Not Only Carrots, but Sweet Potatoes are Also Rich in Vitamin A

Sweet potatoes are still a species of potatoes and have a tinge of color and a soft texture. Although both are versatile types of tubers, they are not as close as many people think.

Reporting from Healthline, potatoes and sweet potatoes present very different things in terms of nutrition and taste. Nutritionally, potatoes and sweet potatoes are comparable in many ways. But when it comes to the amount of vitamin A in these two pack, the sweet potato wins. 

Read: 5 Healthy Foods For Your Little One's Eyes

The body cannot form vitamin A in the first place, so it must be obtained from the food we eat. While there are many delicious ways to take vitamin A, is it possible to get the daily recommended amount from sweet potatoes alone?

Sweet Potatoes Rich in Vitamin A

While carrots may not give you better vision at night, they are high in beta-carotene and are also contained in sweet potatoes. The Mayo Clinic explains that the body takes beta-carotene and converts it into vitamin A, a nutrient that is essential for healthy eyes.

The eyes aren't the only ones that need to benefit from a dose of vitamin A. Harvard Health Publishing notes that vitamin A also stimulates the production and activity of white blood cells (infection-fighting), and aids bone health.

Vitamin A also regulates cell growth and division, functions necessary for reproduction. It is recommended that adult men consume 900 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin A daily, and adult women consume 700 mcg.

Vitamin A can be obtained from green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, broccoli, pumpkin, chayote, tomatoes, peppers, melon, mango, beef liver, fish oil, and milk. However, the Office of Dietary Supplements states that one baked sweet potato (in the skin) offers up to 1,403 mcg of vitamin A.

The Sweet Potato Also Loaded with Fiber and Other Nutrients

Sweet potatoes also have a lot to offer, not just vitamin A. Sweet potatoes are also a great source of fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and potassium. However, it is essential to note that sweet potatoes have almost the same glycemic index and glycemic load as regular potatoes, which has an impact on glucose levels.

Because most people don't eat sweet potatoes the way potatoes do, they don't seem to have the same impact on weight gain and diabetes as their paler colored counterparts.

If you're looking for food that's loaded with vitamin A and fiber, you can try this quick and easy Mexican-filled sweet potato recipe. But if roasted sweet potatoes aren't the best option, try boiling them and mashing them.

Boiling sweet potatoes is said to be better than roasting or frying them because is to retain more of the nutritious beta-carotene and makes it easier to absorb than other cooking methods.