The Many Benefits of Sweet Potato

November is National Sweet Potato Awareness Month, a month dedicated to educate you on the many health benefits this delicious root vegetable has to offer!  Sweet potatoes are a popular menu item this time of year and with the holiday season upon us, what better time to tell you all there is to know about this sweet and versatile vegetable.

Despite popular belief, sweet potatoes are NOT yams even though many people often use these terms interchangeably.  Sweet potatoes are what you commonly find in the supermarket.  Typically, sweet potatoes have copper colored skin with orange flesh, tapered ends and are an entirely different species of root vegetable than yams are.  There are also sweet potatoes with a creamy white flesh.  Yams are starchy tubers whose skin is almost black with white, purple or reddish flesh.  The confusion comes from the fact that in order to differentiate between the two different types of sweet potatoes, the USDA has labeled those with the orange flesh as “yams”, but in fact, they are different.

The sweet potato is a tuberous root that is one of the most nutritious foods in the vegetable kingdom.  They contain twice as much fiber than other potatoes, providing 7 grams of fiber per serving.  Sweet potatoes are also an antioxidant powerhouse, containing vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene which are important in disease prevention and longevity.  Beta carotene is responsible for the sweet potatoes bright orange flesh.  This antioxidant is a form of vitamin A that is also known for having anti-inflammatory properties and providing benefits for your vision.

Aside from containing antioxidants, sweet potatoes are also heart healthy, in that they contain significant vitamin B6, which is a vitamin that is crucial for keeping the arteries healthy and flexible to allow blood to flow freely.  The potassium in sweet potatoes also contribute to decreasing blood pressure by eliminating sodium from the body, maintaining fluid balance and regulating heart rhythm.

Sweet potatoes can be made in a variety of ways: baked in the oven, mashed with spices like cinnamon or nutmeg, made into a casserole, added to smoothies, used to make desserts like sweet potato pie, or even cut into discs to be used as “buns” for a burger – the possibilities are endless!

With the abundance of nutrients and health benefits found in sweet potatoes, you can feel great about serving them to your family and friends during the holidays!

What is your favorite way to make sweet potatoes?

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