Sweet Potato Benefits
Sweet potatoes have many health benefits, including cancer prevention and vitamin A deficiency
Resized image by Ruth Reyer, is available on Unsplash
Sweetpotato is a tuber that grows on the roots of a plant known scientifically as Ipomo and potatoes. It is very rich in an antioxidant called beta-carotene, which contributes to the formation of vitamin A in the body, especially in children. Sweetpotato is also very rich in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, manganese, vitamin B6, among other substances that provide benefits such as preventing vitamin A deficiency, preventing cancer and regulating blood sugar levels.
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Sweet potato can be consumed fried, steamed, boiled or roasted. And it is found in orange, white, red, pink, violet, yellow and purple.
Nutritional values of sweet potato
A raw sweet potato contains water (77%), carbohydrate (20.1%), protein (1.6%), fiber (3%) and almost no fat. A raw sweet potato still contains:
| Nutrient | Value |
|---|---|
| calories | 86 kcal |
| Water | 77% |
| Protein | 1.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 20.1 g |
| Sugar | 4.2 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Fat | 0.1 g |
| Saturated | 0.02 g |
| Monounsaturated | 0 g |
| Polyunsaturated | 0.01 g |
| Omega 3 | 0 g |
| omega-6 | 0.01 g |
The main components of sweetpotato are complex carbohydrates called starches, which make up 53% of the carbohydrate content.
Simple sugars, such as glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose, make up another 32% of the carbohydrate content (see study about it here: 2).
Starch
Sweetpotato starches are divided into three categories, based on their effects on digestion (see study on this: 3):
- Quickly digested starch (80%): is rapidly broken down and absorbed, increasing the glycemic index value;
- Slowly digested starch (9%): breaks down more slowly and causes a smaller increase in blood sugar levels (see study about this: 4);
- Resistant starch (12%): escapes digestion and acts as a fiber, feeding the beneficial bacteria in the intestine (acting as a prebiotic). The amount of resistant starch may increase slightly when the sweet potato is cooled after cooking (see studies about it here: 5, 6).
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Fibers
Baked sweetpotato is relatively high in fiber, an average sized unit containing about 3.8 grams of fiber.
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About 15% to 23% of sweetpotato fiber is soluble, being composed of pectin. The remainder consists of insoluble fibers (77-85%) in the form of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin (see studies about it here: 7, 8, 9).
Soluble fibers, such as pectin, increase the feeling of satiety, which contributes to reducing the intake of other foods (see studies about it here: 10, 11).
The intake of insoluble fiber, such as cellulose, has been associated with health benefits, such as reducing the risk of diabetes (see studies about it: 12, 13, 14) and improvement of intestinal health (see studies about it: 15, 16).
Proteins
A medium-sized sweet potato contains two grams of protein, which is a relatively low amount. However, sweetpotato proteins are sporamines, which represent more than 80% of total proteins (see study about it here: 17). In addition, sweetpotato is an important source of protein in many developing countries (see studies about it here: 18, 19).
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Vitamins and minerals
Sweet potatoes are very rich in vitamins and minerals such as:- Vitamin A: Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which is transformed into vitamin A in the body. The recommended daily amount of vitamin A can be achieved with just 100 grams of sweetpotato;
- Vitamin C: an antioxidant, which can shorten the duration of common colds and improve skin health (see studies on this: 20, 21);
- Potassium: important for blood pressure control, this mineral can reduce the risk of heart disease (see study about it here: 22);
- Manganese: a mineral that is important for growth, development and metabolism (see study about it here: 23);
- Vitamin B6: plays an important role in converting food into energy;
- Vitamin B5: Also known as pantothenic acid, it is found to some extent in almost all foods;
- Vitamin E: A powerful fat-soluble antioxidant that can help protect the body from oxidative damage (28);
- Beta-carotene: An antioxidant carotenoid that is converted to vitamin A in the body. Adding fat to a meal can increase its absorption;
- Chlorogenic acid: the most abundant polyphenol antioxidant in sweet potatoes (see studies about it here: 29, 30);
- Anthocyanins: purple sweet potatoes are rich in anthocyanins, which have antioxidant properties (see study about it here: 31);
- Coumarins: sweet potato contains small amounts of esculetin, scopoletin and umbelliferous, substances that can prevent blood clotting and help to inhibit the replication of the HIV virus in animal and cell studies (see studies about it here: 32, 33) .
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Absorption of vitamin C and some antioxidants increase in sweetpotato after cooking, while levels of other plant compounds may decrease (see studies on this: 34, 35, 36, 37).
Sweet Potatoes versus Potatoes
Many people choose to substitute sweet potatoes for regular potatoes in the belief that sweet potatoes are healthier. Both types of potato contain similar amounts of water, carbohydrates, fat and protein (see study on this: 38). However, the glycemic index of sweet potatoes, despite being high, is lower than the glycemic index of common potatoes, which means that blood sugar levels do not show very high peaks after their ingestion (see study here for respect: 39). In addition, sweet potatoes are a better source of fiber and provide similar or slightly higher levels of vitamins and minerals (especially vitamin A) than regular potatoes.
Still, even though sweetpotato has a lower glycemic index than regular potato, it is not recommended that diabetics consume large amounts of sweetpotato.
Preventing Vitamin A Deficiency
Vitamin A plays an important role in the body. The deficiency of this essential nutrient is a public health problem in many developing countries (see study about it here: 40), and it can cause temporary and/or permanent damage to the eyes, which can even lead to blindness. It can also damage the immune system and increase mortality, especially among children and pregnant and lactating women (see studies about it here: 41, 42).
Like carrots, sweet potatoes are an excellent source of highly bioavailable beta-carotene, which is transformed into vitamin A by the body.- carrot benefits
The intensity of the yellow or orange color of sweetpotato is directly linked to its beta-carotene content (see study about it here: 43).
regulation of blood sugar
The sweet potato of the type kaiapo it can decrease blood glucose and bad cholesterol levels, as well as increase insulin sensitivity, which are beneficial factors for people with diabetes (see studies on this: 44, 45, 46).
However, it is considered that there are insufficient studies to prove the efficacy of sweetpotato in the treatment of type 2 diabetes (47).
Prevention of cancer and oxidative damage
Oxidative damage to cells is associated with an increased risk of cancer, which occurs when cells grow beyond their normal limits and into other tissues.
Diets rich in antioxidants, such as carotenoids, have been associated with a lower risk of stomach, kidney and breast cancer (see studies about it here: 48, 49, 50, 51).
Studies have shown that sweetpotato contains potent antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals, harmful substances that can increase the risk of cancer. Sweet potato is the variety that contains the greatest antioxidant activity (see studies about it here: 52, 53), being even greater than the antioxidant action of blueberries, fruits well known for this benefit.
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Adverse effects
Most people have no adverse effects on sweetpotato. However, because it is rich in oxalates, sweetpotato can cause problems in people prone to the formation of kidney stones (see study about it here: 54).
Adapted from Healthline
