Sweet Potatoes: Not Just for Thanksgiving!

Baked sweet potato

November is Sweet Potato Awareness Month! Sweet potatoes are often a part of Thanksgiving dinner, but why not enjoy them all winter long? These nutritious tubers are very versatile.

Sweet potatoes come in a variety of colors, including orange, white, and purple. Orange and purple sweet potatoes are high in antioxidants, which help fght infammation and may protect against cancer. All sweet potatoes give you vitamins A and C, fber, and potassium.

One cup of cooked sweet potato with skin provides 6.6 g of fber, about one-fourth of your daily fber recommendation. The fber in sweet potatoes feeds the “good gut bugs” that are important for gut health and keep you regular. The vitamin A prevents vision loss and improves eye health. The vitamin C promotes healthy skin, helps heals wounds, and enhances immune function. Potassium helps maintain healthy blood pressure.

You can enjoy sweet potatoes in many ways—mashed, grilled, steamed, microwaved, even in pancakes. Try today’s Sweet Potato Fries recipe!

Source: Produce for Better Health Foundation, fruitsandveggies.org

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