Health Benefits - Vitamins and Minerals in sweet Patatoes

The sweet potato belongs to an entirely different food family than the common potato, though both hail originally from Central and South America. Packed with vitamins and minerals as well as being a great source of fiber, the sweet potato is continuously found high on any list of the most nutritional vegetables in the world.Sweet potatoes have a high nutrition value when compared to other vegetables. They are fat-free and low in calories, and a great food for any weight-loss plan.
Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin A. Beta carotene, from which the orange ones get their orange color, gets converted to vitamin A in the body, and research shows that vitamins A and C reduce the risk of certain cancers  such as colon cancer, and atherosclerosis, and also slow down the aging process.

Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

• builds up immunity.
• makes cells more responsive to insulin.
• keeps  heart disease at bay
• Sweet potato is rich in Vitamin A (betacarotene) and Vitamin C. Both Vitamins A and C are powerful antioxidants that work in the body to remove free radicals, this free radicals are chemicals that damage cells.
• Sweet potato is good for stomach ulcers and inflamed conditions of the colon.
• It is beneficial for low blood pressure.
• Very useful to prevents cancer especially of the colon, intestines, prostrate, kidneys and other internal organs,
• maintains water balance in the body
• Sweet potato may help prevent cancer in glands and organs with epithelial tissue due to its high Vitamin A content.
• Sweet potato is a good food for diabetics, because it helped stabilize blood sugar levels.

Amount

• One medium sweet potato baked in its skin contains 3.8 grams of fiber.

Proteins  -  2.29 grams

Calories   -   103

Minerals Contained 

• Potassium - 542 mg
• Phosphorus - 62 mg
• Magnesium - 31 mg
• Calcium - 43 mg
• Sodium - 41 mg
• Iron - 0.79 mg
• Selenium - 0.2 mg
• Manganese - 0.567 mg
• Zinc - 0.36 mg
• Copper - 0.184 mg
• Also contains small amounts of other minerals.

Vitamins Contained

• Vitamin C - 22.3 mg
• Niacin - 1.695 mg
• Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 0.122 mg
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 0.121 mg
• Vitamin B6 - 0.326 mg
• Pantothenic Acid - 1.008 mg
• Folate - 7 mcg
• Vitamin A - 21,909 mg
• Vitamin K - 2.6 mcg
• Vitamin E - 0.81 mg
• Contains some other vitamins in small amounts.