Sweet potato

We are often encouraged to reduce our carbohydrate intake.   This is purely because we have an abundance of carbohydrate rich foods and snacks in our diets.

Carbohydrates are not bad if eaten in moderation and are unhealthy in excess.  If the carbohydrate is not used for energy, it is  stored as fat.  Carbohydrates are:

Bread, pasta, potatoes, cakes, pastries, sweets and chocolate.

If you love mashed potatoes in the winter, try using half normal potatoes and half sweet potatoes.  This will increase the nutrition density of your mash and help prevent the carbohydrate overload.  Also consider the quantity of potato on your plate, two dessert spoons is enough.  Also add some greens to your plate to fill the plate with even more nutrients and flavour.

The sweet potato orange flesh contains very high levels of betacarotene, which is converted to vitamin A in our bodies.  They also contain good amounts of B vitamins, zinc and iron.

Try them baked in their skins with a drizzle of olive oil and some lovely salad leaves sprinkled with pumpkin seeds.

References:

Failla ML, Thakkar SK and Kim JY. In vitro bioaccessibility of beta-carotene in orange fleshed sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas, Lam.). J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Nov

Low JW, Arimond M, Osman N et al. A food-based approach introducing orange-fleshed sweet potatoes increased vitamin A intake and serum retinol concentrations in young children in rural Mozambique. J Nutr. 2007 May;137(5):1320-7. 2007.