What Are The Health Benefits Of Beets & Sweet Potatoes?

The United States Department of Agriculture suggests that adult men eat 3 cups of vegetables each day and that adult women eat 2.5 cups of veggies everyday. Beets and sweet potatoes are two very healthy foods that can be a part of your recommended intake of vegetables. They both contain many important vitamins and minerals and are low calorie.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential part of many of your cells functions. Inside your cells, magnesium helps make proteins and release energy during metabolism. In skeletal muscles, magnesium helps muscles relax after a contraction. Magnesium also assists your body in absorbing and metabolizing potassium, calcium and vitamin D. Beets and sweet potatoes are both healthy sources of magnesium. Magnesium is a trace mineral, so there is no certain recommendation for its intake. A four-ounce serving of raw beets contains 23mg of magnesium, and four ounces of raw sweet potatoes will give you 25mg.

Potassium

Potassium is an important mineral for keeping your body healthy. Potassium has many jobs, but most importantly it helps maintain your fluid electrolyte balance. In doing so, your heart can beat effectively and other electrolytes are controlled. When your heart beats, an interaction of positively charged molecules allows it to start a contraction that leads to the pumping of your blood. Potassium is a major player in this system; without enough potassium your heart would not be able to deliver the amount of blood that it should. In addition, potassium helps control your blood pressure by balancing out the sodium in your body. High levels of sodium can increase your blood pressure, but potassium works to decrease the effect that sodium can have on your arteries. The American Heart Association recommends getting 4,700mg of potassium each day. A four ounce serving of raw beets contains 325mg and the same amount of raw sweet potatoes provides 337mg of potassium.

Beta-Carotene

Beta-carotene is a substance known as a carotenoid. Carotenoids, which can offer you many protective health benefits, is the precursor to vitamin A. Carotenoids work through the antioxidant effects, reducing the effect that free radical cells have on your body. Free radical damage occurs when cells become oxidized, and this can lead to the reproduction of further damaged cells. Beta-carotene can prevent that from happening. It is this mechanism that allows carotenoids to help prevent or reduce your risk of heart disease. Oxidized cholesterol mainly accounts for the production of buildup in your arteries. Increasing your intake of carotenoids can prevent this from occurring. Four ounces of raw beets contain 20mcg of beta-carotene and four ounces of raw sweet potatoes supplies 8,509mcg of beta-carotene.

Energy Density

Beets and sweet potatoes can be part of a calorie-controlled diet. When you are losing weight, your goals should be to eat less than your body needs. Choosing low energy dense foods that supply a large amount of vitamins and minerals is the ideal way to go. Beets supply only 43 calories for the average four ounce, raw serving. Sweet potatoes are a delicious way to fill up on vitamins and minerals while getting only 86 calories for a four-ounce, raw serving.