Sweet potato is a popular ingredient used in the cusine, it sometimes used as a starch instead of french fries. But what if sweet potato can be great not only as food? It may not be obvious, but sweet potato juice is an amazing, full of vitamins drink!
1. Are sweet potatoes good for juicing?
It may come as a surprise, but sweet potato juice is one of the healthiest vegetable juices. It is packed with vitamin B6, which improves the blood vessels; vitamin C, which serves as a powerful antioxidant; potassium, which helps to fight stress, and many other great vitamins and nutrients. Its anti-inflammatory properties are beneficial for those who have arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
Don’t be discouraged by its name. Apart from its name and visual appearance, it has nothing to do with a regular potato. It has a sweet taste and is excellent in combination with other fruits or vegetables, such as apple juice. Moreover, a sweet potato is much richer in carbs, iron, potassium, and proteins than a regular potato.
2. Health benefits of sweet potato
The benefits of sweet potato are very diverse. Let’s take a look at each one of them:
1) Gastrointestinal problems: Doctors recommend sweet potatoes to those who have gastrointestinal issues. Because of high levels of beta-cryptoxanthin, it is recommended for prophylactics and treating arthritis. Starch, which can be found in sweet potatoes in high amounts, is beneficial for treating various stomach and intestine diseases.
2) Prevents cancer: Sweet potato juice prevents the growth of a cancerous tumor. The presence of ascorbic acid in this vegetable neutralizes free radicals, which provoke cancerous cells.
3) Immune system: Sweet potato is an excellent vitamin C source, which improves the immune system and prevents flu and the common cold.
4) Heart: It is healthy for the heart and vessels. Potassium, which is present in this vegetable, helps expand the vessel walls and reduce blood pressure. Regular consumption of sweet potato juice or eating it whole contributes to the cholesterol level reduction in the blood. Additionally, such minerals as iron and copper facilitate the supply of oxygen to the blood.
5) Bones: Sweet potato is a rich source of Vitamin D; hence its consumption is beneficial for healthy bones and prevention of such diseases as osteoporosis.
6) Skin: Sweet potato is also used for skincare – it actively fights acne, dark spots, wrinkles, and other skin problems and aging symptoms. Vitamin C, present in this vegetable, stimulates collagen production, which helps the skin to stay elastic and healthy. Vitamin A, which is also present in sweet potato, helps the skin to regenerate faster. In-home cosmetology, sweet potato is also used for various skin healing masks.
7) Hormonal balance: Phytoestrogens, present in this vegetable, help normalize hormonal balance; hence it is recommended for women after fifty years old.
8) Muscles: For athletes, this product can be a significant part of the diet – high in slow-releasing carbohydrates, sweet potato helps reduce pain in muscles and recover the body after the workout.
9) Diabetes: People with diabetes can also eat sweet potato – it has a low glycemic index, hence after consuming sweet potato, sugar level doesn’t increase. On the contrary, drinking sweet potato juice normalizes a healthy insulin metabolism.
10) Anti-stress: People who stress a lot, often have reduced potassium in the body. Sweet potato helps to tackle it because of the presence of potassium – it is a great antidepressant.
3. Sweet potato for hair health
Due to high levels of vitamin A, sweet potato stimulates the growth and strength of the hair. Lack of this vitamin makes the skin dry and hair – thin and weak. The contents of iron in sweet potatoes also serve as a prevention of hair loss. Sweet potato juice is a natural solution to fill the needed vitamin deficit. It can be juiced raw and consumed as a beverage or used as a hair mask by applying it directly on a scalp.
A hair mask for the hair growth is done from the raw sweet potato juice. The juice is applied on the scalp and gently rubbed with the fingertips into the hair roots. The amount depends on your hair density. It is recommended to do this procedure 20 minutes before washing your hair. After staying with the mask for 20 minutes, rinse it with warm water, and after that, wash with your usual shampoo. You can conduct this procedure once per week.
4. How do you juice sweet potatoes?
The best way to juice sweet potato is by using a masticating juicer. It ensures the maximum yield and preserves the highest amount of vitamins within your juice. If you don’t have one, you can take a look at our overview of the best masticating juicers available on the market:
If you don’t feel like investing in a juicer yet, you still can make sweet potato juice. For that, you need to grate a couple of them on a grater and filter through a cheesecloth. The juice is ready. The pulp left in the cloth doesn’t have to go to waste; you can use it as an ingredient in different dishes, more about it in this article:
It is recommended to peel sweet potatoes before juicing. They grow in the ground, and the same as in the case of other tubers, their skin can be dirty.
5. What are the side effects of sweet potato?
Apart from individual allergic reactions, sweet potato is not recommended for those who suffer from diseases related to the urinary tract and issues with kidneys. In the case of these diseases, it is recommended to lower the consumption of foods rich in potassium, such as sweet potato.
6. Sweet potato-lemon-ginger juice recipe
We are happy to provide you with a very simple but delicious and extremely healthy juice recipe. The preparation time won’t take you more than a couple of minutes. This juice has a nice consistent texture and vivid orange color. With some spicy ginger notes and refreshing lemon sourness, this beverage is a great vitamin source.
Ingredients:
- 2 regular size sweet potatoes
- ½ lemon
- 1 inch of ginger
Preparation:
- Put all the ingredients into your masticating juicer and squeeze. Consume the drink right after it’s done.
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