What are the Benefits of Eating Sweet Potatoes

2025-02-12

What else screams superfood more than this nutrient-packed delicacy–sweet potatoes! Sweet potatoes can sometimes be found in the following colors: red, white, pink, violet, yellow, and purple. These dynamic sweet potatoes are nutritious, fiber-rich, and tasty.

 

Are sweet potatoes yam?

If you've been calling them yams, I'm sorry to burst your bubble: they aren't the same. Yams are different from sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes belong to the morning glories family, while yams belong to the Dioscoreaceae family.

 

Nutritional Profile

 

For every 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of raw sweet potatoes, you will get:

  • 86 calories
  • 77% water
  • 1.6 grams of protein
  • 20.1 grams of carbohydrates
  • 4.2 grams of sugar
  • 3 grams of fiber
  • 787 micrograms of Vitamin A
  • 9440 micrograms of beta carotene
  • grams of fat (1) (2).

 

5 Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

 

Reduces Inflammation

Sweet potatoes contain antioxidants and phytonutrients which reduce inflammation (3). They also contain anthocyanins (especially in purple sweet potatoes) with anti-inflammatory components. You can include sweet potatoes in your diet if you have inflammation or simply want to be cautious. However, consult your healthcare professionals before considering them as part of your supplementary diet.

 

 Improves Gut Health

Sweet potatoes promote gut health because of their high fiber. They are rich in soluble and insoluble fiber which adds bulk to stool and stimulates bowel movement (2). They are a natural prebiotic and that's how they prevent constipation. Sweet potatoes act as food for beneficial bacteria in the body.

 

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Helps Prevent Cancer

 

Sweet potatoes also prevent cancer by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and the phytochemicals reduce free radical damage to cells (3). Free radicals are unstable molecules that trigger inflammation and damage DNA (4). This fight against free radicals helps prevent premature aging (2). Sweet potatoes are good, but have everything in moderation because too much of a good thing can be bad.

 

Benefits Cardiovascular Health

 

Sweet potatoes contain dietary fiber (3).  Dietary fiber works by binding bile acids thus preventing reabsorption in the liver and inhibiting cholesterol formation. The purple ones are rich in anthocyanins which improve blood vessel functioning and lower bad cholesterol in the body (5). The American Heart Association recommends eating potassium-rich foods to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system (6).

 

Here’s Why You Need Precaution

 

You might want to take sweet potatoes in moderation if you have diabetes because high-carb foods have a high glycemic index (GI). However, sweet potatoes have less immediate impact on blood sugar because they have medium to high GI varying from 44-96 (3). This GI is why people with diabetes take sweet potatoes in moderation. GI is how fast your blood sugar rises after a meal.

 

Sweet potatoes increase the risk of kidney stones. As such, take them in moderation (7). This is because they are high in oxalates which bind calcium and other minerals preventing their absorption (8).

 

If you have type 2 diabetes you might want to consult your healthcare professionals before indulging your taste buds.

 

Sweet potatoes are a great energy source making them a great option for kids! If you're trying to lose weight, try them because they keep you full for a long time.

 

What’s the Best Way to Eat Sweet Potatoes?

 

Normally, cooking reduces the nutritional value of your food, but that's not the case with this superfood! Surprisingly, boiling retains nutrients better than baking your sweet potatoes.

 

That's not all, cooking it appears to increase its vitamin C content (8). Don't shy away from exploring ways to enjoy sweet potatoes. They don't have to be reserved for soups during Thanksgiving because the recipes are endless.

 

You can enjoy sweet potatoes roasted, baked, boiled, or steamed. Try:

 

  1. Sweet potato fries
  2. Sweet potato toast
  3. Mashed sweet potatoes
  4. Baked sweet potatoes
  5. Sweet potato hash
  6. Sweet potato puree
  7. Sweet potato cookies (Did you know that sweet potatoes can be turned into flour?)
  8. Grilled chicken with sweet potatoes
  9. Sweet potato cheese bread
  10. Sweet potato brownies
  11. Sweet potato bread
  12. Sweet potato casserole.

 

Did you know that paring sweet potatoes with avocado, coconut or olive oil helps with beta-carotene absorption because they are fat-soluble nutrients? (4). So the next time you think of a healthy snack while watching your weight, you can include sweet potatoes.

 

If you're considering the nutritional benefits as part of your health plan, seek guidance from your healthcare professionals. I've shown you the possible side effects, but your health provider’s advice would be suited to your needs.

 

By: Monica Machera

 

Edited by: Damilola Elewa