For thousands of years, the sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) have been consumed by humans due to their powerful medicinal properties. There are about 8,000 varieties of sweet potatoes, ranging in color from white to purple. Among the many health benefits of this amazing vegetable, one of the most surprising is that it is a powerful natural boost for the lungs. It has been discovered that the yellow and orange varieties are the types that can be most useful for lung health. Moreover, the leaves, roots, and vines of sweet potato are also edible and possess strong cancer-fighting properties.
You must EAT MORE SWEET POTATOE Leaves!
Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. This vitamin is very important for the body since it improves the health of the eyes, bones, and immune system. Vitamin A and other carotenoids also help regenerate damaged lungs, including in people who suffer from emphysema.
According to a study conducted by researchers from Taiwan and published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2007, people who regularly eat sweet potato leaves are between 43 to 65% less likely to develop lung cancer when compared to those who rarely (or don’t) eat them. This study also discovered that those who have a higher intake of vitamin A, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene are at significantly lower risk of developing lung cancer. The researchers add that besides the leaves of sweet potato, garland chrysanthemum also has strong healing effects.
OTHER HEALTH BENEFITS!
Some studies suggest that extracts of sweet potato may reduce the growth of breast cancer tumor and inhibit leukemia cell growth. In additions to this, a recent study has also shown that the antioxidant anthocyanin (mostly found in sweet potatoes and in red, blue and purple fruits and vegetables) has the ability to reduce the liver cancer tumor growth in mice.
It looks like that the carotenoids are not solely responsible for all these benefits since sweet potatoes are also full of antioxidant polyphenols caffeic acid, dicaffeoylquinic acid, tricaffeoylquinic acid, which may also have cancer-fighting effects.
Sweet potatoes are also a good source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, riboflavin, vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, and iron. Their complex sugars make sweet potatoes a perfect food for diabetics and everyone who has problems with blood sugar levels, while their high amount of fiber improves digestion and may even prevent colon cancer. The high amount potassium and vitamin B6 make sweet potatoes an important food for heart health. Vitamin B6 also helps prevent strokes.
The huge amount of beta-carotene in sweet potatoes also promotes healthy hair growth and prevents damage to the hair.
You can even benefit from the water you have used to boil sweet potatoes – It can be used to cleanse pores, remove toxins and soothe irritated skin.
Sources: http://www.realfarmacy.com/lung-vegetable/
http://www.naturalnews.com/053666_sweet_potatoes_lung_cancer_growth_emphysema.html
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