Interesting facts about sweet potato:
- A sweet potato is not a potato variety. It is considered a root vegetable and is very different when it comes to density, taste and nutrition
- When eaten with the skin on, a medium sweet potato has over four times the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which plays a vital role in vision, bone development and immune function.
- Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber, a nutrient that bulks up food, keeping you full longer. Fiber also keeps your bowels healthy and lowers cholesterol. A medium sweet potato baked in its skin has 4 grams of fiber, more than a packet of instant oatmeal.
- Diabetic Friendly - Research has found these root veggies play a role in stabilizing or lowering blood sugar, due to their low glycemic index. Foods low on the glycemic index break down more slowly in the body, which may produce fewer fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels products.
- Native Americans were already growing sweet potatoes when Columbus came to the shores in 1492.