Despite their name and shape, sweet potatoes are not in the same family as potatoes and should not be confused with yams. The difference is that potatoes are classified as Solanaceae, while sweet potatoes are classified as Convolvulaceae. Developing countries are its biggest consumers, where it is a staple food in the same rank as rice and maize. It is also a tropical and subtropical plant that some call "batata". It is also an ideal source of carbohydrates.
What nutrients do they contain?
The sweet potato has a very high starch and dietary fibre content which makes it have a low glycemic index in the region of 50 micrograms, unlike the amount that the potato has which is 80 micrograms. This makes the sweet potato one of the recommended foods for people who want to fill up on carbohydrates while sticking to their weight loss diet, but even more so for people with diabetes.
Apart from the high fibre content, the sweet potato contains many other nutritional antioxidant benefits such as zinc, potassium, magnesium and iron. It also contains multitudes of vitamins such as vitamin A, several B vitamins and vitamin C. Very rich in beta-carotene, in some regions, there are those who have problems of lack of vitamin A and who consume sweet potatoes to provoke an active effect on the individual concerned.
There are several varieties of sweet potatoes which are all edible, ranging from yellow or whitish to purple or reddish. If the aim is to get the maximum amount of nutrition, then the darker ones should be chosen as they contain the most carotene and anthocyanin. In addition, sweet potatoes with purple or orange flesh have more nutrients compared to those with yellow or white flesh.
How to choose between different types of sweet potatoes and how to store them better?
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00004As seen earlier, the sweet potatoes with the darkest flesh contain
the most nutrients and antioxidant pigments.
- Sweet potatoes that are firm are the most popular.
- It is best to avoid sweet potatoes that are cracked or bruised.
- It is not advisable to keep sweet potatoes in the refrigerator.
- It is best to store them in a dark, well ventilated, cool place.
What are the benefits of sweet potatoes?
For weight loss:
The following elements make sweet potatoes a popular weight loss item:
- They have a very low carbohydrate content,
- They are very high in dietary fibre,
- They contain very few calories,
- They contain more potassium,
Sweet potatoes are classified as a slow carbohydrate due to their low glycemic index, slow digestion and long shelf life. They contribute to appetite control, because they are a real appetite suppressant. They can even delay or even eliminate the urge to snack all the time. Finally, they prevent the development of insulin resistance, thanks to a balanced blood sugar level.
Benefits for the skin
Vitamin A is the key element for good skin hygiene. The consumption of sweet potatoes provides a significant amount of beta-carotene, which promotes the production of vitamin A for the body. This activates part of the DNA responsible for the production and renewal of skin cells. This is why beauty products are increasingly based on contents rich in retinoic acid or retinol, as this component is just two of the three existing types of vitamin A.
Since the human body is constantly building new cells, and since the skin cells age very quickly and are then renewed, it is important to always keep it new and healthy, so that it can easily resist various damages and chemicals.
Health benefits
In terms of health benefits, research has confirmed that dark-fleshed sweet potatoes have a beneficial result and effect as an anti-inflammatory. They also prevent cancer as they contain a strong antioxidant.
One of the benefits of the sweet potato is its alkalifying effect. Many bodybuilders have a low level of acidosis as a result of consuming too much fatty meat and protein. In this case, the role of the sweet potato is to establish an acid-base balance to mitigate any undesirable effects of over-consumption of these products.
Like dietary fibre, fat remains in the digestive tract for a long time, i. e. keeps the glycemic index low. To avoid this, it is best to cook in a frying pan with oil, or in the oven with the skin on.
Some tips on cooking sweet potatoes
The sweet potato can be cooked in many ways. However, there are many ways to prepare it and still benefit from its low glycemic index. It is important to know that cooking controls the glycemic index of a food according to this rule: the higher the cooking temperature, the higher the glycemic index. In short, mashed or boiled sweet potatoes are not really recommended.
For someone who is on a diet to lose weight, there is no risk involved in cooking sweet potatoes in the same way as potatoes, for example: frying them, preparing them for a gratin or a velouté. Moreover, with its sweet taste, it is also easy to make a cake with it or even compotes. Basically, there are several very easy recipes for sweet potatoes, the choice is really wide, the rest depends only on the taste of each.
