Sweet Potatoes (There and Back Again)

Follow this link to a re-post of my sweet potato article from September 2012 on OKRA's new web site.

Slice of Life: Sweet Potato (Photo: Wikipedia Commons)

One cup or one medium sweet potato with its skin (5”) contains 114 calories, 4 grams fiber, 2.1 grams protein, 40 mg sodium, and is negligible in saturated fat and cholesterol. Sweet potatoes are most notable as excellent sources of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, a cancer-fighter and antioxidant that helps to prevent sun damage and premature aging. Sweet potatoes with dark orange flesh are richest in carotenoid pigments and bioavailable beta-carotene.

As a rich source of complex carbohydrates, sweet potatoes provide sustained energy. With regard to complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranks higher in nutritional value than the white potato, spinach, or broccoli.

Health benefits associated with sweet potatoes include blood sugar regulation, reduced inflammation, and successful blood clotting. As starchy root vegetables, many people would expect sweet potatoes to quickly elevate blood sugar levels, because concentrated starches are easily converted by the digestive tract into simple sugars. However, sweet potatoes contain dietary fiber (4 grams per medium sweet potato) and help to modify insulin metabolism, and actually improve blood sugar regulation, even in Type 2 diabetics. Boiling sweet potatoes seems to favorably impact glucose regulation more than roasting or baking.

Reduced inflammation following the consumption of sweet potatoes has been linked to vitamins A and C in particular, especially in purple sweet potatoes. These anti-inflammatory properties are due to the phytochemical and antioxidant anthocyanin and other color-related pigments; the purple sweet potato owes its rich color from phytochemical anthocyanin and other polyphenols. In addition to reducing inflammation, these substances help to reduce cardiovascular disease, improve vision, and increase memory.

Some of the same color-related phytochemicals in sweet potatoes impact fibrinogen, which is critical for successful blood clotting (stopping blood loss and closing wounds).  It is important for individuals who take medications for clotting issues to keep this in mind if sweet potato consumption is high.

Continue reading the full OKRA article here. For a full nutrition article archive, click here.