Benefits of eating sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes, also known as yams, are a favorite vegetable of many people because of their nutrition and deliciousness. But do you know what are the benefits of eating sweet potatoes ?

sweet potato

About Sweet Potatoes

Also known as sweet potato or yam. Sweet potato is rich in starch, and its amino acid, vitamin A, B, C and cellulose content are higher than rice and white flour. It is also rich in essential minerals such as iron and calcium, and is a nutritionally comprehensive longevity food. A joint study by scientists from the United States and Japan showed that sweet potatoes contain substances similar to estrogen, and pregnant women can have fair, tender and delicate skin after eating them. Sweet potatoes contain mucin, which is a mixture of polysaccharides and proteins, belonging to collagen and mucopolysaccharide substances. This substance promotes the excretion of cholesterol, prevents cardiovascular fat deposition, and maintains the elasticity of arterial blood vessels, thereby effectively protecting the heart and preventing cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, sweet potatoes are a nutritious health food for pregnant women.

Six benefits of eating sweet potatoes

According to ancient documents such as Compendium of Materia Medica, sweet potatoes "replenish deficiency, strengthen qi and strength, strengthen the spleen and stomach, strengthen kidney yin", and "prolong life and reduce diseases". "Chinese Materia Medica" says that it is "sweet in taste, neutral in nature, and belongs to the spleen and kidney meridians", "replenishes the middle and activates blood circulation, replenishes qi and produces body fluid, relaxes the intestines and stomach, and relieves constipation". In the recent selection of the best health foods by the World Health Organization, sweet potatoes were rated as one of the 13 best vegetables. Modern medicine believes that the health functions of sweet potatoes mainly include the following aspects.

Fitness slows down aging

A study published last year by the National Cancer Prevention Institute of Japan pointed out that a special ingredient in sweet potatoes, dehydroepiandrosterone, can delay aging. The Stanford University Nutrition Institute in the United States also confirmed this statement through experiments.

Beauty and skin care

The mucus protein contained in sweet potatoes can maintain the elasticity of blood vessel walls and prevent the occurrence of atherosclerosis; the chlorogenic acid in sweet potatoes can inhibit the production of melanin and prevent the appearance of freckles and age spots. The estrogen in sweet potatoes can keep human skin delicate, reduce the accumulation of subcutaneous fat, moisturize the skin, prevent wrinkles, and beautify the skin.

Helps lose weight

Sweet potatoes help lose weight because the dietary fiber in sweet potatoes helps promote the excretion of fat and sugar in food, which are the "culprits" of obesity. In addition, after eating sweet potatoes, eaters are not likely to feel hungry, which greatly reduces the number of snacks.

Prevent and treat constipation

Sweet potatoes contain a large amount of dietary fiber, which cannot be digested and absorbed in the intestines. It can stimulate the intestines, enhance peristalsis, and promote bowel movements and detoxification. It is especially effective for constipation in the elderly.

Cancer prevention and treatment

Sweet potatoes not only contain essential lysine, but also contain a lot of carotene, which can inhibit abnormal differentiation of epithelial cells, enhance human immunity, and prevent carcinogens from binding to proteins in the cell nucleus. In recent years, clinical trials at the Philadelphia Hospital in the United States have shown that androstenone extracted from sweet potatoes can effectively inhibit the occurrence of colon cancer and breast cancer.

Control blood sugar

Sweet potatoes have certain anti-diabetic effects. A clinical study at the University of Vienna in Austria found that after taking white-skinned sweet potato extract, patients with type 2 diabetes had improved insulin sensitivity, which helped control blood sugar. Although sweet potatoes are good, they must be eaten scientifically and rationally to achieve their best health benefits. First, sweet potatoes must be steamed and cooked thoroughly before eating to prevent the starch in them from being difficult to digest in the gastrointestinal tract; second, because sweet potatoes have a high sugar content, they should not be eaten too much at one time to prevent abdominal discomfort; third, people with dampness blocking the spleen and stomach, qi stagnation and food accumulation should be cautious when eating sweet potatoes; finally, sweet potatoes cannot be eaten with persimmons, tomatoes, white wine, crabs, bananas, etc. to prevent gastrointestinal bleeding or gastric ulcers.

Benefits of eating sweet potatoes for diabetics

Japanese researchers found that the insulin levels in the blood of diabetic obese rats decreased by 26% and 60% after eating white-skinned sweet potatoes for 4 weeks and 6 weeks respectively; they also found that sweet potatoes can effectively inhibit the increase in blood sugar levels of diabetic obese rats after oral glucose intake; eating sweet potatoes can also reduce the levels of triglycerides and free fatty acids in diabetic rats; the study suggests that white-skinned sweet potatoes have a certain anti-diabetic effect. A clinical study at the University of Vienna in Austria found that after taking white-skinned sweet potato extract, patients with type 2 diabetes had improved insulin sensitivity, which helped control blood sugar.

Since sweet potatoes have so many benefits, is it true that the more you eat, the better? The answer is no, you should eat them in moderation.