Nutritional content of sweet potatoes
The article on the Medlatec General Hospital website has medical consultation from BSCKI. Duong Ngoc Van said that according to scientists, sweet potatoes contain many nutrients and minerals that are beneficial to health. Therefore, you can add sweet potatoes to your daily diet. According to research, 100g of sweet potatoes contain the following outstanding nutrients:
- 90 calories.
- 20.7g carbs.
- 2g protein
- 0.15g fat.
- 3.3g fiber.
- Vitamin A.
- Vitamin C
- Manganese.
- Vitamin B6.
- Potassium.
- Pantothenic acid.
- Copper.
- Niacin.
- Magnesium
Orange and purple sweet potatoes contain a lot of good antioxidants. Therefore, eating sweet potatoes regularly will help protect your body from free radicals (the cause of dangerous cancers).
Sweet potatoes are nutritious food that is good for your health.
What are the effects of sweet potatoes?
Eating sweet potatoes properly, your body will receive the following benefits:
Supports gut health
Digestive problems and intestinal health will be significantly improved thanks to the fiber content and antioxidants in sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes contain soluble and insoluble fiber. Eating sweet potatoes can help increase the amount of fiber in the body and promote better digestion.
One of the benefits of sweet potatoes is that they help prevent constipation. Thanks to soluble fiber (viscous fiber), it absorbs water well and makes your stool softer. Non-viscous fiber cannot dissolve and does not absorb water, so it will create a larger mass.
These fibers can also be fermented by colon bacteria. They can produce compounds called short-chain fatty acids, which provide the intestinal lining cells with the energy they need. These compounds also help keep the intestinal lining cells healthy.
Sweet potatoes also contain many unique proteins that can effectively fight oxidation. Studies show that proteins contain about 1/3 of the antioxidant activity of glutathione - an extremely important product in creating antioxidant activities. These nutrients are extremely beneficial for intestinal health.
Has anti-cancer properties
One of the effects of sweet potatoes is to fight oxidation. Sweet potatoes contain many different antioxidants, especially purple sweet potatoes - effective in fighting cancer.
The components in purple sweet potatoes can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, typically stomach, colon, breast or bladder cancer. In purple sweet potatoes, high concentrations of anthocyanin are antioxidants that explain why they are beneficial against cancer cells.
Sweet potato extracts have the ability to kill prostate cancer cells. They ensure that the cancer cells will not be able to spread to other parts of the prostate.
Good for eye health
Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) which can improve vision health. This vitamin is important for the formation of light-absorbing pigments in the eyes. At the same time, they will also maintain a proper structure for the retina.
Eating sweet potatoes can help supplement the necessary amount of vitamin A, thereby preventing the formation of eye-related diseases and keeping the eyes healthy. Some studies conducted in vitro have shown that anthocyanins in sweet potatoes have the ability to protect eye cells from being affected or damaged. Of course, this active ingredient is also very important for protecting eye health.
Boost immune system
Orange-skinned sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, a plant compound that can be converted into a vitamin in the body. Vitamin A is essential for the immune system. Low levels of vitamin A can weaken the immune system. Therefore, eating sweet potatoes to get vitamin A will help maintain healthy mucous membranes, especially the lining of the intestines.
Along with vitamin A, iron also plays a very important role in health. It is involved in the production of red and white blood cells. At the same time, vitamin A can also fight stress and support immune function. In addition, this nutrient also participates in the metabolism of proteins in the body.
A healthy gut is a key factor in boosting the health of the immune system. If the body is deficient in vitamin A, the risk of intestinal inflammation increases. As a result, the immune system will also be affected and gradually weakened. Therefore, eating sweet potatoes regularly can also help increase the amount of vitamin A needed.
Enhance brain functions
The effect of sweet potatoes is found to improve brain function. Scientists have conducted some studies on animals and shown that anthocyanins in purple sweet potatoes can reduce inflammation and prevent the negative effects of free radicals. Thanks to that, brain functions will be protected in the best way.
Anthocyanin is known to be a very good antioxidant. Therefore, eating a lot of sweet potatoes will also help improve your concentration and memory a lot.
Should you eat sweet potatoes every day?
VietNamNet newspaper quoted American nutritionist Natalie Rizzo explaining that sweet potatoes are definitely good for your health every day, but there are many other nutritious vegetables for you to enjoy. Expert Rizzo said: "If you are eating more than one sweet potato a day, you should consider changing to get a variety of other nutrients."
Meanwhile, some other experts say that the high beta-carotene content in sweet potatoes can turn the skin orange if eaten in excess.
Things to note when eating sweet potatoes
Health & Life Newspaper quoted Traditional Medicine Practitioner Tran Dang Tai - Vice President of the Oriental Medicine Association of Thai Hoa Town - Nghe An, saying that when eating sweet potatoes, you need to pay attention to the following:
Eat too much : Sweet potatoes are good, but you should not eat too much, because if you eat too much, you will consume too many oxidizing enzymes, creating a large amount of carbon dioxide in the intestines, leading to bloating and heartburn; In addition, this substance will also promote excessive secretion of stomach acid, causing the problem of "heartburn" of stomach acid.
Eating incorrectly: For any healthy food, to maximize its nutrition and effects, a reasonable processing method is essential. The healthiest way to eat sweet potatoes is to boil or steam them, avoid frying or adding sugar, this will help your health.
This leads to too many calories being taken in. Moreover, sweet potatoes should not be crushed and eaten. This not only destroys the fiber in sweet potatoes but also accelerates the increase in blood sugar levels.
Do not eat when hungry: Do not eat sweet potatoes on an empty stomach because they contain tannins and glue that will promote the secretion of stomach acid in the stomach. Eating on an empty stomach not only causes stomach acid problems but also damages the stomach lining.
Sweet potatoes with black spots: The appearance of black spots indicates that the potatoes are infected with bacteria, causing liver poisoning. Whether baked or boiled, this toxin is not easily destroyed. Therefore, you should absolutely not eat this type of poisonous sweet potato.
Eat sweet potatoes with the skin on: Because the skin of sweet potatoes contains a lot of alkaline substances, it will affect the peristalsis of the digestive system.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/co-nen-an-khoai-lang-moi-ngay-ar904109.html
Comment (0)