shipperx | Sweet Potato

I've been on a quest to eat more healthfully for a few months now (although not so much during Christmas) and have been eating as 'natural' as possible, cutting out processed foods where I can. I've also long since rid myself of all artificial sweetners (be it sacchrine, aspertame, splenda, or high fructose corn syrup) in preference for real ones.

In the process I've managed to lose more than one jeans size (though not quite two...yet. It's close, though. Especially post-stomach flu). To do so, however, I have been tracking calories with myfitnesspal, which has a nicely expansive data base, will scan bar codes to add info to the data base, and which tracks not only your calories but also your percent carbs, fat, and proteins AND various nutritional data such as vitamins.

Post stomach flu, I've spent several days eating easily digested foods because -- obvious! So there were a couple of days last week where I ate very, very little. Imagine my surprise when I looked at the nutritional data for a day when I had eaten next to nothing and my vitamin A consumption was out the roof!

In fact, I had eaten little more that day than some juice and a sweet potato. So I looked up the sweet potato.

Turns out, sweet potatoes are hella nutritious (if you're not topping them with brown sugar or marshmallows.) And I'm updating my long abandoned 100 things meme

Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes (from several sources)

Among the super foods, sweet potatoes top the list.

Research is indicating that the humble sweet potato may be an important factor in combating obesity, diabetes, inflammation and Vitamin A deficiency. And butter-lovers rejoice; the sweet potato is one vegetable that is actually good for you when eaten with fat.

History of the sweet potato:
Native to Central America, sweet potatoes are one of the oldest foods known to man. It is believed that they spread to South America and to the Caribbean by 2500 BC, and to Polynesia by 1000 AD. Christopher Columbus took sweet potatoes to Europe, and from there they spread to the Philippines, Africa, India, Indonesia, and Asia. Sweet potatoes have been grown in the southern region of the United States since the 1600s, and feature prominently in southern cooking.

In the U.S., the names “sweet potato” and “yam” are used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Sweet potatoes are members of the Morning Glory family while yams are from the Lily family. They differ in appearance and nutritional value, and yams are rarely seen in the U.S. outside of ethnic specialty stores. Prior to the mid 1900s the sweet potatoes grown in the U.S. were the dryer-fleshed white varieties. When the orange-fleshed potatoes were introduced growers called them yams to differentiate them from the white. Today, if the name “yam” is used, the government requires “sweet potato” to also appear on the label.

Best cooking methods:
No matter how nutritious a food is, it does no good if it is not bioaccessible, or able to be used by the body. The bioaccessibility of the beta-carotene in sweet potatoes has been the subject of a number of studies, and researchers have concluded that very little of the beta-carotene is bioavailable when the vegetable is consumed raw. More beta-carotene was available when the potatoes were roasted, and still more when boiled or steamed. When steamed or boiled, they are fairly low on the glycemic index compared to most other starches, and are a great choice for those with diabetes. The highest levels of beta-carotene were bioaccessible when sweet potatoes were served with fat (or fried). Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, and the presence of fat when the potato is cooked and eaten assists the body in converting beta-carotene to Vitamin A.

Whether turned into chips or fries, mashed, roasted, steamed, or baked, sweet potatoes aren’t just for Thanksgiving anymore.

Nutrition:

Sweet potatoes contain almost twice as much fiber as other types of potatoes. Contributing close to 7 grams of fiber per serving. The high fiber content gives them a "slow burning" quality. This basically means their caloric energy is used more slowly and efficiently than a low-fiber carbohydrate.

Heart-healthy
They contain a large amount of vitamin B6. This vitamin is crucial in breaking down a substance called homocysteine, which contributes to hardening of the arteries and blood vessels.

In addition, sweet potatoes contain high amounts of potassium. Potassium plays an important role in lowering blood pressure by ridding the body of excess sodium and regulating fluid balance.

Rich in beta-carotene or vitamin A which is an important antioxidant. One medium sweet potato provides your body with the complete recommended daily allowance of vitamin A and then some. Beta-carotene also helps to internally protect your skin from sun damage by both deflecting and repairing cell damage caused by excessive UV exposure. It also is an excellent nutrient for eye health and has been linked to prevention of vision loss and macular degeneration.

As if being one of the top vegetable sources of beta-carotene weren't enough, sweet potatoes are also rich in vitamins C and E.

Both vitamin A and vitamin C, are invaluable for the prevention of many different types of cancer and have anti-inflammatory properties. Lowered inflammation has been shown in brain tissue and nerve tissue throughout the body following the consumption of sweet potato.

Also a great source of manganese which is a little-discussed trace mineral that has some great health benefits. It is a pivotal component in the metabolism of carbohydrates which helps support healthy blood sugar levels. This can help stabilize the appetite for hours as opposed to the temporary satisfaction that comes with most other carbohydrates.

Not Always a Casserole
Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet and do not need to be covered in marshmallows and brown sugar to be tasty. Try slow-baking in their own skins (no foil needed) or toss wedges of sweet potato with olive oil, salt and chili powder and bake at 450 degrees F until crispy on the outside and soft inside for a healthy twist on fries.