Sweet Potato Benefits

Sweet potatoes are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals, These starchy, sweet root 

vegetables are so good for you. The sweet potato is a starchy, sweet-tasting root 

vegetable. They have brown skin on the outside with orange flesh inside and other varieties 

are white, purple or yellow. You can eat sweet potatoes whole or peeled, and the leaves of 

the plant are edible too. 

Sweet potatoes are a rich source of fibre as well as containing a good array of vitamins and 

minerals including iron, calcium, selenium, and they're a good source of most of our B 

vitamins and vitamin C. One of the key nutritional benefits of sweet potato is that they're 

high in an antioxidant known as beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A once 

consumed. Sweet potatoes are high in fibre, which has been shown to promote a healthy 

digestive system. 

Some studies have shown that moderate consumption of sweet potato and sweet potato leaves could help improve blood sugar regulation in type 2 diabetes. A study by Food & Nutrition Research found that purple sweet potatoes contain a specific group of antioxidants also known as anthocyanins which have been shown to be beneficial to the eyes. On the whole, sweet potatoes are an excellent addition to a balanced diet. However, they do contain something known as oxalates which binds calcium and other minerals. Too many oxalates in the diet may cause kidney stones and so should be eaten in moderation if you have existing kidney stones or are at high risk of developing them.