What are the health benefits of eating sweet potatoes every day?
Oct
Sweet potatoes are a food in the group of cheap but healthy foods. With rich nutritional content, sweet potatoes are not only a source of nutrients but also suitable for many different diets and health conditions. This article will help you learn about the benefits of eating sweet potatoes every day and the best way to eat sweet potatoes for your health.
Is it good to eat sweet potatoes every day?
Before learning about the benefits of eating sweet potatoes every day, let’s explore the nutritional value of this food! Every 100g of cooked sweet potatoes will provide 119 calories, 0.8g of protein, 0.2g of fat, 28.5g of glucid, 1.3g of fiber and vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, minerals manganese, copper, potassium, niacin, antioxidants, … with a certain content. If we eat sweet potatoes every day properly and in sufficient amounts, we will receive health benefits such as:
Sweet potatoes have anti-inflammatory effects
Sweet potatoes contain abundant beta-carotene, especially yellow sweet potatoes. A cup of yellow sweet potatoes can even meet 375% of the recommended daily beta-carotene requirement. This is an effective anti-inflammatory ingredient, helping to prevent and reduce inflammation symptoms in the body.
Eat sweet potatoes every day to fight aging
Carotenoids in sweet potatoes are effective antioxidants. This substance can protect the body from the effects of ultraviolet rays, gases and other pollutants in the environment. Thanks to that, cells in the body can slow down the aging process, helping to prevent and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.
Sweet potatoes are a “miracle drug” for the digestive system
Eating sweet potatoes to treat constipation is something most people already know. The fiber in sweet potatoes will absorb water molecules to help soften waste and make it easier to pass. Preventing constipation is very important for patients with hemorrhoids.
Sweet potatoes help lose weight
Eating sweet potatoes every day in moderation will help you lose weight quite well. Sweet potatoes help you feel full longer, limit hunger and cravings for snacks. Sweet potatoes are also a low-fat food. Therefore, we often see this food frequently present in weight loss menus.
Ideal food for people with gluten allergies
The nutritional composition of sweet potatoes does not contain gluten. Therefore, people who are allergic to this substance can use sweet potatoes to replace foods containing gluten such as: Cereals, wheat, bread, sweets, potatoes, malt, …
Although sweet potatoes bring many health benefits, we should only eat sweet potatoes every day in moderation. According to recommendations, an adult with normal health should not eat more than 2 sweet potatoes per day (equivalent to 300g).
Harmful effects of eating too many sweet potatoes
Is eating too many sweet potatoes good? The answer is no. Some of the harmful effects of sweet potatoes when we tend to abuse this food include:
- Eating too many sweet potatoes can increase the risk of kidney stones. The reason is that sweet potatoes contain a high amount of oxalic acid. When consumed in excess, this substance cannot be eliminated from the body in time, causing the kidneys to be overloaded. Oxalic acid accumulates to form small kidney stones that gradually grow larger over time.
- Sweet potatoes contain a type of carbohydrate called mannitol. When consumed in excess, they will cause stomach discomfort with symptoms of bloating, flatulence, and abdominal pain.
- Eating sweet potatoes in moderation can stabilize blood sugar at normal levels. But eating too much can cause blood sugar levels to spike. This is not good for pre-diabetic or diabetic patients.
- Sweet potatoes are rich in potassium, good for the heart. But if you eat too many sweet potatoes, it can lead to excess potassium, which can cause side effects such as: potassium poisoning, hyperkalemia, chest pain, heart attack, etc.
Consuming too many sweet potatoes for a long time can increase the concentration of vitamin A in the blood and lead to vitamin A poisoning. Excess vitamin A can also cause dry skin and hair, eyebrow loss, chapped lips, and affect liver function.
When we eat too many sweet potatoes, we tend to reduce the consumption of other foods. This leads to a nutritional imbalance that is not good for health.
