11/20/2017
Sweet Potato: For
Treating Stomach
Ulcer, Diabetes and
Heart Health
By Georgia Landry - Nov 15, 2017
Sweet potatoes contain powerful
nutritional benefits. In just 1 medium-
sized spud, there is over 400% of your
daily vitamin A requirement, with loads
of potassium and fiber. Also, sweet
potatoes contain more grams of natural
sugars as compared to regular potato,
and have more overall nutrients with
fewer calories.
sweet potatoes health benefits /
pixabay
1. Controlling Diabetes
According to a study, sweet potatoes
may have health benefits for diabetics.
Sweet potatoes are considered to be a
superfood for diabetics, according to the
American Diabetes Association (AMA).
Sweet potatoes have been shown to
help in stabilising blood-sugar levels by
lowering insulin resistance. They contain
high amount of fibre, which can also
help in reducing levels of “bad” LDL
cholesterol in the body.
There are other superfoods that are
being recommended by AMA for
diabetics and these include beans, green
leafy vegetables, tomatoes, salmon,
citrus fruits, berries and nuts.
Cooking Method:
The cooking method you use will affect
the glycemic index of a sweet potato.
For diabetics, certain cooking methods
are more conducive in order to manage
blood sugar levels.
Mashed or boiled sweet potatoes, for
instance, are not recommended
because these are digested faster,
therefore increasing their glycemic index
and possibly causing your blood sugar
levels to spike.
Similar to fiber, fat will slow down the
rate of digestion and therefore maintain
the low glycemic index. Therefore, the
cooking method for sweet potatoes that
is good for diabetics is sautéing in oil
with the skins intact.
2. Heart Health
Sweet potatoes are a great source of B6
vitamins that are great at breaking down
homocysteine, which is a substance that
contributes to the hardening of arteries
and blood vessels, according to the
Harvard University School of Public
Health.
Also, sweet potatoes’ potassium content
is very helpful for your heart, as it helps
in lowering blood pressure by
maintaining fluid balance, as explained
by the American Heart Association.
Potassium is also an essential electrolyte
that helps in regulating your heartbeat.
Just 1 medium sweet potato with the
skin on, provides roughly between 4-6
grams of fiber, which does not make
them the highest fiber source from the
plant world, but they are loaded with a
nice punch and are commonly included
with foods recommended as good
sources of fiber.
The National Institute of Medicine set
the Dietary Reference Intake for fiber at
30-38 grams for men and 21-25 grams a
day for women per day. Most people do
not reach these levels. Fiber appears to
help in reduce the risk of developing
various conditions, such as heart
disease, diverticular disease, diabetes
and constipation.
3. Treatment of Stomach
Ulcers
Sweet potatoes contains a soothing
effect on your intestines and stomach.
Vitamin C, B-complex vitamins,
potassium, beta-carotene and calcium
are all very effective in curing stomach
ulcers.
Also, the roughage that is present in
sweet potatoes helps in preventing
constipation and the resultant acid
formation, thereby reducing the chance
of ulcers. The soothing and anti-
inflammatory properties of sweet
potatoes also reduce the inflammation
and pain of the ulcers.
Cooking Method:
Method 1 – Baking
Bake Sweet Potatoes
Bake 100 gram of sweet potatoes and
consume it twice daily. Also, you can
add olive oil before eating. Do not
grease the sweet potato with olive oil
before baking. You do not want to
oxidize olive oil during the baking
process.
Method 2 – Boiling
Boiling the sweet potato and consuming
it is one of the best ways to eat sweet
potato for healing ulcer.
Directions:
1. Place a small size sweet potato with
approximately 100 gram weight in a
heating pot.
2. Add enough water in the pot to cover
it.
3. Boil until the sweet potato is soft. Do
not over boil it
4. Remove the sweet potato from the
water and let it cool to palatable
temperatures.
5. Consume it. You can also add olive oil
if you want.
Note:
Consume this boiled potato at least
twice daily for 2 weeks to heal your
stomach ulcer.