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Veggie Spotlight: the Sweet Potato
By workoutmommy | November 25, 2007
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The sweet potato is packed full of healthy goodness and hopefully is a staple in your diet. (minus the butter and brown sugar, of course)
Here are just a few of the benefits of this tasty tater:
- Sweet potatoes have almost no fat and are low in sodium
- High in fiber
- Referred to as the “anti-diabetic” food because it has been shown to help stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin
- Very high in vitamin A
- Vitamin A is necessary for strong tissues and helps develop resistance to infection. It also protects the body from cardiovascular disease and lowers the risk of stroke.
- High in folate
- Folate in sweet potatoes helps reduce homocysteine levels, a chemical capable of destroying the circulatory system and causing heart attacks.
- High in beta-carotene
- beta-carotene helps with healthy hair and skin, promotes bone and tooth development and helps with vision.
- beta-carotene helps with healthy hair and skin, promotes bone and tooth development and helps with vision.
I am a huge fan of homemade sweet potato fries. I slice them up, spray with a little bit of Olive Oil and then bake them in the oven. They come out crispy, delicious and nutritious!
What is your favorite way to eat them?
Don’t forget to be active today! No excuses!
chart source: WH Foods
Topics: nutrition |
November 25th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
[...] WorkOutMommy has a really informative post about the sweet potato and it got me thinking about the different ways I like to eat them. I really do enjoy them - they’re quite filling and much better for you than a regular potato. [...]
November 27th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
My fave way is loaded with butter, eggs, brown sugar and pecans in a true southern style casserole…. lol