What are the benefits of consuming sweet potato daily?

The sweet potato is a starchy, sweet-tasting root vegetable. They have a thin, brown skin on the outside with coloured flesh inside – most commonly orange in colour, but other varieties are white, purple or yellow.

Sweet potatoes are a rich source of fibre as well as containing an array of vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, selenium, and they’re a good source of most of our B vitamins and vitamin C. One of the key nutritional benefits of sweet potato is that they’re high in an antioxidant known as beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A once consumed. Add a drizzle of olive oil just before serving to increase your absorption of beneficial beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain a modest but helpful amount of protein — around four grams per cup when cooked.

Health benefits of sweet potato:

• Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of fibre, especially when you eat the skin. Fibre is important for your digestive health, preventing constipation. They also contain resistant starch, a type of starch that plays a role in feeding your body’s “good” bacteria.
• The high fibre content of sweet potatoes can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, helping to prevent cardiovascular disease.
• Sweet potatoes are also high in potassium, which works in balance with sodium in your body to maintain healthy blood pressure.
• The fibre and complex carbohydrates in sweet potatoes can help keep your blood sugar stable. And it can help you feel full longer.
• Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants that prevent free radical damage in your body.
• Sweet potatoes may help you relax. They’re high in magnesium, which has been shown to play a role in calming the brain.
• Eating sweet potatoes may also help reduce inflammation. This is chiefly due to their high levels of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and magnesium
• The purple sweet potatoes are beneficial to the eyes as it contains a specific group of antioxidants known as anthocyanins which are good for the eyes.

Fibre, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals are essential for good health. And sweet potatoes are a fantastic way to add them to your diet. Sweet potatoes are affordable, easy to use and store, and available in many parts of the world all year long. So, include this superfood to your diet and stay fit & healthy.