The most anticancer nutrients in the diet are β -carotene (the precursor of vitamin A), vitamin C and folic acid, and the contents of the three are rich in sweet potatoes. A small sweet potato (about 2 times) can provide twice the daily vitamin A, one third of the daily vitamin C, and about 50 micrograms of folic acid. The content of dietary fiber is higher than a bowl of oatmeal.

The antioxidant effects of β -carotene and vitamin C are helpful to resist the damage of oxidative stress to genetic material deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and play a certain anti-cancer role.

Eating sweet potatoes regularly helps to maintain the normal folic acid level of the human body, and low folic acid content in the body will increase the risk of cancer. Sweet potato has high dietary fiber content, which can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis and prevent constipation and colorectal cancer.

Good for the heart:

Sweet potato is rich in potassium, beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin B6, all of which help to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Potassium contributes to the balance of liquid and electrolyte in human cells and maintains normal blood pressure and heart function.

β -carotene and vitamin C have the effects of anti-lipid oxidation and prevention of atherosclerosis. Supplementation of folic acid and vitamin B6 is helpful to reduce the level of homocysteine in blood, which can damage arterial blood vessels and is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Prevention of emphysema:

An animal experiment at the University of Kansas in the United States found that the level of vitamin A in smoking rats was low and emphysema was easy to occur. However, the incidence of emphysema in smoking rats fed with foods rich in vitamin A decreased significantly. Why some long-term smokers live to be over 90 years old without suffering from emphysema may be related to the rich vitamin A content in their daily diet. Researchers suggest that smokers or passive smokers should eat some foods rich in vitamin A every day, such as sweet potatoes, to prevent emphysema.

Anti-sugar effect:

Sweet potato has a certain anti-diabetic effect. A clinical study at the University of Vienna in Austria found that insulin sensitivity of patients with type 2 diabetes was improved after taking sweet potato extract which helps to control blood sugar.