According to a Japanese study, purple sweet potato – rich in the red pigment anthocyanin – may keep your liver healthy. Anthocyanins contribute to the colour of blueberries, cranberries, eggplant, grapes and red cabbage, and are believed to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Sweet Potatoes May Help with Liver Damage from Excessive Alcohol Consumption. Anthocyanins in purple sweet potatoes are also associated with improving liver damage from alcohol abuse, according to a study with mice conducted by the NIH. Sweet Potatoes May Help Regulate Your Blood Sugar.
Sweet potato intake and the risk of NAFLD Original paper. In this observational study conducted in China, consumption of sweet potatoes was associated with a lower risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in men, but not in women. This Study Summary was published on May 31 2022.
Sweet potatoes contain potassium. A high potassium intake may not be suitable for people who take beta-blockers. Doctors commonly prescribe these for heart disease, and they can cause potassium levels to rise in the blood. People with kidney problems should also take note of how much potassium they consume.
French fries, wafers, burgers, and pizzas do no good to your liver. These food items are high in saturated fat or trans-fat content and are difficult to digest. In other words, your liver needs to work hard to process these food items.
Obesity, Diabetes or High Cholesterol
These conditions can cause nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which may also lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. “Fatty liver disease is the world's fastest growing reason for needing a liver transplant,” says Dr. Alqahtani.
Consuming sweet potatoes in excess can result in Vitamin A toxicity which is manifested in skin rashes and headaches. Due to high fibre content, excess intake of sweet potatoes can result in bloating, stomach pain and diarrhoea.
Sweet potatoes contain high amounts of oxalates that may increase the risk of calcium-oxalate kidney stones. Sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene, and their excessive consumption can lead to hypervitaminosis A (vitamin A toxicity), in which excess vitamin A accumulates in the liver.
If your sweet potato is oozing, soft and squishy, discolored, smelly, or have a bunch of sprouts, it's time to toss. If there are only a few sprouts and the sweet potato is still firm you can cut the sprouted portion off, cook and eat right away, or you can plant it!
It emphasizes eating fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts, legumes, olive oil, and flavorful herbs and spices; fish and seafood at least a couple of times a week; and poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt in moderation, while saving sweets and red meat for special occasions.
Purple sweet potatoes
Turns out they may be key in supporting healthy liver detox! A preclinical animal study found that the anthocyanins in purple sweet potato helped fight oxidative stress in the liver, and promoted healthy liver function.
Purple sweet potatoes improve liver...
While both our experts say eating a sweet potato a day is certainly healthy, they don't recommend more than that, since there are plenty of other vegetables to enjoy too. “If you're eating more than one a day, you might want to consider varying up your food choices so you get a variety of nutrients,” Rizzo says.
Sweet potatoes have a high oxalate content. High oxalate in diet can lead to kidney and gallbladder stones in the body. Therefore, you should eat them in moderation.
The beta-carotene in sweet potatoes has been shown to fight inflammation, and eating them regularly can help ease joint pain and other symptoms of inflammatory conditions like arthritis. If you're looking for a delicious way to reduce inflammation, add some sweet potatoes to a salad or bake alongside protein!
Despite its sweet taste, tweaking your diet with sweet potatoes can gradually reduce your LDL cholesterol level, which often leads to clogging up of arteries and experts believe that moderate consumption of sweet potatoes can help in improving heart health.
Sweet potatoes are also rich in vitamin C and vitamin B6, which is important for brain and nervous system health. They're also a good source of potassium and magnesium, which help improve heart health by helping to regulate blood pressure.
Alcohol, Sedentary Lifestyle, Fat Damage Liver
Further, refined carbohydrates, sugars, oils damaged by high heat and rancid oils all make the liver work overtime to process them through your body.