Sweet potatoes are known to many as the sweeter version of a plain potato and a staple during holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Although potatoes generally tend to have a bad reputation, the sweet potato is a surprising year-round food. sweet potatoes recipe
Yes, potatoes are known to have starch and carbohydrates, but this isn’t always a bad thing. Starch is the main type of carbohydrate in your body, and carbohydrates are one of the macronutrients the body uses as a major source of energy.
For many who are plant-based, sweet potatoes are used in a variety of delicious and flavorful meals. Sweet potatoes are eaten as stand-alone dishes as well as fusion meals like curry, or Mexican. Sweet potatoes are nutrient-dense. This means they are relatively low in calories and high in nutrients, therefore, they are nutritious and delicious.
Here are three things you didn’t know about sweet potatoes:
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Sweet Potatoes Support Digestive Health and Weight Loss
Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber. Fiber is important for digestive health because it helps keep the body regular and maintain a healthy bowel movement. A diet low in fiber can be linked to constipation and serious disease like colon cancer. While fiber moves through the digestive tract slowly, it promotes fullness in the body, helping to cut cravings and eventually helping to aid in weight loss.
Q&A: Can I Still Eat Sweet Potatoes On My Diet?
Sweet Potatoes Promote a Healthy Immune System
Sweet potatoes are high in vitamins A and C and are rich in antioxidants, which help to maintain a healthy immune system. The immune system helps protect our body from illness and infections. A poor immune system leaves the body open to many diseases including cancer.
Sweet Potatoes Promote a Healthy Heart
The fiber content in sweet potatoes helps to prevent heart disease by lowering LDL cholesterol levels. The potassium in sweet potatoes aids in maintaining healthy blood pressure by balancing the sodium in the body.
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How can you add sweet potatoes to your everyday diet? Try them as chips, pasta, fries, mashed, baked, roasted, or stuffed. The possibilities are endless. Here is a quick and easy recipe from the book EAT J.U.N.K. that you can try right now.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Brussel Sprouts
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes
- Brussels sprouts
- Olive Oil (1 tablespoon)
- Seasonings of choice (I use rosemary, Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute, Umami)
- Mushroom Seasoning, Garlic Salt, and Onion Salt)
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Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Rinse, slice, and chop sweet potatoes and add to a large bowl, and use a paper towel to lightly dry. Add in a tablespoon of olive oil and thoroughly massage (add more oil if needed).
Add seasoning and continue massaging thoroughly until sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts are covered in seasoning.
Place vegetables on a baking sheet and put them in the oven uncovered. Let cook for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. If after 20 minutes the vegetables are not soft enough, continue roasting for another 5-7 minutes.
Once finished, enjoy alone or over a bowl of quinoa with a side of hummus.
Elissa Mirsky, known to most as Elle, is a published author and former editor-in-chief of Bold Magazine. She believes food shouldn’t be boring and every meal should be fashionably edible. Follow her on Instagram @mylifebeingelle where she is documenting her journey to eat well, live life, and love self.
