In addition to providing lots of general health benefits, sweet potatoes are good for optimum brain health. Including sweet potatoes in the diet has been shown to improve memory and reduce the possibility of Alzheimer’s down the road. For about 100 calories per 1/2-cup serving you get a huge amount of health-building nutrients. The bright orange flesh of the sweet potato contains carotenoids that help stabilize your blood sugar, aiding your metabolism. Sweet potatoes have four times the US recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for beta-carotene when eaten with the skin on. In fact, it would take 20 cups of broccoli to provide the 38,000 IUs (international units) of beta-carotene (which converts to vitamin A) that is available in 1 cup of cooked sweet potatoes. They are also a source of vitamin E, vitamin B6, potassium, and iron, plus they’re fat-free. Cup for cup, sweet potatoes have been found to provide as much fiber as oatmeal.