HEALTH
BENEFITS
Sweet potatoes have grown in popularity, and for good reason. They are sweet, flavorful, and extremely versatile. They’re also packed with several nutrients that help to improve gut health, reduce the risk of developing heart disease, and contribute to our overall health.
Potassium is a mineral that is essential for our overall health and remains a key component in maintaining heart health. Its job includes stimulating muscles to contract and triggering the heart to squeeze blood through your body, which results in a healthy heartbeat. It also helps to maintain normal levels of fluid inside our cells by lessening the effects of sodium, which helps to reduce blood pressure. When you consume potassium-rich foods, your body excretes excess sodium through the process of urination. This helps to ease tension in your blood vessel walls, which helps further lower blood pressure. Reduced blood pressure significantly reduces the risk of developing heart disease. Increasing your intake of potassium-rich foods is recommended in adults with blood pressure above 120/80 who are otherwise healthy, but always consult your healthcare provider before making any significant dietary changes especially if there are any underlying health concerns such as kidney disease, or any condition that may affect how the body handles potassium.
How Much Potassium Do You Need?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends 4,700 milligrams per day for healthy adults. The easiest way to get this amount is by adding high-potassium fruits and vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, to your diet.
POTASSIUM
Sweet potatoes contain a great source of potassium. In fact, one large, cooked sweet potato (with the skin on) contains more than 850 milligrams, which is over 18% of the daily recommended amount for adults, according to the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture).
FIBER
In addition to potassium, sweet potatoes contain a good source of fiber, soluble and insoluble, which is beneficial for gut health. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material, which helps to lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Insoluble fiber encourages the movement of particles through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, which can be beneficial to those who may struggle with constipation or irregular stools.
When adding fiber to your diet, be sure not to overdo it. Eating too much fiber can cause digestive issues such as distress, gas, and intestinal blockages. Gradually adding fiber-rich foods, such as sweet potatoes, to your diet can help you reap those plentiful health benefits.
How Much Fiber Do You Need?
Most Americans are only consuming approximately 15 grams of fiber each day, which is not enough to meet the daily recommended amount. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, women should consume 25 grams, or 21 grams if over 50 years old, and men should consume 38 grams, or 30 grams if over 50. Fiber-rich diets containing at least 20–33 grams of fiber per day have been linked to a lower risk of colon cancer and more regular bowel movements.
VITAMIN C
Did you know that sweet potatoes contain a good source of vitamin C? One medium-sized baked sweet potato contains about 25% of the daily value of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps protect your cells against free radical damage. Free radicals have been linked to the increased risk of chronic conditions such as cancer and heart disease. They are known for wandering around in the body, and pulling electrons away from other molecules, which can cause severe cellular damage. Free radicals have also been linked to the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (also known as the bad cholesterol), which is considered an early step in the progression and development of atherosclerosis—which is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease.
Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, work hard to locate and deactivate those free radicals to prevent additional damage from occurring. Research shows that diets high in antioxidant-rich foods, such as sweet potatoes, have been linked to a reduced risk of developing heart disease.
How Much Vitamin C Do You Need?
The recommended daily intake for vitamin C is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. To reach this goal, it’s recommended to consume a diet rich in foods that contain a good source of vitamin C, such as sweet potatoes.
VITAMIN A
Vitamin A is another nutrient that’s found in sweet potatoes. In fact, one large sweet potato, baked with its skin, contains approximately 1,730 micrograms of vitamin A, which is over the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for men and women. Vitamin A is needed for several important processes in the body. It helps to maintain healthy vision, ensure a healthy functioning immune system, and aid in proper growth and development.
How Much Vitamin A Do You Need?
Your body cannot produce vitamin A on its own, which means that you need to get this nutrient from foods, such as sweet potatoes. The Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults 19 years and older is 900 micrograms for men (equivalent to 3,000 IU) and 700 micrograms for women (equivalent to 2,333 IU).
GLYCEMIC INDEX
Did you know that sweet potatoes are considered a low glycemic index food? The glycemic index, also known as GI, is the measure of how much certain foods increase blood sugar levels. It ranks them as low, medium, or high. Foods that are high in added sugars are broken down quickly in the bloodstream and tend to have a higher GI, while foods high in protein, fat, or fiber have less of an effect on blood sugar levels and typically have a lower GI.
There are other factors that may also affect GI value, including processing techniques and cooking methods, which is particularly true for sweet potatoes. Boiled sweet potatoes tend to have a lower GI due to the alteration of the chemical structure during the cooking process. The longer the boiling time, the lower the GI value tends to be. This cooking method helps to prevent spikes in blood sugar levels by allowing the starch to be more easily digested by enzymes in your body.
ANDREA MATHIS, MA, RDN, LD
Andrea (Andy) Mathis, MA, RDN, LD is an Alabama-based registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of the nourishing food blogs Beautiful Eats & Things and Little Eats & Things. She is also the author of The Complete Book of Smoothies: 115 Healthy Recipes to Nourish, Heal, and Energize. Her unconventional and practical approach to providing wholesome recipes and body-inclusive focused nutrition advice has been featured in the nation’s leading media outlets including Good Morning America, Women’s Health, Prevention, Huff Post, Shape and many more. She is a contributing editor for EatingWell, The Kitchn, Food and Nutrition Magazine and contributor to Mind Body Green, Well + Good, Parents, MSN, Healthline and others. When she’s not running after her two boys, Andy enjoys creating content to encourage self-love and promote body positivity.