Blood vessels are a vast network in the human body, spread throughout every part. The blood flows continuously, day and night, but over time, the road surface is inevitably rough and various "traffic accidents" occur. For the elderly, the blood vessels in their bodies are like long-unused roads. As they age, their metabolism slows down and more sediment accumulates in their blood, leading to blockages in the blood vessels. Cerebrovascular blockage, cerebral hemorrhage, myocardial infarction, and other problems become significant hidden dangers to the health of the elderly.
How to effectively clean the blood and maintain the blood vessels of the elderly is a topic of concern for many people. Many people choose to take health supplements or intravenous nutrition, but they overlook a common food that can greatly help the blood and blood vessels of the elderly. Today, we will introduce in detail this affordable nutritional food - sweet potatoes.
Why can sweet potatoes clean the blood and maintain blood vessels? This is closely related to the mucoprotein and potassium they contain. They can effectively remove cholesterol deposits on the blood vessel walls, maintain blood vessel elasticity, and prevent atherosclerosis, a major cardiovascular disease that threatens the elderly.
In addition, sweet potatoes have other significant benefits. They are rich in indigestible fiber and pectin, which can promote gastrointestinal motility and stimulate the secretion of digestive juices, helping with bowel movements.
Furthermore, sweet potatoes are recognized as an anti-cancer food. Their rich content of lysine and carotene can promote the normal maturation of epithelial cells, inhibit abnormal cell differentiation, eliminate carcinogenic oxygen free radicals, prevent carcinogenic substances from binding to proteins in the cell nucleus, and reduce the risk of cancer.
Moreover, the blood pressure-lowering effect of sweet potatoes should not be ignored. The potassium they contain can remove sodium accumulated in the blood vessels, causing the blood vessel cavity to expand and achieve a blood pressure-lowering effect.
It can be seen that sweet potatoes, this common food, are very beneficial to the health of the elderly. However, when eating sweet potatoes, certain considerations should be taken into account. Here are a few precautions for consuming sweet potatoes.
First, consume in moderation. Sweet potatoes contain an oxidase that produces a large amount of carbon dioxide in the intestines, which can cause discomfort such as bloating and belching when consumed in excess. It can also stimulate the excessive secretion of gastric acid, leading to heartburn.
Second, sweet potatoes must be thoroughly cooked. Eating them raw or undercooked can be difficult for the intestines to digest due to the incomplete breakdown of starch granules at high temperatures.
Finally, here's a secret: sweet potato skin is beneficial. Sweet potato flesh is acidic, but the skin contains a large amount of alkaloids, which can neutralize acidity and promote better digestion and absorption of nutrients. However, if the skin has black or dark brown spots or severe discoloration, it should be peeled before consumption.
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