Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite healthy foods. It’s a staple in my lifestyle. Here are 5 reasons why!
- Contains Plenty of Needed Vitamins & Minerals
Sweet potatoes contain many vitamins and minerals needed to help your body function at its’ best. Remember, nutrient dense foods lower your appetite so you can focus on the things that matter rather than when it’s time to eat again! Check out this list:
- Beta Carotene
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B5, B6
- Vitamin E
- Potassium
- Manganese
- Boost Immune function
Being so full of vitamins and minerals is great for the immune system as well as keeping cells healthy to reduce cancer risks. They namely contain beta carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E which are good for helping support your immune system in a number of ways.
- Energy Dense Food
Sweet potatoes have quite a serving of carbs at about 27 carbs for a medium sweet potato. They are certainly the friend of an athlete looking for an energy packed healthy food. Add some butter and light brown sugar and you’ll have energy for even long practices & competitions.
- Helps Blood Sugar Levels
When boiled, sweet potatoes have a rather low glycemic index, meaning they cause the sugar to slowly go in to the blood stream. This keeps you from having a big blood sugar spike and then crash. It is also optimal for diabetes management, especially Type 2. It should be noted that other cooking methods, especially baking, sweeten the potatoes and increase the simple sugar count, raising the GI. Eating the skin can help offset this.
- High in Fiber for Gut Health
Sweet potatoes are high in fiber which can promote a healthy gut. It’s mix of soluble and in soluble fiber can make sure you bowel movements are of a healthy frequency as well as substantial. Having a higher fiber proportion an also help with managing appetite as it allows you to be full for longer and go without needing to snack a lot.
So if you aren’t already eating sweet potatoes, try them in your next set of meals. They can be prepared many ways. I personally prefer mine baked although I’ve boiled them plenty. Sweet potatoes fries are also dope.
How do you like sweet potatoes made and/or how will you add them into your eating flow?