Sweet potatoes can add quality nutrients and vitamins to a balanced diet. The American Heart Association advocates the sweet potato as a food that may help in disease prevention. This versatile food offer an abundance of vitamins, fiber and complex carbohydrates that can guarantee a heart-healthy addition to any meal.
Serving Size
A large sweet potato is 6.3 ounces or 180 grams. It offers a healthy nutritional profile when baked with its skin on, without butter or oil. In this state, the sweet potato provides 162 calories, with 4 g of protein and zero grams of fat.
Vitamin Content
Sweet potatoes are a good source of beta-carotene--vitamin A--having more than four times the recommended daily amount, provided they are eaten with the skin on. Vitamin A is essential in maintaining healthy vision. It also aids in the body's response to illness and infection.
Sweet potatoes provide vitamin C. A medium-sized sweet potato can offer nearly 30 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C, making this a healthy, nutritional choice. Vitamin C helps to ward of illness and may play a role in decreasing the risk of gout, coronary heart disease and some types of cancer.
Sweet potatoes contain potassium, an important element in the body that maintains water balance, aids in muscle function, and helps protect against heart disease. This crucial element is another reason that the sweet potato is a heart-healthy choice.
Fiber
The sweet potato can offer 6 grams of fiber in one serving. The American Dietetic Association has touted the sweet potato as a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol. Thus, the sweet potato can help to increase satiation between meals while also helping to reduce blockages in the arteries. Its insoluble fiber content can help to bulk up stool and prevent constipation. Insoluble fiber helps to improve digestive functions by increasing regularity and maintaining healthy bowels.
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are abundant in the sweet potato, with one medium-sized potato offering 22 g. Complex carbohydrates are the healthier choice over their simple counterparts. While simple carbohydrates, found in sugary snacks, are broken into glucose and used more quickly by the body, complex carbohydrates take longer to digest. As a result, satiation is increased and hunger pangs reduced between meal times.
Versatility
Sweet potatoes can be an easy addition to any meal. They can be sliced, tossed with spices and heart-healthy olive oil and baked in the oven to offer a healthier version of french fries. They can also be baked and topped with low-fat yogurt or nut butter to increase satiation and nutritional benefits. They are naturally sweet and can be added to muffins, smoothies and pies for an extra fiber and vitamin boost.
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