The Magic of Sweet Potatoes and Why You Should Be Eating Them

Spleen Love

Sweet potatoes are a delicious nutritional medicinal in Chinese Medicine, supporting the “spleen” and Earth Element in digestion. “Spleen” is in parenthesis because it is not literally your spleen, but the functional aspect of digestion that we’re talking about. When there is loose stool, bloating, fatigue, and loss of appetite, the spleen is deficient, meaning food is not properly digested and in turn cannot be used to create more You. This is often overlooked by Western culture due to the overabundance of “spleen-injuring” foods we all know and love: processed, high fat foods, alcohol, and dairy. A dysfunctional digestive system can be the beginnings of a number of chronic, persistent issues.

Carotenoids are the plant pigments present in foods that have naturally occurring red, orange, and yellow hues. They are antioxidants when consumed by humans, meaning they help to reduce oxidative stress put on the system. Oxidative stress is caused by diets high in fats, sugar, and processed foods, as well as smoking, alcohol consumption, pollutants, and many other factors. Sound familiar? In the modern world we are endlessly exposed to this type of stress and thus our spleens and bodies suffer and degrade quicker than if we were to incorporate antioxidants.

Low on the glycemic index, sweet potatoes are a good source of complex sugars that don’t spike blood sugar and they are low on the list of inflammatory foods. Start your day off with a warm sweet potato instead of toast to boost your spleen and energy for the day!