Evidence supporting the use of: Sweet Potato
For the health condition: Night Blindness

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 4

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is scientifically validated as a food that can help support or treat night blindness, primarily due to its high content of beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A. Night blindness (nyctalopia) is frequently caused by vitamin A deficiency, which impairs the production of rhodopsin, a pigment necessary for vision in low-light conditions. Sweet potatoes, especially those with orange flesh, are rich in beta-carotene, which the body efficiently converts to retinol (active vitamin A).

Multiple clinical and population studies have demonstrated that increasing dietary intake of vitamin A or beta-carotene-rich foods can reduce the prevalence and severity of night blindness, particularly in populations where vitamin A deficiency is common. The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend the consumption of vitamin A-rich foods, including sweet potatoes, to combat deficiency and associated visual impairments in children and pregnant women.

Randomized controlled trials and intervention programs in developing countries have shown that distributing orange-fleshed sweet potatoes reduces vitamin A deficiency and improves vision-related symptoms. Thus, the use of sweet potato to support or treat night blindness is well supported by scientific evidence, primarily due to its nutritional composition and the established link between vitamin A and healthy vision.

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