Seven Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are gaining momentum in health circles as it is nutrient rich, packed with antioxidants and high in fiber. This root vegetable comes in various colors from white to purple and has a sweet flavor and aroma. In the kitchen the sweet potato is a versatile ingredient and makes an appearance in mashes, fries, casseroles, and desserts. (See recipe below for a delicious sweet potato pie and bourbon whipped topping)

Below are seven health benefits sweet potatoes bring to the table:

1. Antioxidant rich
2. Boosts immunity
3. Supports vision health
4. Steadies blood sugar level
5. Improves brain function
6. Assists in weight loss
7. Promotes digestion

Antioxidant rich

Sweet potatoes are loaded with antioxidants that fight off toxic free radicals reducing the risk of chronic disease. Sweet potatoes that have orange flesh contain high levels of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that promotes vision and respiratory health. Pigment related antioxidants like the ones found in sweet potatoes help mitigate inflammatory disorders. As a rule of thumb the more color rich the sweet potato the higher amount of antioxidants it contains.

Purple sweet potatoes contain the highest amount of antioxidants. This type of sweet potato contains the antioxidant anthocyanin, which produces the purple color.

Boosts Immunity

Each medium sweet potato contains 438% of your daily requirement of vitamin A, which plays a vital role in your immunity. It helps accelerate the production of immune cells to fight off disease and infection. The orange sweet potato contains the most amount of Vitamin A.

Supports vision health

Vitamin A, found to be bountiful in the sweet potato, promotes vision health. Symptoms to look out for when a person has insufficient amounts of vitamin A include night blindness, dry eyes, and accumulation of keratin on the conjunctiva.

In addition, beta-carotene, an antioxidant in the sweet potato, also can contribute to vision health.

Steadies blood sugar level

The sweet potato is high in fiber, which slows the body’s absorption of sugar. This prevents your blood sugar level from spiking and collapsing. Studies have been focused on the sweet potato, Caiapo, and its ability to reduce and stabilize blood sugar levels. In fact research suggests that Caiapo can improve insulin sensitivity allowing the body to maintain normal blood sugar levels.

In addition sweet potatoes contain manganese, which helps the body metabolize carbohydrates and maintain blood sugar levels, stabilize your appetite, and utilize antioxidants.

Improves brain function

Research suggests that eating sweet potatoes as part of a healthy diet can improve memory and brain function due to their high levels of antioxidants and nutrients.

Assists in weight loss

This root vegetable when added to a healthy diet can help you drop stubborn weight. The sweet potato is nutrient and fiber rich which helps reduce cravings and encourage satiety. The fiber in sweet potatoes moves through your body slowly, quieting hunger while providing long-lasting energy.

Promotes digestion

The high fiber content of sweet potatoes fosters a healthy digestive system. Research suggests that sweet potatoes can help prevent and manage gastric and duodenal ulcers due to their high phytosterol content.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Pie, Bourbon Whipped Topping

Photo Credit: Sweet Potato Pie by sweetfixNYC Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 unbaked pie crust

Bourbon Whipped Topping:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ tablespoons premium bourbon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 1 hour. When cooled scrape the pulp out of the skin, transfer to a large bowl, and mash. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, spices, and salt. Beat for 1 minute. Add evaporated milk. Stir mixture into sweet potatoes. Beat with mixer until smooth and pour into an unbaked pie shell.

Bake on bottom rack of oven for 1 hour or until center of pie is firm. Serve warm. Add dollop of bourbon whipped topping if desired.

Bourbon Whipped Topping:

In a large mixer bowl, place all the ingredients and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. (Chill the whisk beater alongside the bowl.)

Beat the mixture until soft peaks from when the beater is raised or the cream mounds softly when dropped from a spoon. Do not overbeat.

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