The nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes

A reference to sweet potatoes may immediately conjure images of Thanksgiving dinner tables, where the popular tuber often is featured during dinner and dessert. Though it's likely sweet potatoes, also known as yams, are most popular in fall, they're both available and enjoyable year-round. That's good news for people aspiring to eat healthy, as sweet potatoes pack quite a nutritional punch.

· Sweet potatoes and vitamin A: The food and nutrition database from the United States Department of Agriculture indicates one cup of baked sweet potatoes provides 213 percent of the recommended daily minimum value of vitamin A. That's nothing to take for granted, as the National Institutes of Health notes that vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes normal vision and a healthy immune system. The NIH also reports that vitamin A is vital for reproduction, growth and development.

· Sweet potatoes and vitamin C: Sweet potatoes are high in the antioxidant vitamin C. That's a notable benefit, as the Mayo Clinic indicates a diet rich in antioxidants has been linked to stronger immune systems and lower risk for diseases such as heart disease and cancer. In addition, the health care experts at Mount Sinai note that vitamin C is vital for healing wounds and repairing and maintaining bones and teeth. Data from the USDA indicates one cup of sweet potatoes contains roughly 44 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.

· Sweet potatoes and gut health: The NIH notes sweet potatoes contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. The body does not digest soluble or insoluble fiber, which is actually beneficial, as the fiber remains in the digestive tract and promotes a healthy gut. The NIH also notes that some soluble and insoluble fibers can be fermented by bacteria in the colon, a process that ultimately keeps cells along the intestinal lining healthy and strong.

· Sweet potatoes and vision: The Discovery Eye Foundation notes that sweet potatoes are loaded in vitamins that can help to prevent or delay the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. Vitamin C features prominently in that regard, but so, too, does vitamin E, which the USDA notes is more abundant in sweet potatoes than yellow potatoes. Cataracts and macular degeneration can compromise vision, particularly among the aging population. The next time homemade mashed potatoes are on the menu, consider making mashed sweet potatoes, which pack a flavorful punch and offer some notable nutritional advantages compared to other types of tubers.

Sweet potatoes can be enjoyed year-round. Individuals who do so can reap the nutritional rewards of consuming sweet potatoes all year long.