The Happiest and Healthiest Thanksgiving
Sweet Potatoes
If you are celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow and looking forward to turkey and all the traditional side dishes, you may well be including sweet potato in the meal. This super food is a particularly good choice for a healthy menu as it is high in essential vitamins and minerals.
What is in a Sweet Potato
Nutrients are based on 100 grams
- Calories: 105 kcal
- Protein: 2 grams
- Carbohydrates: 24 grams
- Fibre: 1.8 grams
- Fat: 0.1 grams (saturated)
- Calcium: 21 milligrams
- Phosphorus: 27 milligrams
- Potassium: 184 milligrams
- Zinc: 0.3 milligrams
- Iron: 0.6 milligrams
- Magnesium: 10 milligrams
- Vitamin A: 1705 micrograms
- Vitamin B1: 0.05 milligrams
- Vitamin B2: 0.14 milligrams
- Vitamin B3: 0.6 milligrams
- Vitamin B6: 0.24 milligrams
- Vitamin C: 17 milligrams
- Vitamin E: 0.28 micrograms
- Folate (folic acid): 11 micrograms
(A true Vitamin A champion – Beeble)
Vitamins A and C
As you can see it has plenty of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene and also vitamin C: both are powerful anti-oxidants that help to eliminate free radicals that damage cells. These free radicals are associated with conditions like colon and other cancers and heart disease. Both vitamin A and C are anti-inflammatory and can help with illnesses where inflammation is a problem, such as stomach ulcers, asthma, emphysema and both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. A medium sweet potato provides all your daily requirement of vitamin A and about half the daily requirement of vitamin C and potassium.
Potassium and Vitamin B6
Potassium promotes healthy muscle growth, a healthy nervous system and effective brain function. As you can see it also provides a significant amount of vitamin B6 which is needed for the proper functioning of almost every process in the body from energy production to promoting healthy skin, nails and hair.
Carotenoids, Fibre and Starch
Sweet potatoes also contain carotenoids that can help stabilize blood sugar levels which is of particular help to diabetics. They are also rich in fibre, especially when eaten with the skins on. They are also easy to digest and contain a good supply of complex starch – which is good for your energy levels.
Manganese and Copper
The manganese in the sweet potato helps to build healthy bones and the copper, among many other things, helps the body absorb iron, helps with nerve function and bone growth and is a strong antioxidant.
So when you tuck into your sweet potatoes tomorrow be very, very thankful for this excellent super food!
Further Reading on Thanksgiving foods
Are Cranberries a Super Fruit?
November 27th, 2008 at 12:09 am
Wow. Sweet potatoes sound like they pack a healthy punch. I’ve never tried them myself but I may have a dabble next time I go shopping.