which can damage arterial blood vessels and is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Extended reading: A Complete Guide to Eating Sweet Potatoes
4. Prevention of emphysema
Why do some long-term smokers live to be over 90 without developing emphysema? It may be related to the rich vitamin A content in their daily diet. Researchers suggest that smokers or passive smokers should eat some vitamin A-rich foods, such as sweet potatoes, daily to prevent emphysema.
5. Anti-diabetic effect
Japanese researchers found that in diabetic obese rats, blood insulin levels decreased by 26% and 60% after 4 and 6 weeks of eating white-skinned sweet potatoes, respectively. They also found that sweet potatoes could effectively inhibit the rise in blood sugar levels in diabetic obese rats after oral glucose intake. Eating sweet potatoes also lowered the levels of triglycerides and free fatty acids in diabetic rats.
6. Blood sugar regulation
The dietary fiber contained in sweet potatoes is very beneficial for promoting intestinal peristalsis and preventing constipation. It can also delay the rise in postprandial blood sugar. The selenium element in sweet potatoes can play an auxiliary role in regulating blood sugar.
Sweet Potato Oatmeal
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