5 Surprising benefits of sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes is a popular vegetable that is popular and grown across the globe. It comes in a variety of sizes and colors and are rich in minerals, antioxidants and fiber. As they are packed with nutrients , they also make a great baby food. Here are a few surprising health benefits of sweet potatoes.

1. Sweet potatoes promotes gut health – Sweet potatoes are high on fibre and antioxidants and are advantageous for the gut health. They contain two types of fibre which is soluble and insoluble. The body cannot digest either type so the fibre stays in the digestive tract and provides a variety of gut related health benefits.

2. They are highly nutritious – Sweet potatoes are a rich source of vitamins, fibre and minerals. Apart from proteins and fat, they provide vitamins, manganese, potassium, copper, niacin and other healthy nutrients. The orange and pulp variety of sweet potatoes are rich in anti oxidants and protect the body from free radicals.

3. Can have cancer fighting properties – There are various kinds of antioxidants and can help against certain types of cancers. For instance it has Anthocyanins which is a group of anti oxidants which are found in purple sweet potatoes which have been found to slow the growth of certain types of cancers including those of stomach, bladder, colon and breast.

4. Supports healthy vision – The vegetable is rich in beta-carotene which is responsible for the bright orange color. It has more than seven times the amount of beta carotene which the average adult needs in a day. Sweet potatoes can also help in the severe vitamin A deficiency.

5. Can enhance brain function – The purple kind of the vegetable can improve brain function. The antioxidant anthocyanins can protect the brain by reducing the inflammation and prevent free radical damage. Experiments on mice have shown that it helps in improving learning power and memory.

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