For generations, sweet potatoes have been considered one of the healthiest foods for the human body. In modern times, many people—especially women—include them in their daily diet, believing that they help maintain both health and beauty.

However, no matter how nutritious a food may be, consuming it the wrong way can still lead to unexpected side effects, even illnesses. The story of a 60-year-old Taiwanese woman is a striking example.

According to nutrition expert Li Wanping from Taiwan, who shared the case on a health program called Focus 2.0, this woman was not overweight and was very conscious about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She believed that steaming or boiling food was the healthiest way to eat, so she regularly ate steamed sweet potatoes and pumpkins for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

She thought this cooking method was simple, convenient, and beneficial, so she kept it up for a long time. But during a routine health check, she was shocked to learn that she had moderate fatty liver disease.

The diagnosis left her confused—how could someone who ate such a “clean” diet end up with a liver problem?

Li Wanping explained that both sweet potatoes and pumpkins are high in starch, which is converted into triglycerides when consumed in excess. Over time, these fats accumulate in body organs and can lead to fatty liver. Moreover, by eating these two foods for all three meals, she was consuming too much carbohydrate while lacking protein, resulting in nutritional imbalance.

The expert emphasized that no matter how healthy a food is, balance and variety are key. The body needs a proper mix of nutrients from different sources to stay healthy and avoid disease.

Another Taiwanese hepatology and gastroenterology specialist, Dr. Zhenrong, noted that people with fatty liver are about 5% more likely to develop diabetes and face higher risks of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks. Fatty liver is also associated with an increased likelihood of liver, esophageal, stomach, and breast cancers.

Fatty liver occurs when excess fat accumulates in the liver, impairing its function and potentially causing serious health problems. Interestingly, it’s not just high-fat foods that cause the condition—eating “healthy” foods incorrectly can have the same effect.

American studies have also shown that low vitamin C levels are linked to a higher risk of fatty liver, while maintaining adequate vitamin C may help prevent it. Fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C include guava, kiwi, oranges, lemons, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, and bitter melon.

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Why You Shouldn’t Eat Too Much Sweet Potato

No matter how much you love sweet potatoes, you should limit your intake to about 300 grams per day. Eating too much can cause the digestive system to produce excess carbon dioxide, leading to bloating and gas.

It’s also best not to eat them on an empty stomach. The natural sugars in sweet potatoes can stimulate acid secretion, causing discomfort or heartburn. They should be fully cooked—steamed, boiled, or baked—and you can add a bit of alcohol during cooking to neutralize enzymes that may cause gas. If bloating occurs, drinking ginger tea can help relieve it.

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Why Sweet Potatoes Are Best Eaten in the Morning

Eating sweet potatoes at night can lead to acid reflux, especially in older adults or people with weak digestion. At night, the body’s metabolism slows down, making it harder to process starchy foods and potentially leading to insomnia or stomach discomfort.

The ideal time to eat sweet potatoes is for breakfast, paired with whole milk or yogurt, plus some nuts and leafy greens. This combination provides a well-balanced and nutritious meal to start the day.