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Last Updated on September 9, 2024 by Ed Joven
Learn the Top 10 Health Benefits of Sweet Potato or Kamote
Top 10 Health Benefits of Sweet Potato or Kamote - Not a lot of people know the benefits brought by Sweet Potatoes or Kamote. Most people see this tuberous crop as a simple colored off shoot of a regular potato. But in fact sweet potatoes, also called yams, have a variety of benefits that any person of any age would find useful.
What is a Sweet Potato or Kamote?
Sweet potato is known in the Philippines as Kamote, it is a sweet-tasting starchy root vegetable. It has a thin, brown skin on the outside with orange color flesh, but other varieties are white, purple or yellow. You can eat sweet potatoes whole or peeled. Camote Que is the most common Filipino dessert you can do with Sweet Potato and the leaves of the plant are edible too.
Learn about the not-commonly known benefits of sweet potatoes below.
1] Sweet Potato soothes those with Asthma
This tuberous crop is very useful for those with asthma because through its aroma, it helps decongest the nose and the lungs; making breathing in general a less stressful experience for you.
2] Sweet Potato is a good Source of Potassium
Sweet potato is a good regulator of our heartbeat and nerve signals. How? High levels of potassium is found in it and this type of electrolyte does more than just regulate heartbeat, it can prevent you getting muscle cramps, and also giving extra protection for the kidneys.
3] More fiber and water for you
Our body needs a good amount of water in it. Sweet potato can help you with that. The fiber found in sweet potatoes assists in maintaining the water in our body, keeps it balanced, and keeps us hydrated.
4] Kamote or Sweet Potato as a Source of Vitamin C?
Yes, Kamote or sweet potatoes has high levels of Vitamin C. Other than the basic prevention of flu, also have other benefits such as better teeth and bones formation, healthy digestion, and skin protection.
5] Inflammation no more, Sweet Potato helps prevent it.
Similar to that of the regular potato, due to the existence of beta-carotone in sweet potatoes, it helps prevent inflammation in your body. Sweet potatoes can cure inflammations in your body that are internal or external.
6] Sweet taste without high sugar levels, best for people with Diabetes
Despite its sweet taste, this tuberous crop doesn’t give our body extremely high sugar content. Its natural sugars move slow and steady in our bloodstream, keeping the sugar levels well-balanced and regulated, making it a good source of energy.
7] Relief for Stomach Ulcer
The different nutrients and vitamins present in it make it great for people with stomach ulcers. They will find relief after eating this. Its roughage blocks the formation of acid and also regulates the bowel movement, lessening your chances of getting constipation.
8] Kamote or Sweet Potato is also a good Source of Iron
Meat isn’t the only good sources of iron. Sweet potato helps our body by improving the production of white blood cells and improves the overall function and operation of our immune system because of the iron content found here.
9] Sweet Potato or Kamote can helps those with cancer
We’ve mentioned beta-carotene earlier. But there are more benefits to it than just helping during inflammation. The beta-carotene in sweet potatoes has been useful for those with cancer. It helps cure the type of cancers related to internal organs.
10] Sweet Potato has Magnesium good for your Heart and muscles
Want a healthy heart, blood and muscles? Eat more food that is high on Magnesium. And of course this violet/purple crop has this as well. Magnesium really is essential if you wish to be healthy.
You may want to add sweet potatoes to your shopping list now.
References:
- Anti-Inflammatory and Anticancer Activities of Taiwanese Purple-Fleshed Sweet Potatoes (Ipomoea batatas L. Lam) Extracts. Biomed Res Int. 2015; 2015: 768093. Published online 2015 Oct 5. doi: 10.1155/2015/768093
- Sweet potato for type 2 diabetes mellitus Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013 Sep; 2013(9): CD009128. Published online 2013 Sep 3. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009128.pub3
- 5 Winter Superfoods: Sweet Potatoes: Nutrient Profile https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/5-winter-superfoods-sweet-potatoes-nutrient-profile
- Iron Rich Foods by redcrossblood.org.
- Retention of carotenoids in orange-fleshed sweet potato during processing. J Food Sci Technol. 2011 Aug; 48(4): 520–524. Published online 2011 Apr 3. doi: 10.1007/s13197-011-0323-2
Camote Recipes:
Health Benefits of other Fruits and Vegetables:
- Top 6 Health Benefits of Batuan / Batwan Fruit
- Guava Fruit Health Benefits
- Top 10 Health Benefits of Mango Fruit
- Broccoli Health Benefits
- Top 10 Health Benefits of Guyabano Fruit
- Top 10 Health Benefits of Ampalaya or Bitter Gourd
- Carrots Health Benefits
- Top 10 Health Benefits of Mangosteen Fruit
Maricel says
I agree have been eating sweet potatoes for a month now and feel healthy my heart burn and gastritis is gone now. I make sweet potato as replacement of rice, I still eat rice but a few percentage only with my daily diet. Thank you
Just My Goals says
I really liked this post, from now on I'm going to eat sweet potato for sure
Thanks for the inspiration
Jenny Talaver says
Love how you promote Filipino cuisine!