Nutritional Benefits Of A Sweet Potato Without Skin

Sweet potatoes can be deceptive. Their rich flavor and sweet taste belie the nutritional benefits they have to offer. Adding sweet potatoes to your diet, especially when they replace less healthy carbohydrates and sweets, can help to improve your blood sugar and overall health. Use this versatile vegetable as a side dish, in muffins and other baked goods, as a snack or even in sweet potato pie for a special treat.

Low in Fat

Sweet potatoes are naturally low in fat and low in calories. A medium-sized sweet potato -- about 5 inches long -- provides 103 calories and 0.10 g of fat. The sweet potato's status as a low-fat vegetable, along with their creamy texture, makes it an acceptable replacement for fat in baked goods. Replace a portion of the fat with well-mashed sweet potatoes to provide moisture without adding an inordinate number of calories.

Healthy Carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates can lead to a variety of health problems, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Replace refined carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates, such as those in sweet potatoes, reduce your risk of degenerative disease. Sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index and can lower blood sugar levels in diabetics, according to a study published in the May 2008 "International Journal of Agriculture and Biology." Eat a sweet potato when you have a craving for a treat, and you'll be doing your body a favor.

Vitamins and Mineral Content

Sweet potatoes provide several times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A. Their bright color means that they are rich in beta carotene -- the brighter orange the flesh, the more of this nutrient the sweet potato is likely to have. Beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, is a powerful antioxidant. Sweet potatoes also provide a significant amount of potassium. A medium sweet potato will provide 10 percent of the recommended daily allowance of this mineral.

Purple Pigments

Don't limit yourself to orange-hued sweet potatoes. Many specialty groceries carry sweet potatoes that have a rich purple color and are sweeter than other types. Purple sweet potatoes are high in antioxidants, and contain anthocyanins -- water-soluble pigments that gives the sweet potato its purple hue. Anthocyanins can prevent cell death, according to a study published in 2010 in "Neurochemical Research." Scientists are looking into whether they could be used to treat diseases related to degeneration of nerve tissue.