So what’s so healthy about them? First and foremost, sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin A, which is considered to be a “nutrient of concern” by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. “That means most Americans aren’t eating enough of it,” Knott says. “And high intakes in the form of supplements can be toxic, so it’s important to get vitamin A from food.” One cup of sweet potato has more than 100 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin A. Sweet potatoes also pack a lot of heart-healthy potassium, fiber, and antioxidants like vitamins C and E. These and other nutrients in this root vegetable offer a wide array of benefits, from warding off diseases like cancer to decreasing a person’s risk for diabetes. Unlike some superfoods or splashy fruits of the moment, sweet potatoes are light on your wallet and food budget. You can afford to eat them regularly and reap the rewards. “Sweet potatoes are relatively inexpensive and have a long shelf-life,” Knott says. “You can buy them pureed in a can, frozen in chunks, or whole in the produce aisle.” They’re easy to prepare, too. You can look for sweet potato recipes for inspiration, or you can follow some basic cooking ideas from Knott. “Try roasting the chunks with oil, salt, and pepper as a side,” she says. “Or bake the whole potato in the oven and use it as a base for a stuffed potato. Pureed sweet potato is also great to mix into oatmeal or a smoothie.” If you need even more permission to slice into a steaming potato every once in a while, consider the good the potatoes are doing for your body: If you eat a whole medium sweet potato, the size of spud you might eat with fish or as the main dish of a veggie-forward meal, you’ll get more than 500 percent of your daily vitamin A. RELATED: 3 Incredibly Easy Ways to Boost Your Energy With Food “Sweet potatoes are a source of potassium, another nutrient most Americans don’t get enough of due to our limited intake of fruits and vegetables,” Knott says. “Potassium plays an important role in regulating blood pressure, maintaining fluid balance, and is important for muscle contraction and kidney function.” The average healthy adult’s daily goal for potassium should be 2,320 milligrams for women and 3,016 milligrams for men over age 20 according to National Institutes of Health. “One cup of sweet potato has about 450 milligrams,” Knott says. If you eat a whole potato, you’ll get nearly 1,000 milligrams. RELATED: 7 Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Eat Every Day for Long-Term Health and Happiness “Sweet potatoes are a source of complex carbohydrates, which means they take longer to digest than simple carbs, such as white breads, white rice, etc.” says Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD, author of The No-Brainer Nutrition Guide for Every Runner. “They provide long-lasting energy.”
