Sweet potato - health benefits and harms

Along with the usual vegetables and fruits, summer residents love to try to grow an overseas curiosity on a personal plot. For example, sweet potato, the benefits and harms of which are not widely known. Especially if you have never tried sweet potatoes. Therefore, we are enlightened.

The benefits of sweet potato

Overseas guest has many valuable qualities. It is useful to eat when:

1. Obesity. The tubers are rich in fiber, which leaves the body full for a long time, and makes intestinal motility more active. By the way, fiber of sweet potato is recognized as the softest and most tender. Therefore, it does not injure the intestines, like the coarse fibers of some beneficial plants. Plus, the blood is saturated with complex carbohydrates, which allows you to not feel hunger for a long time. And calorie sweet potatoes are low to indecent.
2. Menopause. The vegetable contains female hormones, which are so lacking for women after the Balzac age. By the way, some sources recommend eating sweet potato in menopause instead of pills. As well as women of other ages to maintain a hormonal balance. Plus, libido increases due to the increased content of phytoestrogen in the tubers.
3. Problems with pressure and cardiovascular system. A huge amount of vitamin B6 allows you to effortlessly strengthen the walls of small blood vessels. And also clean large arteries from cholesterol plaques. Harmonization of the water-salt balance occurs almost perfectly when eating sweet potatoes. This means that blood pressure will be normal without the use of drugs.
4. Neurosis, chronic fatigue, insomnia and other problems of the nervous system and brain. Sweet potato is far from last in potassium content. And the normal functioning of nerve endings and muscle fibers is impossible without this element. By the way, tubers can be used as a natural antidepressant. After all, the apathetic state causes precisely the lack of potassium and magnesium.
5. Cancer Prevention The fact is that their development is prevented by the most famous antioxidant - vitamin C. And there is plenty of it in sweet tubers. Dry statistics say that the percentage of oncological diseases is very low in regions where sweet potato is the main food. Of course, compared to countries where sweet potatoes are a rare guest.
6. Poor blood coagulation. Beta-cryptosanthin, which is found in sweet potato, improves blood coagulation. And even contributes to the speedy healing of wounds.
7. Stool problems. Sweet potato cleanses the intestines very well. Tuber starch has enveloping properties. Along with abuse of food, these factors can lead to very sad consequences. For example, upset gastrointestinal tract and diarrhea.

As you can see from the list, sweet potato is a very useful comrade in some respects. Therefore, it can and should be included in your menu. Of course, without fanatical fattening. After all, in our country there is no centuries-old history of eating just sweet potatoes. Therefore, for the first time try quite a bit. Listen to yourself. If everything is in order, then slowly increase the portion. And always consult your doctor. He knows exactly what and how much you can eat.

Damage to sweet potato

But not everything is so smooth in the vegetable kingdom. There are some dangers that await people with excessive consumption of sweet potato for food. And there are even contraindications in which it is strictly forbidden to eat sweet potatoes. These include:

1. Pregnancy and lactation. During this period, a woman has a hormonal background and jumps like mad.And phytoestrogen from tubers can play a very cruel joke. Rumor has it that it can provoke the development of fetal abnormalities and even a miscarriage.
2. Gastritis, a stomach ulcer and others like them. What is vitamin C? Nothing but acid. So, when you eat sweet potatoes in unlimited quantities, you give a huge load to your gastrointestinal tract. And if such food does not harm a healthy person, then people with similar diseases will face an unpleasant surprise. That is, with a severe exacerbation.
3. Tendency to allergies. Since sweet potatoes are not at all common in our country, people with allergies should refrain from dishes made from it. You never know what substance the body will react with itching, swelling and shortness of breath.
4. Drug treatment. So far, no serious scientific research has been carried out on the compatibility of sweet potato with various medicines. Therefore, the reaction of the body can be completely unpredictable. The thing is that sweet potatoes contain a large number of biologically active substances. And all options for the development of events are impossible to predict. Therefore, if you are undergoing any kind of therapy, then temporarily give up dishes from sweet potato.
5. Urolithiasis disease. Statistics show that in regions where sweet potatoes are a regular guest on the table, the incidence of urolithiasis is much higher than other areas. Just tubers are literally stuffed with oxalates. Those, in turn, are not excreted from the body naturally, but settle in the kidneys and gall bladder, forming insoluble stones.
6. Stool problems. Sweet potato cleanses the intestines very well. Tuber starch has enveloping properties. Along with abuse of food, these factors can lead to very sad consequences. For example, upset stomach and diarrhea

As you can see, sweet potato is not useful to all categories of people. Therefore, always be sure to consult with a specialist. And only then decide whether you need such an overseas curiosity, or, well, her in the bathhouse.

More usefulness

Sweet potatoes are respected in the mine by people with diabetes. After all, they especially need to strictly control their menu. But yam has a very low glycemic index, and does not contain light sugars. Therefore, it can safely be eaten with a high level of glucose in the blood.

Sweet potato is a champion in the content of vitamin A. Therefore, athletes and people involved in fitness so respect it. After all, it is this vitamin that is responsible for the quick recovery after hard physical training and exhausting exercises. By the way, the industry turned its close attention to sweet potatoes. The result of this interest was the appearance on the market of special sports nutrition based on sweet potato. It allows you to quickly build excellent muscle mass without harm to health and the use of additional chemicals.

And sweet potatoes are especially appreciated by women. And again, because of the notorious retinol. If you often eat sweet potato, the skin will be in excellent condition for a long time. And certainly the first wrinkles will appear quite soon. Of course, the aging process of the body will not slow down. But external signs and manifestations will not appear for a long time. Just don't overdo it! With an overdose, vitamin A becomes toxic.

And of course about the eyes. From childhood we are told to eat carrots so that our eyesight is good. But what if carrots are fed up? Or is the blueberry season still a long way off? Sweet potato to eat, what else. Of course, he cannot argue on the content of vitamin A with simple carrots, but as an alternative - it will do.

By the way, heavy smokers should also pay attention to the overseas guest. And again, due to the high content of retinol in the pulp. After all, it helps to prevent lung emphysema - a terrible thunderstorm for all tobacco lovers.Relatives of smokers should not pass these useful tubers either. Because the harm from second-hand smoke is significantly neutralized by food with sweet potato dishes.

Sweet potato can serve as an original, useful side dish for the main dish. For example, try cooking it instead of regular potatoes or cereals. No doubt, at first it will be a little unusual to feel a sweet in your mouth with a meat or fish flavor. But the goose with apples also sweetens. Or salted caramel sauce - also has a sweet taste. You eat them, and do not frown. So just try it. Suddenly like it? At the same time, the intestines will be thoroughly cleaned, then they will thank you.

Well, we examined the facts about sweet potato. The benefits and harms of it are now known to you. Therefore, remember the recommendations and shake on the mustache. You look, and the information is useful.

Video: useful properties of sweet potato