Lower Blood Pressure, Boost Gut Health, and Protect Your Eyes With Sweet Potatoes
Whether you love roasting, mashing, casserole-ing, or turning them into a pie, learning more about the health benefits of sweet potatoes will make the orange tubers taste even better this holiday season.
First off, the potassium in sweet potatoes can help you maintain healthy blood pressure levels. The American Heart Association explains that the mineral lessens the unhealthy effects of salt in our diet, causing it to move through our system quicker. It also eases tension on the blood vessel walls, which is important for those battling high blood pressure.
The organization recommends adults consume 4,700 milligrams of potassium on a daily basis. Adding the sweet spud to your plate will chip away 219 milligrams for you and help you reach that goal.
Sweet potatoes also contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, which help keep guts healthy. Aside from making sure the food we eat moves smoothly through our system, both fibers are also able to ferment with the bacteria in our colons and create short-chain fatty acids that aid in intestinal function.
Want even more perks? Well, your peepers will be glad you noshed on these orange potatoes. That distinct color is thanks to beta-carotene, which converts into vitamin A to protect our eyes and vision. Studies show the vitamin is essential for boosting our immune system thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. Sweet potatoes also have plenty of vitamin C and B6 to help with immunity, too. There’s even a little over one gram of protein in each tuber, in case you needed just one more reason to dig in.
Of course, even without the lovely health benefits of sweet potatoes, the versatility and delicious flavor make them a great choice for any meal. You can always bake or roast them, but if you want to get even more creative we just happen to have a ton of great sweet potato recipes for you to try.
And now that we all know how great they are for us, each bite of sweet potato will taste even better.
