Rich in flavour, Vitamin A, potassium and fiber, sweet potato packs a powerful nutritional punch.
Sweet on potatoes, but worried about the calories they contain? It’s time for you to try a healthier alternative.
Sweet potatoes, best known as shakarkandi in India, don’t actually belong to the same tuberous family as the potato, but their starchy and creamy texture makes them an ideal substitute for regular potatoes in most dishes. Recently labelled as a superfood, sweet potato is good for the eyes, controls blood pressure, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Sweet Potato contains plenty of goodness
Sweet potatoes aren’t just full of flavour – this superfood also packs a powerful nutritional punch! A 150g sweet potato, when roasted contains only 135 calories (31g carb, 3.8 g fiber and no fat) making it a low-calorie, virtually fat-free source of energy.
Some of the health benefits of sweet potato include:
1.Best source of vitamin A
Sweet potatoes have the highest amount of beta-carotene among all fruits and vegetables which, when digested, is converted into vitamin A. One medium-sized spud contains over 400% of your daily need for vitamin A, an antioxidant that helps keep the skin healthy, promotes eye health and builds immunity.
2.Packed with potassium
A medium sweet potato contains almost 500 mg of potassium, which is good for the nervous system and lowers blood pressure.
3.Maintains healthy blood sugar levels
Sweet potato when eaten in moderation, can help maintain healthy blood sugar levels even for those with diabetes, because of its low glycemic index.
4.Full of fiber
One medium sweet potato with skin provides roughly between 4 to 6 grams of fiber, which is good for digestion and preventing ailments like heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease and constipation.
5.Improves fertility in women
According to a Harvard Medical School study, plant-based iron, like that found in sweet potatoes, can even promote fertility.
6.Good source of choline
Choline, a micronutrient in the B-vitamin family, is found in sweet potato. It helps improve sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory, and even reduces chronic inflammation.
Wondering how you can munch on this healthy potato? We’ve got the recipes ready for you!
Healthy Sweet Potato recipes
Interestingly, some of the best recipes that feature this versatile produce – which can be boiled, baked or even sautéed – are savoury, as a little bit of heat best brings out its sweet-spicy flavour.
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Originally Published on the HealthifyMe Blog