Sweet potatoes are large, starchy, sweet-tasting vegetables. They actually belong to the morning glory family. Despite the shared name, sweet potatoes are only distantly related to the potatoes used to make French fries or potato chips.

The Origin of the Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are some of the oldest foods known to humanity.

They are native to Central and South America. There is fossiled evidence that sweet potatoes were growing in the America 35 million years ago. But very recently, scientists discovered 57-million-year-old leaf fossils in India that appear to be ancient morning glory leaves. This could beat the American claim as the point of origin of the sweet potato family by about 22 million years.

Sweet potato varieties range in color from dark red to brown to purple to orange-yellow to white. They also have different tastes, sizes, shapes, and textures.Sweet potatoes are very hardy vegetables. They’re able to grow at many altitudes, in many climates, and under compromised soil conditions. Even if you don’t have the greenest of thumbs, sweet potatoes are pretty forgiving with just a little TLC.

Sweet potatoes are a staple food in many parts of the world.Some people use the terms “sweet potato” and “yam” interchangeably. However, they are not related. Yams have a drier texture and a more starchy content than sweet potato.

 Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), niacin (vitamin B3), vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, and copper.

They get their orange color from beta-carotene, which is a pigment and antioxidant. Sweet potatoes also contain a modest but helpful amount of protein — around four grams per cup when cooked.

When compared to white potatoes, sweet potatoes offer more vitamins and antioxidants. Surprisingly, considering their sweeter taste, they also have a mildly lower glycemic index score. This makes them slower to digest.

But the greatest sweet potato nutritional glory of all may be its rich supply of vitamin A. A single sweet potato offers over double the daily value for vitamin A.

Benefits

Sweet potato may offer a variety of health benefits. Here are some of the ways in which they may benefit a person’s health:

They Keep Your Heart Healthy

The high fiber 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.

They’re also high in copper, an essential metal for making red blood cells and keeping your heart healthy. Low levels of copper have been linked to dangerously high homocysteine, blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol levels.

Improving insulin sensitivity in diabetes

Sweet potatoes may help improve insulin sensitivity. In one 2008 study, researchers found that an extract of white skinned sweet potato improved insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes.

The fiber and complex carbohydrates in sweet potatoes can help keep your blood sugar stable. And it can help you feel full longer. Studies have found that people who consume more fiber appear to have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Around half a cup serving of mashed sweet potato, will provide about 2.5 g of fiber.

Reducing the risk of cancer

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta-carotene. This is a plant pigment that acts as a powerful antioxidant in the body. Beta-carotene is also a provitamin. The body converts it into the active form of vitamin A.

Up to 80% of the protein in sweet potatoes is a type of storage protein known as sporamin. This unique protein has been studied for anti-cancer ability and found to be effective in several disease types.

Antioxidants may help reduce the risk of various types of cancer, including prostate and lung cancer.

Sweet potato peels, particularly those of the purple varieties, may be especially powerful when it comes to cancer prevention.

Improving digestion and regularity

The fiber content in sweet potatoes can help prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract. They also contain resistant starch, a type of starch that plays a role in feeding your body’s “good” bacteria.

Also, multiple studies have linked high dietary fiber intake with a reduced risk of colorectal cancers.

Boosting immunity

Half a cup of sweet potato provides 12.8 mg of vitamin C. Vitamin C supports the immune system and enhances iron absorption which is important for wound healing and tissue repair.Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants that prevent free radical damage in your body.

And the vitamin A in sweet potatoes helps your body make immune cells that stave off infections and disease and have anti-tumor effects. Purple sweet potatoes contain especially potent antioxidants.

Reducing inflammation

Sweet potatoes contain choline, a nutrient that helps with muscle movement, learning, and memory. It also supports the nervous system. A 2010 study found that taking high dose choline supplements helped manage inflammation in people with asthma. However, this does not necessarily mean that choline from sweet potatoes will have the same impact.

One of the particular antioxidants that’s found most abundantly in purple sweet potato flesh is cyanidin. Cyanidin has been linked to reducing inflammation, especially in the digestive tract.

They Are Good for Your Eyes

Sweet potatoes contain several nutrients that have been linked to improved eye health and vision. Some of the most powerful are the carotenoids. They include alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

Beta-carotene, when taken as a supplement in isolation from the other carotenoids, can cause imbalances. But when eaten in foods, where it is always accompanied by, and in balance with, an entire suite of carotenoids, it’s been shown to have powerful anti-cancer and vision-enhancing properties.

They Fuel Your Brain

Sweet potatoes also contain compounds that help your brain function at its best, including choline and manganese.

Choline is an essential nutrient for brain growth and development, as well as the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine that sends messages between cells.

Manganese is also important for brain health. It binds to neurotransmitters and helps move electrical impulses through your body faster.

They Can Help Ease Stress and Anxiety

Sweet potatoes may help you relax. They’re high in magnesium, which has been shown to play a role in calming the brain. Magnesium deficiency has been linked to depression, mood disturbances, and headaches.

They Can Help Boost Fertility

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for healthy reproduction. And as we know, sweet potatoes are a fantastic source.

Sweet potatoes also offer a rich supply of iron, which has also been shown to be important in supporting fertility.