Sweet Potato Benefits for Men: 10 Reasons to Eat More Sweet Potatoes
Do you like sweet potatoes? If not, you may want to reconsider adding them to your diet. These orange-fleshed tubers are packed with nutrients, including beta-carotene and vitamin C, which is both excellent sources of antioxidant activity that help fight harmful free radicals and promote good health. But what benefits do sweet potatoes have specifically for men? Here are 10 of the best reasons to eat more sweet potatoes.
Sweet Potato Benefits for Men:
Men are often stereotyped as being less likely than women to eat their veggies. While that may or may not be true, there are some important sweet potato benefits for men who aren’t getting enough of these root vegetables. If you’re looking for a way to add more health-boosting vitamins and minerals into your diet without eating kale or cauliflower, sweet potatoes may be just what you need. Since sweet potatoes are chock full of nutrients such as fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and manganese—the question isn’t why should I eat more sweet potatoes but how? Here are ten ways men can benefit from upping their intake of sweet potatoes.
1) Sweet Potato Prevent Heart Disease
A sweet potato a day is a great way to lower your risk of heart disease. Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin B6, which can help balance your homocysteine levels, an indicator of heart health. They’re also high in antioxidants like beta-carotene, which protect against inflammation and infection that can lead to plaque buildup. Sweet potatoes also contain healthy fibers like pectin and lignans, which help lower blood pressure by preventing blood sugar spikes that cause stress on our blood vessels. The fiber found in sweet potatoes helps you feel full longer so you eat fewer calories overall and lose weight over time—not just when you go on diet for a week or two at a time.
2) Sweet Potato Reduce Inflammation
Sweet potatoes are great at reducing inflammation, which can help fight chronic diseases like heart disease and Alzheimer’s. There’s also evidence that they have anti-diabetic effects—research shows that diabetic mice who consumed sweet potatoes saw an improvement in glucose tolerance and a reduction in serum cholesterol levels. Some studies also suggest that regular consumption of sweet potatoes can help prevent cataracts and other eye conditions. Sweet potato benefits for men don’t stop there!
3) Sweet Potato Improve Mood
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin B6, which plays a role in maintaining your serotonin levels. Serotonin is a chemical that helps you feel good and is often called the happy hormone. These mood-boosting properties may help ward off depression. Sweet potatoes also contain tryptophan, another nutrient that’s converted into serotonin. In addition, a 2012 study published in Experimental Physiology found that sweet potatoes helped alleviate anxiety by prompting more activity in parts of the brain linked with positive emotions. This can be especially beneficial during stressful times such as finals week or tax season when it can be extra helpful to keep you feeling optimistic and motivated about life’s challenges. So if you’re feeling down, give these guys a try! What do you have to lose?
4) Sweet Potato Boost Sexual Health
Sweet potatoes are not only packed with vitamin A, but they’re also a great source of vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant that can help neutralize free radicals—dangerous compounds that wreak havoc on our cells and contribute to disease. Furthermore, sweet potatoes also contain significant amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin E, two powerful antioxidants that have been shown to benefit sexual health. Beta-carotene may improve sperm count in healthy men while alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) has been found to increase sperm motility. These nutrients can help keep your reproductive system working properly while boosting your fertility potential by reducing inflammation, another contributing factor in infertility.
5) Sweet Protect Against Diabetes and Prediabetes
If you’re eating sweet potatoes as a way to cut your risk of diabetes and prediabetes, there’s good news: Sweet potatoes may lower blood sugar levels. Studies have found that adding sweet potatoes or their extract (one study used an extract called isomalto-oligosaccharide) to meals can reduce spikes in blood sugar following a meal by anywhere from 18 percent to 28 percent. Blood sugar drops quickly after eating, but prolonged spikes can cause more problems with glucose levels. So if you’re on a diet and want something that will actually help, maybe add some sweet potato pie!
6) Ward Off Cancer
Sweet potatoes are rich in anthocyanins, which are naturally occurring plant pigments with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. A 2010 study published in Food Chemistry suggested that sweet potatoes have significant antioxidant activity and may help ward off chronic diseases like cancer. Specifically, researchers found that sweet potato anthocyanins inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis (cell death) in lung cancer cells. This is a boon because some lung cancers do not respond well to chemotherapy or radiation, suggesting they may be more treatable with natural foods. Sweet potato pie’s benefits include regulating blood pressure, lowering cholesterol levels, and boosting bone health — but here’s another reason why you should love them too: They just might keep you from getting cancer.
7) Sweet Potato Maintain Blood Sugar Levels
If you have diabetes, managing your blood sugar levels is one of your most important goals. Sweet potatoes can help with that. A 2013 study found that people who ate sweet potatoes on a regular basis had better blood sugar management than those who didn’t. One way sweet potatoes manage blood sugar levels is by being a good source of fiber.
8) Fuel Muscle Growth and Strength
Of course, if you’re looking for sweet potato benefits for men, building muscle and strength is at or near the top of your list. Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants, which help fight free radicals and prevent oxidative stress in your muscles. As an added bonus, sweet potatoes also contain both potassium and Vitamin B6 (your body converts B6 into its active form) which supports energy metabolism and helps you recover after a workout. If you want to get stronger without getting bulky, load up on sweet potatoes!
9) Sweet Potato Promotes Sleep Quality
Research shows that getting enough quality sleep leads to better health, a sharper mind, and reduced stress. Sweet potatoes provide a number of nutrients—including vitamin B6, vitamin C, and fiber—that are all important parts of a healthy diet. Vitamin B6 is essential in helping your body get energy from what you eat; it also helps maintain bone health and support brain function. Vitamin C is known for boosting immunity and fighting against illness; its antioxidant properties can also help keep your skin looking younger. Fiber plays an important role in regulating blood sugar levels, which will be especially helpful if you’re watching your weight or trying to avoid diabetes. Plus sweet potatoes are delicious—who doesn’t love mashed sweet potatoes?
10) Sweet potato benefits weight loss
Sweet potatoes have a high vitamin content, including vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A is an antioxidant that helps protect against free radicals, which can cause oxidative stress in our bodies and damage our cells. Sweet potatoes also contain potassium and beta-carotene. Studies have found that by eating sweet potatoes, blood pressure has been lowered, heart disease risk factors were reduced and sensitivity to insulin was increased in rats that ate a diet rich in beta-carotene. This may mean sweet potatoes help lower cholesterol levels and triglycerides in humans as well. Sweet potato benefits weight loss; eat more of them!
