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The Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
By Melissa Becker at Baywater Trading Company
December 2, 2021
SWEET POTATOES CAN IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH, HERE’S HOW:
Sweet potatoes are a great healthy option to run with.
We’ve all seen sweet potatoes marketed as a healthy alternative to your typical white potatoes, whether in sweet potato fries or elsewhere. Naturally curious minds wonder, well, what makes them so different? Especially with “sweet” in the name, which may make you think they’d be less healthy. Sweet potatoes are a great healthy option to run with, and we’re here to shed some light on all the nutritional value they may be able to offer you.
SWEET POTATOES CAN INCREASE YOUR
IMMUNE SYSTEM’S STRENGTH
All sweet potatoes, though especially the purple varieties, are packed with vitamin A and antioxidants that can help prevent infections and disease. One cup of baked sweet potato is about 50% of your daily intake of vitamin C! That’s fantastic news for anyone looking to improve their immune system and have a better time dealing with viruses and other illnesses down the line.
SWEET POTATOES CAN CONTRIBUTE GOOD GUT BACTERIA
There is a lot we’re finding out about gut bacteria and the wonders it can do for the body. One thing that seems to be true is that sweet potatoes contain antimicrobial properties that are incredible for your gut, making them a great dietary option for preventing all kinds of infection and bacteria. This is partly due to a sweet potato’s fiber content, which is up to six grams of dietary fiber that help promote the growth of good bacteria.
CANCER-FIGHTING NUTRIENTS
Don’t remove the skins from your sweet potatoes! That’s because they contain cancer-fighting antioxidants, including vitamin A and beta-carotene. They also have sporamin, which is a protein that’s studied for its cancer-fighting abilities. There’s promising research still coming out, but it may be the case that a sweet potato can help prevent cancer.
IMPROVE YOUR VISION
Remember how these spuds are packed with vitamin A? Well, vitamin A is also linked with all kinds of eye diseases and even blindness. A sweet potato a day may not prevent the need for glasses, but it has been shown to help support overall vision and eye health.
MANAGE BLOOD SUGAR
Whether you have type II diabetes or are simply trying to prevent it, you may want to start thinking about your insulin resistance and sugar levels. While sweet potatoes have sweet in the name, they’re categorized as “low” on the glycemic index scale – this means they release their sugar slowly, so your body can better regulate the amount of sugar in your blood.
Baywater Farms & Baywater Market
Baywater Trading Co. offers farm fresh produce and baked goods using locally sourced family recipes and produce from local farmers. Shop with peace of mind, knowing where your food comes from and that you are supporting your farming neighbors.
Baywater Farms is a family-owned and operated farm servicing Baltimore, Washington D.C., Maryland, Delaware beaches, and the Eastern Shore. We are capable of meeting the demands of your produce distributor, restaurant produce supplier, CSA produce supplier, or wholesale produce supplier while maintaining the integrity and character of a small farm. When you work with Baywater Farms, you work with an experienced, ethical, and local farm dedicated to providing the highest-quality heirloom produce.
27000 Ocean Gateway, Hebron, Md.
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