Sweet Potatoes (There and Back Again)

Follow this link to a re-post of my sweet potato article from September 2012 on OKRA's new web site.

Slice of Life: Sweet Potato (Photo: Wikipedia Commons)

One cup or one medium sweet potato with its skin (5”) contains 114 calories, 4 grams fiber, 2.1 grams protein, 40 mg sodium, and is negligible in saturated fat and cholesterol. Sweet potatoes are most notable as excellent sources of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, a cancer-fighter and antioxidant that helps to prevent sun damage and premature aging. Sweet potatoes with dark orange flesh are richest in carotenoid pigments and bioavailable beta-carotene.

As a rich source of complex carbohydrates, sweet potatoes provide sustained energy. With regard to complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranks higher in nutritional value than the white potato, spinach, or broccoli.

Health benefits associated with sweet potatoes include blood sugar regulation, reduced inflammation, and successful blood clotting. As starchy root vegetables, many people would expect sweet potatoes to quickly elevate blood sugar levels, because concentrated starches are easily converted by the digestive tract into simple sugars. However, sweet potatoes contain dietary fiber (4 grams per medium sweet potato) and help to modify insulin metabolism, and actually improve blood sugar regulation, even in Type 2 diabetics. Boiling sweet potatoes seems to favorably impact glucose regulation more than roasting or baking.

Reduced inflammation following the consumption of sweet potatoes has been linked to vitamins A and C in particular, especially in purple sweet potatoes. These anti-inflammatory properties are due to the phytochemical and antioxidant anthocyanin and other color-related pigments; the purple sweet potato owes its rich color from phytochemical anthocyanin and other polyphenols. In addition to reducing inflammation, these substances help to reduce cardiovascular disease, improve vision, and increase memory.

Some of the same color-related phytochemicals in sweet potatoes impact fibrinogen, which is critical for successful blood clotting (stopping blood loss and closing wounds).  It is important for individuals who take medications for clotting issues to keep this in mind if sweet potato consumption is high.

Continue reading the full OKRA article here. For a full nutrition article archive, click here.

Southern Comfort: Sweet Potatoes

So glad Fall is here! 

Here is an excerpt from my current article in OKRA Magazine on sweet potatoes, one of my favorite autumnal foods. 
 
Recommendations from this Registered Dietitian (RD):

1. Explore your roots. Sweet potatoes are related to the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae), and are not in the yam family (Dioscoreaceae) or that of the common potato (Solanaceae). These foods also differ in taste, texture, flavor, and nutrients. There seem to be regional preferences for the sweet potato; Yankees seem to prefer their sweet potatoes with a granular and gritty consistency, while southern sweet potato consumers enjoy moister textures. Southern states with Sweet Potato Festivals include Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina , Tennessee, and Texas. If you have a Sweet Potato Festival in your area that you’d like to add to this list, let OKRA know!
2. Mix and mash. Sweet potatoes are any easy substitute for white potatoes in most recipes, including baking, mashing, roasting, and frying. Add layers of flavor with peppers (black, white, cayenne, or chile), onion, or cloves, as with this Sweet Potato Guacamole. After baking, serve them cold or use in packed lunches. (Remember: Include the skins for the most nutritional benefit)
3. Beware the couch potato. Particularly with holiday season looming, it is important to practice portion control and exercise. Even healthy foods have calories and can lead to weight gain if eaten in excess, so moderation is key. Note that one cup of canned sweet potatoes equals one medium-sized, cooked fresh sweet potato. For more information, refer to the USDA’s Sweet Potato Nutritional Analysis.
4. Have your cake and eat it too. Despite its name, the “sweet” potato may be beneficial for people with diabetes. Aside from the low calories and nutritional content found in sweet potatoes (particularly when eaten with the skin), persons with diabetes can benefit from the slow breakdown of these root vegetables in the body, leading to more stable blood glucose and insulin levels. More information can be found at http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/nutrition/usda-sweet-potato-nutritional-analysis/
5. Chew the fat. Eating sweet potatoes with small amounts of fat will increase the absorption of their beta-carotene. Toss sweet potato spears with olive oil, roast at 400F for 30 minutes, and enjoy healthier fries. [Note: Sweet potatoes cook more quickly than regular potatoes, so you can skip preheating the oven.] Consider adding a chopped walnut topping (with its heart-healthy fats) to a puree of cooked sweet potatoes with bananas, maple syrup and cinnamon.
6. Don’t get stoned. Sweet potatoes are high in oxalates, naturally occurring substances which can form insoluble salts with calcium in the body. If oxalates become too concentrated and crystallize, problems such as kidney stones (usually comprised of calcium oxalate) can occur in susceptible individuals. Hydration and proper diet (with regard to protein and calcium) may help to prevent stone formation in individuals prone to them, and some may avoid certain high-oxalate foods (such as rhubarb, beets, spinach, peanuts, okra, chocolate, and sweet potatoes). In these cases, because oxalates may interfere with absorption of calcium from the body, it is important to consult with a healthcare practitioner to ensure calcium requirements are being met.

Check out the rest of my article on sweet potatoes in OKRA Magazine here:
Sweet Potatoes
For my full article archive, click here.