If you’re gluten-free, lactose intolerant, nut-free, vegan, vegetarian, or paleo, you may have people lecturing you about the nutrients you might be missing out on. However, no matter what sort of dietary restrictions you have, there is one magical, all encompassing food that almost anyone can consume: the sweet potato.
A sweet potato can be eaten by almost anyone, despite their dietary restrictions, and is chalk-full of nutrients that everyone can benefit from. Here are the five main vitamins and minerals in a sweet potato and how they might be benefiting you in ways you didn’t even know about.
1. Vitamin A
Photo by Rachel Conners
A single sweet potato can contain 769 percent of the amount of Vitamin A you need to consume daily. Vitamin A is great for your vision, bones and skin, and helps strengthen your immune system.
#SpoonTip: Try making these Brown Sugar Roasted Sweet Potatoes and get glowing skin while avoiding getting sick during finals.
2. Fiber
Photo by Jacky Falkenberg
We all know what fiber is for, which is why we should be grateful that a sweet potato contains more than 1/4 of your daily recommended fiber intake. In case you didn’t know, fiber is the part of fruits and vegetables that your body doesn’t digest.
Sweet potatoes contain a type of insoluble fiber that will keep you full for hours after eating it. Not only will you stay full, but your blood sugar won’t spike and you’ll have a much easier time doing you-know-what.
#SpoonTip: If you want a full fiber punch, try this recipe for oven-baked Sweet Potato Fries.
3. Manganese
Photo by Amanda Gajdosik
Manganese is a mineral that many people don’t even know about, which is why we’re lucky sweet potatoes contain half of the daily amount you need. Manganese is crucial to bone growth, and can even increase your metabolism.
It doesn’t stop here, however. Manganese also helps you produce sex hormones that get you in the mood. Who would have thought a potato could be so sexy?
#SpoonTip: Digest your food and get laid more often by whipping up this recipe for a Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad.
4. Potassium
Photo by Agnes Chen
When people think potassium, they usually think bananas. But it turns out sweet potatoes contain even more. Have you ever been told you need more potassium when you get a cramp? That’s because potassium is key for proper muscle function.
It is also a key factor in brain function and reducing anxiety and stress levels. So get ready for finals and try making a batch of these Sweet Potato Oaties for you and your roommates.
5. Magnesium
Photo by Connie Fan
Sweet potatoes are also chalk full of magnesium. Magnesium does a long list of things for your body, including increasing fertility, curing migraines, and producing collagen, which some people pay hundreds of dollars for at spas.
Magnesium is amazing because it helps you absorb other vitamins and minerals. So not only are you getting the benefits of magnesium itself, but also the benefits of all the vitamins and minerals you are consuming in other foods.
#SpoonTip: Try this recipe for Healthy Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes and treat your body to the vitamins and minerals it deserves.