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Sweet potatoes:                                                        

• Aids iron absorption from cereals
• Linked to reduced risk of arthritis
• A good source of vitamins A,C and E

This week I am going to talk about sweet potatoes, it is a very sweet delicious food let’s talk about its nutritious value.

Nutritious value

Well sweet potato is an excellent source of vitamin A (beta-carotene) and a very good source of vitamin C and manganese also a good source of copper, vitamin B6, dietary fibers and iron. 

Now vitamin C and beta-carotene are very powerful antioxidants which have healing properties they work in the body to eliminate free radicals. Free radicals are chemicals that damage cells and cell membranes and they cause some bad health conditions such as atherosclerosis, colon cancer, and diabetic heart disease, that’s why vitamin C and beta-carotene are very helpful for preventing these conditions. And it’s good to know that the deeper orange, the sweet potato and the higher its beta-carotene content.

High blood level of beta-carotene can reduce skin sensitivity to sunlight, that’s not an alternative for sunscreen lotions or sun exposure precautions.

 Beta-carotene appears to double the rate of iron absorption from cereals such as rice, corn and wheat.

It has anti-inflammatory properties also so it has been linked to reduced risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. And that is why sweet potatoes are a better alternative than the starchy white potatoes. Sweet potatoes helps to prevent arthritis unlike white potatoes that angervate the symptoms of arthritis. Recent studies on animals have shown that sweet potatoes may regulate blood sugar level so it is a very good food for diabetic people to include in their diet.

Check the nutritional value of sweet potatoes in the table below.

  Image source: whfoods.com

How to buy your sweet potato?

First thing you have to avoid sweet potatoes in the refrigerated sections because what happen is the moisture from the refrigeration will change the flavor of the sweet potatoes and cause it to sprout so keep in mind when you bring them home do not store them in the refrigerator just store them in a cool dark place and they last for about a week.

How to include sweet potatoes in your diet?

You can chop them, steam them and serve it with feta cheese salad with a dressing from your choice (low-fat dressing) or you can steam them and mash them serve it with some shredded coconut and some nuts it will be an excellent side dish. The best way and my favorite it to bake them just wash them cut them halves, sprinkle a little salt on it and bake them for about 30 minutes are a little more if it was a big one, the combination of the sweetness of the sweet potato and the saltiness of the salt will give a great taste you can add a little olive oil if you like (Beta-carotene is best absorbed when eaten with fat) I like to eat it with its skin so in that case try to buy organic sweet potatoes, you don’t want to eat those pesticides.

So at the end I hope you enjoyed food of this week try to include it in your diet because it is such a nutritious food.