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🤔 Today's Trivia Question:

“What Vitamin Gives Sweet Potatoes and Carrots Their Orange Color?”

Correct Answer: B) Vitamin A

🥕 Boost Your Immunity with Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

The Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

Carrots and sweet potatoes might seem unassuming, but they are powerhouses of nutrition, easy to include in your daily diet, and boast impressive health benefits. Both vegetables are rich in beta carotene, a red-orange pigment that not only gives them their vibrant color but also acts as a powerful antioxidant. This pigment converts into vitamin A in the body, an essential nutrient for boosting the immune system and promoting eye health.

Nutritional Highlights

A single medium baked sweet potato contains over 400% of the daily recommended dose of vitamin A, making it a fantastic choice for maintaining good vision. Additionally, sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, packed with energy-boosting carbohydrates, and rich in fiber, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. The fiber in sweet potatoes supports a healthy digestive system by feeding beneficial gut microbes, which aids in efficient nutrient absorption.

Carrots, while not as sweet as sweet potatoes, offer their own array of health benefits. They are loaded with vitamins K, C, B6, niacin, and potassium. Carrots also possess antibacterial properties and are a great source of vitamin C, which stimulates the production of white blood cells, strengthening the immune system. The fiber in carrots helps reduce blood pressure by removing excess LDL cholesterol from the body.

Fun Facts

  • One medium baked sweet potato provides more than 400% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin A.

  • Consuming one carrot daily can reduce the risk of stroke by 68%.

Easy Ways to Incorporate Sweet Potatoes and Carrots into Your Diet

  1. Keep carrots handy for a quick snack on the go.

  2. Add sweet potatoes to your breakfast skillet.

  3. Blend a carrot into your smoothie or juice.

  4. Include a sweet potato as your carbohydrate for dinner.

  5. Steam carrots for a nutritious addition to lunch or dinner.

  6. Make your own baked sweet potato chips for a healthy snack.

  7. Toss carrots into salads, stir-fries, or casseroles.

Enhance your immune system during this pandemic by increasing your intake of carrots and sweet potatoes.

Read the Full Article Here at blogs.uww.edu