What are the nutritional values ​​of sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes have many names, such as sweet potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, etc. Different regions have different names. The nutritional value of sweet potatoes is particularly high, and it can better prevent many diseases. Therefore, many people like to eat it now. Many friends who like to eat it want to fully understand its nutritional value. The following is a specific answer, you can come to fully understand it.

1. Weight loss effect: Sweet potatoes have been regarded by nutritionists as a food and medicine, a nutritionally balanced food. Its calories are only one-third of the calories produced by the same weight of rice, and it contains almost no fat and cholesterol. Eating sweet potatoes regularly is beneficial to human health and has certain weight loss effects. But don't eat too much sweet potatoes at one time to avoid abdominal discomfort symptoms such as heartburn, acid reflux or bloating.

2 Anti-cancer effect: The most anti-cancer nutrients in the diet are β-carotene (a precursor of vitamin A), vitamin C and folic acid, and sweet potatoes are rich in all three. A small sweet potato (about 2 taels) can provide twice the amount of vitamin A required by the human body every day, one-third of the daily amount of vitamin C required, and about 50 micrograms of folic acid; the dietary fiber content is higher than that of a bowl of oatmeal porridge.

The antioxidant effects of β-carotene and vitamin C help resist the damage of oxidative stress to the genetic material deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and play a certain anti-cancer role.

Eating sweet potatoes regularly helps maintain normal folic acid levels in the body. Too low folic acid levels in the body will increase the risk of cancer. The high content of dietary fiber in sweet potatoes can promote gastrointestinal motility, prevent constipation and colorectal cancer.

3 Good for the heart: Sweet potatoes are rich in potassium, beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin B6, all of which help prevent cardiovascular disease. Potassium helps maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body's cells and maintain normal blood pressure and heart function.

β-carotene and vitamin C have the effects of anti-lipid oxidation and preventing atherosclerosis. Supplementation of folic acid and vitamin B6 can help lower the level of homocysteine ​​in the blood, which can damage arteries and is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

4. Prevent emphysema: An animal experiment at the University of Kansas in the United States found that rats that smoke have lower levels of vitamin A in their bodies and are more prone to emphysema; while the incidence of emphysema in smoking rats that eat food rich in vitamin A is significantly reduced. Why some long-term smokers live to be over 90 years old without developing emphysema may be related to the rich vitamin A content in their daily diet. Researchers recommend that smokers or those exposed to passive smoking should eat foods rich in vitamin A, such as sweet potatoes, every day to prevent emphysema.

5. Anti-sugar effect: Sweet potatoes have certain anti-diabetic effects. A clinical study at the University of Vienna in Austria found that patients with type 2 diabetes improved their insulin sensitivity and helped control blood sugar after taking white-skinned sweet potato extract.

6. Laxative effect: Sweet potatoes contain a large amount of cellulose and pectin that are not easily destroyed by digestive enzymes. They can stimulate the secretion of digestive juice and gastrointestinal motility, thereby playing a laxative effect.

What are the nutritional values ​​of sweet potatoes? After understanding the above introduction, I believe you have a better understanding. In order to make yourself healthier, supplement the body's nutrition through sweet potatoes, and stay away from more diseases, you should add sweet potatoes to your daily diet so that your body can maintain health and longevity.