Nutrition Facts of Sweet Potatoes
If you're worried about whether or not sweet potatoes are a little too sweet for your low sugar eating plan, don't despair. Sweet potatoes are a nutritious and low glycaemic food that can be enjoyed in a variety of tasty dishes. Sweet potatoes are usually orange but also found in other colors, such as white, red, pink, violet, yellow, and purple. In addition, sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins and nutrients and an excellent healthy food choice that can be prepared in a variety of ways. If you’re wondering about the nutrition facts of sweet potatoes, check above all the information you need.
Nutrition Facts of Sweet Potatoes: What does it Contain?
The following nutrition information is provided for 1 medium raw sweet potato.
Calories: 112
Fat: 0.1g
Sodium: 71mg
Carbohydrates: 26g
Fibre: 3.9g
Sugars: 5.4g
Protein: 2g
Nutrition Facts of Sweet Potatoes: Carbs
A cup of raw sweet potatoes has 26 grams of carbohydrates, with 5 to 6 grams of naturally occurring sugar and about 4 grams of fibre. The glycaemic index (GI) of sweet potato varies based on the preparation method and variety. Boiled sweet potatoes may have a GI as low as 41, while the value of roasted sweet potatoes can be as high as 93. Also, the main components are starches, which make up 53% of the carb content.
Starches are often split into three categories based on how well they’re digested. The starch proportions in sweet potatoes are as follows:
Rapidly digested starch (80%). This starch is quickly broken down and absorbed, increasing the GI value.
Slowly digested starch (9%). This type breaks down more slowly and causes a smaller rise in blood sugar levels.
Resistant starch (11%). This one escapes digestion and acts like fibre, feeding your friendly gut bacteria. The amount of resistant starch may increase slightly by cooling the sweet potatoes after cooking.
Nutrition Facts of Sweet Potatoes: Fats
Sweet potatoes make the perfect side for almost any dish because when it comes to fats, they have none. Unless, of course, you add it while cooking.
Nutrition Facts of Sweet Potatoes: Protein
A cup of raw sweet potato provides about 2 grams of protein, making it a poor protein source. However, sweet potatoes contain sporamins, unique proteins that account for more than 80% of their total protein content. The sporamins are produced to facilitate healing whenever the plant is subjected to physical damage. And recent research suggests that they may have antioxidant properties. Plus, despite being relatively low in protein, sweet potatoes are an important source of this macronutrient in many developing countries.
Nutrition Facts of Sweet Potatoes: Vitamins and Minerals
Sweet potatoes are especially high in:
Pro-vitamin A – sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotene, which your body can convert into vitamin A. Just 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of this vegetable provides the recommended daily amount of this vitamin.
Vitamin C – this antioxidant may decrease the duration of the common cold and improve skin health.
Potassium – important for blood pressure control, this mineral may decrease your risk of heart disease.
Manganese – this trace mineral is important for growth, development, and metabolism.
Vitamin B6 – this vitamin plays an important role in the conversion of food into energy.
Vitamin B5 - also known as pantothenic acid, this vitamin is found to some extent in nearly all foods.
Vitamin E – this powerful fat-soluble antioxidant may help protect your body against oxidative damage.
Nutrition Facts of Sweet Potatoes: Health Benefits
Sweet potatoes are a filling vegetable with colorful, health-boosting nutrients. Here are a few of the benefits of adding sweet potatoes to your diet.
May Aid Cancer Prevention
Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants that have been studied for cancer prevention and treatment. Purple sweet potatoes, in particular, are high in anthocyanins which appear to promote apoptosis (or programmed cell death) of cancer cells.
Prevention of Vitamin A deficiency
As vitamin A plays an important role in your body, deficiency in this essential nutrient is a major public health issue in many developing countries. Deficiency can cause both temporary and permanent damage to your eyes and even lead to blindness. It can also suppress immune function and increase mortality, especially among children and pregnant and lactating women. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of highly absorbable beta carotene, which your body can convert into vitamin A.
The intensity of the yellow or orange color of the sweet potato is directly linked to its beta carotene content. Orange sweet potatoes have been shown to increase blood levels of vitamin A more than other beta carotene sources, as they contain a highly absorbable variety of this nutrient. This makes eating sweet potatoes an excellent strategy against vitamin A deficiency in developing countries.
Protects Vision
Beta carotene, which is essential for eye health, is abundant in sweet potatoes. A cup of sweet potatoes provides 11.3 milligrams of beta carotene. Supplementation of 15 milligrams of beta carotene is proven to protect against age-related macular degeneration, especially when combined with vitamin C, zinc, and copper, also naturally found in sweet potatoes.
Supports Cardiovascular Health
The anthocyanins in sweet potatoes are also associated with anti-inflammatory effects that reduce the risk of heart disease. Certain pro-inflammatory cytokines appear to be suppressed in response to purple sweet potato extract. Additionally, the fibre in any vegetable is known to reduce cholesterol, while the high potassium levels of sweet potatoes keep blood pressure down.
Nutrition Facts of Sweet Potatoes: Adverse Effects
There are very few adverse effects associated with the consumption of sweet potato. One minimal side effect of eating a high volume of beta-carotene-rich veggies, like sweet potatoes, carrots, or pumpkin, is that your skin can begin to take on an orange undertone. This coloring is the result of an uncommon condition called carotenemia. Although it may seem alarming, carotenemia is not actually dangerous and should subside on its own with a more balanced intake of a variety of foods.
Nutrition Facts of Sweet Potatoes: When it’s Best to Eat?
Choose fresh sweet potatoes that are heavy for their size, hard, smooth, and free of bruises. Watch out for shrivelled skin, dark spots, or indentations, as these are common signs of decay. If you see a sweet potato that has sprouted, it's still okay to eat, just cut out the sprouts. You can find sweet potatoes in most grocery stores at any time of the year.
