When you think of sweet potatoes, you might picture any one of several types. From the sunset-hued garnet to the pleasantly purple Okinawa, this tuber in the morning glory family encompasses hundreds of varieties that differ in color and flavor. (Just don’t confuse them with yams, which have brown, shaggy skin, pale flesh, and a less sweet taste.)

With a long history — more than 5,000 years, https://www.detikindonesia.id/ according to the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse — sweet potatoes have made a culinary impression worldwide. They’re a staple of African, Caribbean, and Pacific Island cuisine. And while they may once have been relegated to overly sweet Thanksgiving casseroles in the United States, these days you can find sweet potatoes at the center of all sorts of delicious dishes, including curries, tacos, salads, and french fries.

1. Sweet Potatoes Help Stabilize Blood Sugar

Sweet potatoes tend to get good press compared to their white potato counterparts — and, for some health issues, the hype may be justified. One such instance: their effects on blood sugar.

Sweet potatoes are higher in fiber than white potatoes, which may provide more stability for blood glucose. For reference, a 1-cup serving contains 6.6 grams of fiber, compared with russet potatoes’ 2 grams per cup, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) notes.

“Even though sweet potatoes are a starchy food, the fiber in them can help slow down the digestion of sugars from the potato, resulting in a steadier rise and fall in blood sugar,” says Kelsey Lorencz, RDN, a nutrition advisor for Fin vs Fin who is based in Saginaw, Michigan.

2. Sweet Potatoes Support Eye Health

You’ve probably heard that carrots can promote healthy vision, but they’re not the only orange veggie with this potential power. Sweet potatoes also have a connection to eye health — and it all comes down to their abundance of vitamin A. They’re an excellent source of this nutrient, as USDA data suggests.

“Vitamin A can be good for overall visual health, along with possibly helping macular degeneration,” says Amanda Sauceda, RDN, a registered dietitian in Long Beach, California. According to a study published in 2019 in Antioxidants, beta-carotene (a precursor of vitamin A) is one of several nutrients that contribute to a reduced risk of macular degeneration. Besides potentially helping prevent the degeneration of the macula, vitamin A has been associated in some studies with reduced risk of age-related cataracts. “Vitamin A is so important for your eyes because of the role it plays for epithelial cells,” Sauceda explains. “These are the types of cells that line all the surfaces of the body. That includes the surface of the eyes.”

3. Sweet Potatoes Might Reduce Systemic Inflammation

The beta-carotene that may boost vision has some other potential tricks up its sleeve, including reducing inflammation. This is because beta-carotene is an antioxidant — a dietary compound that “cleans” the body’s cells of pro-inflammatory free radicals.

Consuming plenty of beta-carotene from sweet potatoes could have a ripple effect for overall health. “Several studies have found that low levels of beta carotene in the body are associated with a higher risk of heart disease, congestive heart failure, and death from heart disease,” says Lorencz. A previous study published in Mediators of Inflammation, for example, concluded that carotenoids had an overall protective effect on the cardiovascular system.