Sweet potatoes promote productive bacteria in the stomach, small intestine, and colon, while at the same time, they starve out unproductive bacteria and fungi such as mold that are camping out there. By keeping these microbes at bay, sweet potatoes are standouts at enhancing the body’s production of B12. Also, sweet potatoes help prevent a condition called megacolon—that is, an expansion of the colon due to proliferation of C. difficile, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, E. coli, H. pylori, Chlamydia, and/or other bacteria. Plus, this superfood helps alleviate narrowing of the intestinal tract due to the chronic inflammation that’s so commonly diagnosed as Crohn’s or colitis.
Abundant in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are especially praised for being packed with carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lycopene, and rightfully so. These phytochemicals are extremely powerful. If you are fair and eat a sweet potato daily, before long you’ll see your skin take on a glow, as if it’s been sun-kissed. The lycopene, combined with sweet potatoes’ abundant amino acids, is a recipe for drawing radiation from the body. On top of which, the anti cancerous phytochemicals in sweet potatoes help protect you against skin cancers, breast cancer, reproductive cancers, stomach cancer, intestinal cancers, esophageal cancer, and rectal cancer.
Sweet potatoes are also phytoestrogenic and perform the vital function of ridding the body of unusable, destructive, cancer-causing estrogen that interferes with the body’s hormone function. These estrogens come from plastics, pharmaceuticals, food, and environmental toxins, as well as from the body producing an overabundance of the hormone (due to a diet high in estrogen-producing foods). Because it’s more than the body can use, this estrogen becomes inactive and builds up in the organs, negatively affecting the endocrine system. By purging this excess estrogen, sweet potatoes make room for healthier estrogens to take their place.
Sweet potatoes are also important for regulating hair growth; they stimulate it where needed and prohibit hair when it tries to grow in the wrong places, as in the condition hirsutism. If you struggle with insomnia or another sleeping disorder, sweet potatoes are very useful. They provide a critical form of glucose that stimulates the development of neurotransmitters such as glycine, dopamine, GABA, and serotonin, all of which aid in the ability to sleep soundly. Whether you like orange, yellow, white, pink, or purple sweet potatoes, eat up. Each type holds medicinal qualities that will power you through life.
If you have any of the following conditions, try bringing sweet potatoes into your life:
Megacolon, hirsutism, colitis, Crohn’s disease, skin cancers, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, stomach cancer, intestinal cancers, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, sleep disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), heart disease, kidney disease, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), insomnia, alopecia, sunburn, Asperger’s syndrome, depression, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), psoriatic arthritis, epilepsy, hiatal hernia, adrenal fatigue, neuropathy, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, eczema, psoriasis, shingles, urinary tract infections (UTIs), chlamydia, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, scleroderma, lichen sclerosus, celiac disease, social anxiety disorder
If you have any of the following symptoms, try bringing sweet potatoes into your life:
Dandruff, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues, diarrhea, anxiousness, intestinal tract discomfort, inflamed colon, colon spasms, heartburn, scar tissue, muscle cramps, muscle spasms, food sensitivities, heart palpitations, hot flashes, abdominal cramping, accelerated aging, brain lesions, colon spasms, depersonalization, digestive disturbances, abnormal Pap smear results, eye dryness, swelling, age spots, weight gain, scaly skin, intestinal polyps
When you need some coddling, there’s nothing more comforting than a baked sweet potato. Unlike greasy, fried, or sugar-filled and processed “comfort” foods that leave you feeling bloated, lethargic, and more depressed, a sweet potato has properties that actually give you the sensation that the world around you has shut down. This is an important function that makes you feel safe and soothed, like you’re getting a hug even if no one’s there to give you one, so that you can draw up the strength to deal with hard times.
Have you ever baked a sweet potato and seen the natural sugars that bubble up and drip down the sides? A sweet potato in and of itself is as rich as anything you could ask for—and yet that doesn’t seem to be enough for us. Popular sweet potato recipes call for butter, cream, brown sugar, or marshmallows. Even though sweet potatoes are sweeter than sweet and already perfect, we adulterate them, obscure their natural qualities, and overindulge. Where in your life are you unnecessarily piling on the extra toppings? Sweet potatoes teach us to evaluate other circumstances where we’ve been handed a pure and complete gift, and out of fear or a lack of appreciation, we’ve felt like that wasn’t enough.
* To reap sweet potatoes’ maximum benefits, try to eat one per day.
* If you crave a creamy accompaniment to your sweet potato, scoop out some fresh avocado and mash it in as though it were butter. After you’ve cooked a batch of sweet potatoes (steaming and baking are the healthiest preparations), set some aside to save for later in the fridge. Chopping them up and serving over salad helps your body absorb and assimilate more nutrients from leafy greens. And a few bites of sweet potato when you’re having trouble sleeping in the middle of the night will help you get some rest.
* Try rubbing a piece of raw sweet potato on a scar. It has medicinal qualities that stimulate healing and tone the skin to help reduce scar tissue.
* People often use cucumber slices to get rid of bags under the eyes. For variety, try cold slices of cooked sweet potato instead. This will infuse the under-eye tissue with beta-carotene, bringing back vitality to your appearance.
* When you’re dealing with sunburn, try eating sweet potato to recover faster.
* If you have a lot of internal scar tissue from past surgeries, try a routine of eating two sweet potatoes daily for one week, then one sweet potato daily for three weeks. Repeat every month until your condition improves.
* When you’re scheduled to see a movie you know will be scary or action-packed, eat a sweet potato beforehand. It will support your adrenals as you experience the excitement, fear, and adventure on-screen.
Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Braised Cabbage
A great dish for weekly dinners, the components of this dish can be made ahead of time and assembled just prior to serving. Bake sweet potatoes and cook the cabbage in advance and store them in the fridge for up to four days for a quick, easy dinner that takes minutes to prepare. For best results, make the sauce right before serving and ladle it piping hot over the stuffed sweet potatoes.
4 sweet potatoes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 red cabbage, shredded
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 tablespoons minced parsley
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake sweet potatoes on a baking sheet for 45 to 60 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. In a large pan, saute garlic and onions in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and soft. Add the cabbage and sea salt, along with 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 30 to 40 minutes until the cabbage is tender, continuing to stir occasionally and adding a splash of water as needed to moisten. Split open sweet potatoes and mash each side slightly with a fork. Stuff as much braised cabbage into the openings as possible.
Make the sauce just before serving the sweet potatoes. (For 4 servings, double the ingredients for the sauce.) Add all the ingredients to a small pan. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until it bubbles slightly. Continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce is well combined and slightly thickened. Pour over the sweet potatoes, garnish with parsley, and enjoy!
Makes 2 to 4 servings