Sweet Potato: The Health Benefits & Side Effects That You Haven’t Heard Before

Sweet potato belongs to the bindweed or morning glory family. It is a dicotyledonous plant and distantly relates to potatoes. It is a root vegetable that tastes sweet and has high starch content. They are packed with lots of nutrients & antioxidants.They are a “super food” in its true sense however they may pose harmful side effect to some people.  In this article, you will be able to find the Health Benefits of Sweet Potato and their Side effects that you have never heard before!

Health Benefits Of Sweet Potato

Below we have given a few benefits of eating sweet potatoes;

Blood Glucose levels

There are numerous health benefits of sweet potato one of them being improving insulin sensitivity in people with Type 2 Diabetes. It also has a high content of fiber which helps in regulating blood sugar levels in the body which also helps people with Type 1 diabetes and it also helps reduce the risk of getting it. Even a small serving of sweet potato leaves you with around 2.5 gm of fiber. As mentioned above it regulates the blood sugar levels of the body because of the potassium present in it and promotes a healthy cardiovascular system.

Rich in Antioxidants

Sweet potato is a good source of antioxidants. Beta carotene a plant pigment present in it acts as a powerful antioxidant in the body. The beta carotene helps prevent cell damage caused by free radical molecules and also prevent them from getting high in an amount in the body. The beta carotene gets converted into the active form of Vitamin A as it is a provitamin. Vitamin A lowers the risk of getting cancer including lung and prostate and is also good for your eyes. It also supports the immune system by keeping it healthy and also helps in cell growth.

Bowel Health

Sweet potato being enriched with fiber content promotes bowel health. It prevents constipation and regulates healthy and regular bowel movements. It also improves digestion and the high content of starch in them makes them extremely easy to digest. It also prevents the body from colon-related problems like colorectal cancer.

Stress Relief And Bone Health

Sweet potato is a good source of magnesium which is exactly why it so good for stress. Magnesium is a mineral known to help reduce stress. It promotes calmness, relaxation which instantly elevates the mood. It modulates the body stress response system and reduces anxiety, eases stress and minimizes our response to fear and gives you a feeling of relief and positivity. Magnesium plays an important role in bone health. A high to moderate intake of magnesium in your diet reduces the risk of conditions like osteoporosis and maintains higher bone mineral density in the body.

Side Effects Of Sweet Potato

Sweet potato may not be so good for people suffering from heart conditions as sweet potatoes have a high amount of potassium in them which cannot be good for people on beta-blocker medications. People suffering from kidney-related conditions should also go easy on the amount of potassium they are consuming every day. Consuming too much of it can lead to serious health conditions.  Like the saying, “too much of anything can be dangerous” too much sweet potatoes can be dangerous too as eating too much of it can lead to kidney and gall bladder stones due to the high content of oxalate found in sweet potato.

Consuming too much sweet potato can make your skin and nails go pale orange in colour and can cause various other health-related problems which includes stomach problems, heart problems, vitamin toxicity, kidney failure and blood sugar issues. So, the key is to eat sweet potatoes in moderation for living a healthy problem free life.