Sweet potatoes health benefits from better eyesight to immunity
Mumbai : Sweet potatoes have an immense number of health benefits as they contain a good amount of antioxidants and contain Vitamin A - which help support eyesight, boost immunity, and may improve brain function.
Sweet potatoes are much more than just fall favorite or Thanksgiving dish. They should be eaten all year round as they come with several health benefits.
Here are four benefits that sweet potatoes may provide.
Sweet potatoes support eyesight
Sweet potatoes have carotenoids, which are antioxidants that are responsible for many of the food's benefits, including supporting eyesight.
Beta carotene, in particular, is responsible for the orange color of sweet potatoes, and is useful for eyesight since it is converted to vitamin A.
A 2013 review found that beta carotene, along with other nutrients like vitamin C, E, and zinc, can help reduce the risk of age-related eye diseases.
All you need to eat is one sweet potato per day — which has 1,403 mcg of vitamin A — amounting to 156% of the daily recommended amount.
Sweet potatoes improve immune system
The antioxidants present in sweet potatoes can improve your immune system drastically.
Amid polluted environment and also age related factors, our body is tend to create free radicals which can damage DNA of healthy cells, including including immune system cells that are necessary to fight off infections. Antioxidants can combat this damage and keep the immune system strong.
Furthermore, the presence of vitamin A in sweet potatoes helps support the immune system. A 2008 report stated that vitamin A is one of the most important nutrients for immune support. Specifically, the study says vitamin A may help support T-cells, a type of white blood cell that's crucial for immune function.
Sweet potatoes for diabetic people
Potatoes are the first thing which doctors advice diabetic people to ditch as they are high on the glycemic index, meaning they can cause blood sugar to spike too much. However, sweet potatoes are a little lower on the glycemic index than regular potatoes which makes them a healthier choice for people with diabetes.
According to Harvard Medical School, regular potatoes have a glycemic index of about 78, whereas sweet potatoes have a glycemic index of around 63.
Sweet potatoes may boost brain function
Evidence is insufficient to say whether sweet potatoes improve brain function in humans. However, there have been promising animal studies.
For example, a 2010 study showed that the anthocyanins, compounds that have antioxidant effects, in purple sweet potatoes can inhibit inflammation in the brains of mice, and another 2010 study showed that memory was improved in old mice who were given anthocyanins. If the same principles apply in humans, then we can infer that sweet potatoes may boost brain function in humans, but for now, we do not know for sure.
So what are you waiting for, add sweet potatoes to your balanced diet of the day and stay healthy.