Sweet potatoes are one of the nutritious foods, not only supporting blood sugar control but also having a positive effect on blood pressure.
One of the important factors in controlling blood pressure is maintaining high potassium levels while reducing sodium levels. Sweet potatoes are a rich source of potassium - on average, 1 medium-sized sweet potato (130g), provides about 440 mg of potassium, helps balance electrolytes and supports cardiovascular function.
Research published in the Journal of Clinical hypertension shows that a diet rich in potassium can help reduce average average expressed blood pressure by 4-5 mmHg in adults with mild hypertension. Meanwhile, sweet potatoes also contain antioxidants such as anthocyanins and beta-carotene that help reduce inflammation of blood vessels. This is a risk factor that contributes to high blood pressure.
However, housewives should also note that the way sweet potatoes are prepared also directly affects their effectiveness in lowering blood pressure.
According to the World Health Organization's recommendation, people with high blood pressure should limit eating fried, salty foods. Therefore, housewives should boil or steam sweet potatoes to retain the same amount of fiber, vitamins and minerals without increasing calories or sodium.
In addition, eating sweet potatoes with the skin will help increase fiber intake, supporting the process of controlling cholesterol - a factor related to high blood pressure. The soluble fiber in sweet potatoes is also good for health.
