Sweet potato: Is sweet potato fattening or slimming? or is it bad?

Sweet potato fattening or slimming? We received this doubt a lot on our blog.

Sweet potato is rich in protein, which makes it so valuable as a food. By eating the potato you can recharge your batteries.

If ingested in reasonable amounts, for one reason or another, they fail to gain weight. But due to the benefits it must be present in your diet.

The increase is considerable in those who eat small daily portions as a snack, for example.

But there is still the question of whether sweet potatoes are fattening or slimming,  as we will see next.

But that’s not all, the intake also helps in the control of some diseases, as is the case of those who have diabetes.

Nutritional value of sweet potato:

Because sweet potatoes lose weight, it can be considered a great ally of good shape. Because it is composed of healthy carbohydrates , which have a low glycemic index.

That is, it has little sugar, in addition to having a large amount of calcium. It also offers small amounts of vitamin C , vitamin B-6 and folic acid .

Its mineral content is also beneficial. It provides about 20% of your recommended daily intake of iron, 20% of phosphorus and 10% or more of zinc, magnesium and calcium.

Origin of sweet potato:

The name Sweet Potato initially suggests a direct relationship with the local potato, but in reality the two plants have little to do with each other, at least in a botanical sense.

Both potatoes grow underground, are grown during the summer and harvested in the fall.

The harvested Sweet Potato plant can be used for much more than just the tuber.

In their home countries of South America, sweet potato leaves are also made into spinach-like dishes.

Contrary to the assumption that the sweet potato  was only recently on the European market, it was imported from the Inca empire, just like the potato from the 16th century, in Christopher Columbus’s voyages of discovery.

While the European population quickly consumed the potato as a staple food, Europeans sometimes found the sweet potato a little difficult to get used to.

What are the benefits?

Thanks to the many vitamins and minerals contained in sweet potatoes, you should really think about eating them more often.

If sweet potatoes are fattening , the benefits cannot be denied. Among other things, its regular consumption can prevent or fight the following diseases:

• Diabetes;
• Very high cholesterol;
• Non-cardiovascular system problems;
• Cancer;
• Arthritis;
• Alzheimer;
• Asma;
• Digestive problems.

Sweet  Potato  consumed in small amounts is highly suitable for those who practice more intense physical activities or who spend a lot of energy daily.

Which is important for people who exercise, for example. There is also sweet potato powder for athletes and bodybuilders.

There are capsules with sweet potato extract. However, consumption of the fresh tuber is particularly recommended.

Sweet Potato is also a healthy vegetable for pregnant women. Sweet Potatoes contain folate, which is folic acid, which is good for the fetus. Incidentally, some alcoholic beverages are made from sweet potatoes in some countries.

Why do sweet potatoes help you lose weight?

So, there are many doubts if sweet potato is fattening or slimming .  As you can see, this is a food with many benefits that can be enjoyed.

As long as consumption is balanced, as should be the diet of those looking for more health and quality of life.

Even being a low glycemic index carbohydrate source , if consumed in excess this food can lead to weight gain.

For this reason, the ideal is always to balance the meal by consuming sweet potatoes or other carbohydrate sources .

Concluding that, if not consumed in a controlled amount,  sweet potatoes lose weight, now consumed in excess,  sweet potatoes are fattening . 

The secret of those who have already added sweet potatoes to their diet and achieved great results is to maintain a balanced diet and regular physical activity.

Is it okay to eat sweet potato skins?

Normal thick-skinned potatoes must be removed before processing. The reason is that toxic solanine can form in the bark.

However, sweet potatoes  are not biologically related to regular table potatoes.

The sweet potato skin, therefore, does not necessarily need to be removed. This is recommended even from a nutritional point of view.

There are many healthy nutrients in the sweet potato skin . The bark is suspected to be good for anemia, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Can you eat sweet potato leaves?

Before you ask if sweet potato leaves are poisonous or not, they are not, they are 100% edible and 100% tasty! Like most vegetables, it has a slightly bitter taste.

How to use sweet potato leaf?

1. Boil or fry the sweet potato leaves and eat them as a side dish;
2. Steam the leaves and mix them with other ingredients, such as garlic, to get the necessary nutrients;
3. Mix raw leaves into salads;
4. Fry the sweet potato leaves with fresh ginger, sesame oil and lemon juice.

What are the benefits of sweet potato leaf?

Sweet potato leaves also provide impressive amounts of fiber, along with calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, potassium, and iron. They are an excellent source of antioxidants and contain high levels of vitamin A and C, as well as riboflavin, thiamine, folic acid and niacin.

Can you eat sweet potato raw?

Sweet potatoes can be eaten raw very well. Unlike potatoes, raw sweet potatoes are deliciously sweet, juicy and crunchy almost like a perfect carrot, just a little bit better.

Can people with high blood pressure eat sweet potatoes?

An ingredient in sweet potato, Kayapo, is a secondary plant substance found in the skin of the sweet potato . In patients with high blood pressure it leads to a decrease in the level of sodium in the blood.

Therefore, an improvement in the state of high blood pressure. Kayapo has also been shown to have a positive effect on cholesterol levels.

Can people with diabetes eat sweet potatoes?

This is also the reason why people with diabetes are advised to eat sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes.

Sweet potatoes make your blood sugar rise less quickly and not as much. But that doesn’t change the fact that sweet potatoes  also contain a lot of carbohydrates.

The glycemic index or load indicates how strongly a food influences blood sugar.

The glycemic load of sweet potato and potato is almost identical, from 11 to 12. A GL less than 10 is considered low, values ​​between 10 and 20 as medium. Values ​​above 20 as high.

Are sweet potatoes safe for everyone to eat?

Sweet potato is fattening  if consumed in excess is healthy for all types of people. Adults and anyone can enjoy the benefits of this tuber.

Children love the potato thanks to its clearly sweet aroma. Hand-cut sweet potato fries with various sauces are quickly prepared.

Who wants to lose weight can eat sweet potatoes?

Sweet Potatoes provide 24 g of usable carbohydrates per 100 g. So it’s certainly not an ideal low-carb vegetable. If you still want to eat Sweet Potatoes as part of a low carb diet.

It depends on how you define low carb, as some low carb diets hardly allow for carbs, other low carb diets approve up to 150g of carbs per day. Sweet potatoes are not fattening  and can be well integrated here.

sweet potato fattening or slimming?

Sweet potato is one of the most used foods in diets and weight loss. And this works through its slimming benefits.

Another reason why sweet potatoes fill you up longer is their high fiber content, especially if eaten with the skin on. Abundant potassium also regulates the fluid balance in the body, flushing out excess water in the body.

How to add sweet potatoes to your diet:

1. Vapor:

After rubbing the sweet potato under running water, steam it for about 30 minutes. The skin is easily released when the sweet potato is cooled.

2. Cooking:

After piercing the sweet potato with a fork or knife, bake in an oven at 175-190°C for approximately 45 minutes or until the fork dips a little. You can also brush the sweet potato with thyme-enriched coconut oil before placing it in the oven.

3. Roast:

After washing and peeling the Sweet Potato, cut it into small cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Melt some grass butter, clarified butter or coconut oil in a pan and fry the Sweet Potato until golden. It tastes amazing when it’s hot.

Other ways to use sweet potatoes:

Sweet potatoes can be prepared in different ways: boiled, fried, roasted, in the preparation of dishes such as escondidinho, replacing bread and other foods at breakfast.

The consumption of sweet potato can be combined with Cinnamon , honey and nutmeg, as an accompaniment to fish and meat, in the form of puree, in recipes for cakes, puddings, pies and sweets.

Sweet potato loses weight and is also widely used in pre-workout, as it provides slowly absorbed carbohydrate , ensuring constant energy throughout the training, in addition to helping with muscle hypertrophy.

Sweet potato recipe to gain muscle mass:

This recipe helps to gain muscle mass and has meat filling. It’s delicious and gives you all the anabolic benefits that sweet potatoes have to offer.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon of green smell;
• 2 tablespoons of garlic ;
• 1 medium onion ;
• 1 beef bouillon cube;
• 1 tablespoon of oatmeal ;
• 4 spoons of parmesan;
• canola or sunflower oil;
• Black pepper to taste;
• 3 tablespoons of cottage cheese or ricotta cheese;
• 1/2 kg of sweet potato;
• 400 grams of ground duckling;
• Salt to taste.

PREPARATION MODE:

1. The sweet potato must be cooked with salt in the pressure cooker;
2. Then it must be peeled and cut into slices;
3. Place them in a refractory;
4. Add the onions  with the grated cheese and bake until golden, then set aside;
5. Chop the green smell and fry the garlic , add pepper and salt to the raw meat;
6. Mix with the oatmeal, the garlic , the picanha broth and the half onion that was left over;
7. After mixing well, roll it up until it looks like bread dough;
8. Place the cheese inside the dough and close it, put it in the oven to be well cooked on the outside;
9. Keep an eye on opening the oven from time to time, and when it’s ready;
10. Add the sweet potatoes, serve with a little oil on top;
11. It’s delicious and yields up to 10 servings.

How to store sweet potato?

Unlike our usual potato, Sweet Potato cannot be stored as well. It should be stored in not too cold areas.

You can keep the Sweet Potato in the pantry for a few days. However, sweet tubers are not just very popular among people.

Deer, (wild) pigs and some rodents dig up the Sweet Potato with passion. Store sweet potatoes in a dark, cool, ventilated place for up to 10 days.

Conclusion:

• It has been found that indigenous peoples who use Sweet Potatoes as a staple food regularly suffer much less or virtually no diabetes and cardiovascular problems;
• The effect of sweet potato on cancer is very interesting, but especially when it comes to cancer prevention;
• Sweet potato consumption is also beneficial for people who work hard physically or play sports;
• There are already sweet potato extract capsules and powder. This has the advantage that you don’t enjoy the benefits of sweet potatoes, for example, during working hours or while traveling.