Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamins, minerals, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin and carotenoids. It is thanks to these nutritional components that sweet potatoes can support you in the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases, promote weight loss, and improve skin and hair.
Nutritional composition of sweet potato
The effects of sweet potatoes depend a lot on its nutritional value. In 100g of sweet potato tubers, there is a significant content of the following nutrients, minerals and vitamins:
- Calcium: 38mg
- Fiber: 3.3g
- Energy: 90kcal
- Fat: 0.15g
- Folate (Vitamin B9): 6 μg
- Iron: 0.69mg
- Magnesium: 27mg
- Manganese: 0.5mg
- Niancin (Vitamin B3): 1.5mg
- Phosphorus: 54mg
- Potassium: 475mg
- Protein: 2g
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 0.11mg
- Sodium: 36mg
- Zinc: 0.32mg
- Starch: 7.05g
- Sugar: 6.5g
- Thiamine (Vitamin B1): 0.11mg
- Vitamin A: 961 μg
- Vitamin B6: 0.29mg
- Vitamin C: 19.6mg
- Vitamin E: 0.71mg
1. Prevent Vitamin A Deficiency
What is the effect of sweet potato? Because of their high beta carotene content, sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A for the body. After eating sweet potatoes, beta carotene contained in potatoes will be converted into vitamin A by the liver, each beta carotene molecule produces two molecules of vitamin A.
Our body needs vitamin A to be able to fight various infections and increase its ability to fight infections later on.
2. The effect of sweet potatoes to reduce stress
Sweet potatoes are high in magnesium, an important mineral for the body to function properly. In addition, magnesium also has a great use of helping to reduce anxiety and stress.
Magnesium deficiency is strongly associated with a higher risk of stress, depression and anxiety. Therefore, eating sweet potatoes can help supplement magnesium levels, supporting the treatment of depression and anxiety-related behaviors.
3. Sweet potato benefits to help control diabetes
In some studies, the consumption of sweet potatoes helps to minimize the occurrence of insulin resistance. These tubers have a low glycemic index, which means they release sugar into the bloodstream very slowly, compared to other starchy foods. This steady release helps control one’s blood sugar levels. Therefore, the benefit of sweet potato is that it can help regulate blood sugar in diabetic patients.
In addition, this root has magnesium and high fiber content which is important in the management and prevention of diabetes.
4. The effect of sweet potatoes to help manage weight
Sweet potatoes contain fermentable and soluble fiber, which can provide the body with a natural self-maintenance and weight-regulating mechanism. Fibers such as pectin are not only effective in reducing food intake, but also increase the activity of hormones in the body. Therefore, the consumption of sweet potatoes will lead to a higher amount of fiber, which helps in effective weight loss.
5. Promotes Anti-Inflammatory Activity
Not only do they contain a good amount of vitamins that have great anti-inflammatory properties, but sweet potatoes also have a high concentration of choline. Choline is an amazing nutrient. One of the best benefits of choline is that it reduces the body’s inflammatory response which leads to less inflammation. In addition, sweet potatoes also contain anthocyanins, which are important for preventing and reducing inflammation in colon cancer cells, and reducing cell proliferation in some cancer cells.
Due to the choline and anthocyanin content, sweet potatoes become an essential food in helping to reduce and prevent inflammation.
6. The effect of sweet potatoes to enhance memory
Sweet potatoes contain anthocyanins, a substance with strong antioxidant properties. Therefore, the use of sweet potatoes can help you enhance memory effectively.
7. Uses of sweet potatoes: support to prevent and treat cancer
Is it good to eat sweet potatoes? Purple sweet potato is especially effective in fighting cancer. The components present in purple sweet potatoes can inhibit the growth of specific cancers such as stomach cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer. The high anthocyanin concentration in purple sweet potato is the reason why this tuber is useful in anticancer activity in breast cancer and stomach cancer.
Sweet potato extract can kill prostate cancer cells, ensuring that the cancer does not spread or grow to any other parts of the prostate gland.
8. The effect of sweet potatoes to help protect ulcers
Ulcers occur when inflamed tissue sloughs off and can be very painful. Sweet potato extract is good for protecting gastrointestinal tissues from ulcers caused by taking aspirin. Therefore, sweet potatoes can be used in the management and treatment of peptic ulcers.
9. Uses of sweet potatoes: Reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases
When oxidation takes place in the body, it can lead to complications such as atherosclerosis, leading to the development of many cardiovascular diseases.
Sweet potato extracts contain high levels of polyphenols, which will prevent oxidation, helping to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. This root vegetable also contains soluble fiber that is strongly linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, anthocyanins, fiber, polyphenols… in sweet potatoes are very helpful in fighting cardiovascular diseases.
10. The effect of sweet potato improves hair and skin
This root vegetable is rich in vitamins A, C and E that are good for hair and skin.
Vitamin E has the ability to increase hair growth and density in people with excessive hair loss. This is because this vitamin has antioxidant properties that can help reduce one of the main causes of hair loss, which is oxidative stress.
Vitamin C is commonly used in the treatment of dermatological problems such as hyperpigmentation and skin aging. Vitamin C is needed for the synthesis of collagen, an important structural protein of the skin. This vitamin also has anti-inflammatory properties so it helps to manage skin problems like acne and helps with wounds
