Are Sweet Potatoes High In Carbohydrates
As starchy root vegetables, sweet potatoes do have more carbs than non-starchy vegetables like broccoli.
But that may be just another reason to embrace themnot to fear them. Sweet potatoes provide more energy than non-starchy veggie alternatives, making them an exceptional fuel source for daily activity and especially athletic performance, says Ansari.
The bottom line is that all vegetables, so long as theyre not fried, are healthy options to work into your diet and offer a range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, Zeitlin says.
The Best Way To Prepare Sweet Potatoes For Weight Loss Is To Steam Bake Or Roast Them
Sorry, but having sweet potatoes in fry form probably isnt the most weight loss- friendly idea. Frying them or adding high-cal toppings like bacon might pack on many extra calories that compromise your weight-loss goals, says Kessler. She recommends steaming or roasting your sweet potatoes with a bit of cinnamon.
Cinnamon is a spice used to help keep blood sugar levels balanced and help manage cravings, she says The combination of these two together within healthy portion control and regular exercise offer a delicious option that is satisfying without compromising weight loss goals.
Huggins adds that you should explore using a variety of other warm spices, like nutmeg or sweet paprika, on your baked, roasted, or boiled sweet potatoes to add an extra dash of flavor.
If youre looking for more healthy recipes ideas for preparing yours, try these Super Fast Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes, this Roasted Sweet Potato Salad, or this low-cal Sweet Potato Casserole.
Steer Clear Of Starchy Vegetables
The type and amount of carbohydrates you eat have a direct effect on your triglyceride levels. Starchy vegetables like peas and corn supply ample amounts of carbohydrates per serving. Your body turns excess carbohydrates that are not used for energy into triglycerides. Fill your plate with lower starch veggies that will not increase your triglycerides including cauliflower, mushrooms, and kale. Avoid foods that contain simple sugars like fructose. These increase triglyceride levels.
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Canadian Bacon Instead Of Regular Bacon
Bacon lovers, rejoice! While 1 ounce of regular bacon contain a whopping 12 g of fat, 3 ounces of Canadian bacon have less than half of that amount 5 g of fat. I dont know why they call it bacon, because Canadian bacon is really just round slices of really lean ham, says Gebo. No matter what you call it, its by far a better, healthier option.
The Relationship Between Potatoes Bile And Cholesterol
It must be noted that only 25% of the bodys cholesterol content comes from dietary sources. The rest is produced by the liver. The liver secretes bile that is high in cholesterol content. The fibers in potatoes bind the cholesterol to the bile preventing bad cholesterol from causing damage such as clogged arteries, heart disease, which is byproduct of clogged arteries and stroke which is caused by the plaque buildup in clogged arteries. It is easy to see that eating potatoes is definitely beneficial for those afflicted by high cholesterol levels.
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Liver Eggs And Muffins Can Be Part Of A Heart Healthy Diet If You Know What To Watch Out For
You dont have to be a nutritionist to know that you shouldnt eat fries and fried chicken on a regular basis. Theyre loaded with sodium and saturated fat and a diet high in saturated fat and trans fat can raise blood cholesterol levels, putting you at risk for heart disease, according to the American Heart Association .
Many foods that come from animals like meat and fat-containing dairy products contain saturated fat, while baked goods and fast food pack in trans fat, too. Because LDL cholesterol levels in particular can be too high on a high-saturated-fat diet, the AHA recommends that saturated fat make up no more than 5 to 6 percent of your total calories. On a diet of 2,000 calories a day, no more than 120 should come from saturated fat. Thats 11 to 13 grams of saturated fat per day at most.
Its worth noting that the thinking has changed about what increases cholesterol in the body. For example, previous dietary guidelines recommended consuming no more than 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol per day. But in 2015, those guidelines changed, and there is now no specific recommendation limiting the amount of cholesterol that should be consumed through food. Thats because research has shown dietary cholesterol itself isnt harmful and actually doesnt contribute to increased levels of cholesterol in the body. Rather, the real culprits are saturated fat, trans fat, and added sugars.
One Major Side Effect Of Eating Sweet Potatoes Says Science
There’s no denying that sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Sweet potatoes are full of all kinds of nutrients that are incredible for your bodylike fiber and even protein. However, out of all of the different macro and micronutrients in sweet potatoes, there’s one nutrient in particular that gives you quite the health boost when eating sweet potatoes, and that’s vitamin A.
Here’s why you should pay attention to this number one side effect of eating sweet potatoes and vitamin A, and for even more healthy eating tips, be sure to check out our list of The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.
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Tips For Cooking Potatoes To Benefit High Cholesterol
When you wish to get the most nutritional benefits out of potatoes you need to cook potatoes in the correct manner. As mentioned before all the nutrients, vitamins and fiber are concentrated in the skin of the potato. Hence potatoes are best cooked with the skin on to get extra dietary fiber that can negate the effects of bad cholesterol.
Despite Being Good For High Cholesterol Why Do Potatoes Have A Bad Reputation
Potatoes often get a bad reputation for being a fatty junk food, which is primarily because popular junk foods like French fries and spicy potato preparations are often cooked in oils and trans-fats. This negates the nutritional benefits of potatoes. Potatoes are best eaten boiled or baked with less salt with no additives, such as butter or cream cheese for taste. Appropriately cooked potatoes can definitely be good for high cholesterol whereas potatoes in their junk food avatar only serve to make you ill and obese.
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Sweeten Your Health With Sweet Potatoes
Fiber, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals are essential for good health. And sweet potatoes are a fantastic way to add them to your diet.
Many of us have ancestors who reaped their benefits for a very long time, and theres certainly no need to stop now. Luckily, sweet potatoes are affordable, easy to use and store, and available in many parts of the world all year long.
Sounds pretty sweet to me!
Tell us in the comments:
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Did any of the sweet potato health benefits surprise you?
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Will you eat more sweet potatoes now?
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Whats your favorite way to enjoy sweet potatoes?
Opt For Skinless Chicken
Although chicken is usually considered to be a good low-fat meat choice, how you cook it and serve it makes all the difference. For example, one chicken leg with the skin still on has more fat and saturated fat than a hamburger. Remember that removing the skin will help reduce the overall fat content, King says. Indulge in a fried chicken leg once in a while and stick to the grilled or baked chicken.
If you leave the skin on poultry or bread and deep-fry it, you turn it into an unhealthy, cholesterol-spiking food. Also, remember that dark poultry meat has more fat than white meat. When making chicken choices, opt for skinless and skip the dark meat.
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Recommended Way Of Eating Sweet Potatoes
Some foods contain various beneficial yet fragile substances. Hence, the way of cooking them needs to be considered in order to get the maximum benefit. Sweet potatoes is among those. This type of food has a high level of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin D, and some minerals. Yet, these substances are water-soluble. For this reason, you need to cook it right in order to maintain the substances and get the benefits for your health, including lowering your cholesterol level.
Some recommended ways of eating sweet potatoes include:
- Steaming or boiling half-cut sweet potatoes for approximately 10 minutes. The shorter the cooking time is, the more beneficial the food will be.
- Adding a teaspoon of olive oil after the cooked potatoes have cooled down. Consuming high fiber with considerable amount of good fat will be beneficial in maintaining the food glycemic index.
Sweet Potato Health Benefit #: They Support Digestive Health
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of fiber, especially when you eat the skin. Fiber is important for your digestive health, preventing constipation and serious diseases, such as colon cancer.
One medium sweet potato has six grams of dietary fiber. They also contain resistant starch, a type of starch that plays a role in feeding your bodys good bacteria.
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What About The Carbohydrate Content In Sweet Potatoes
It is true that low carb diets are beneficial for weight loss. People who are trying to lose weight tend to be scared of carbohydrates and try to avoid them as much as possible. However, there are good carbohydrates and bad ones and sweet potato is considered to be a good carb.
The glycemic index monitors the effect that a certain food will have on your blood sugar levels, both in terms of the speed and amount it raises your blood glucose. The index uses glucose as a reference point to compare all other foods to pure glucose has a GI of 100. Sweet potatoes rank between 44 and 94 depending on how they are prepared, but on average they have a GI of 70, which is considered to be high.
However, a more accurate factor to take into consideration is the glycemic load . This is calculated by taking the glycemic index of a food and multiplying it by the amount of carbohydrate found in 1 gram of that food. The GL of sweet potato is 22.
Sweet potatoes are also a source of complex carbs. Unlike simple carbs that are obtained from processed foods, complex carbs are digested at a steady pace. This means that they also release energy at a good pace and dont cause an overly rapid spike in blood glucose levels, like eating candy would.
Your body needs carbohydrates in order to remain healthy. For more information, read our in depth guide on weight loss diets here.
What Raises Your Cholesterol
People often think of cholesterol as a bad substance, when in fact your body needs cholesterol to build cells. It’s made by your liver, and that amount is all you need. However, your body gets more from foods that you eat.
“Animal products whether it is chicken, beef, eggs, milk, cheese or butter these all contain cholesterol naturally,” says Schillinger-Vogler. As the American Heart Association explains, high-cholesterol foods are also generally high in saturated fats and trans fats, substances that can cause the liver to increase the amount of cholesterol it makes to an unhealthy level.
Most often, “our daily source in America of saturated fats comes from cheese,” Schillinger-Vogler says. “People add it to all three meals plus snack on it. A one-ounce piece of cheese equals approximately six grams of saturated fats – most people need only 12 to 18 grams of saturated fat per day so this one piece of cheese gives half the day’s need in one shot.”
According to Heather Carrera, DCN, CNS, health and wellness manager at SUNY Geneseo, a university in Geneseo, New York, cholesterol levels are most impacted by refined carbohydrates, sugars, trans fats and certain types of saturated fats.
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Baked Goods And Sweets
Cookies, cakes and doughnuts usually contain butter or shortening, making them high in saturated fat and cholesterol.
They also tend to be full of sugar, which can lead to high levels of blood triglycerides, an unhealthy blood fat that can be a risk factor for coronary heart disease.
Instead, make your desserts at home, choosing recipes that dont need shortening or lots of butter. This also allows you to modify recipes and cut down the amount of sugar used, to half or three-quarters the recommended amount. You can also enjoy baked fruit as a dessert, or substitute applesauce for eggs or butter in your baking.
How To Enjoy Sweet Potatoes
If you have diabetes, sweet potatoes are a safe option to add to your diet in moderation.
Sweet potatoes are known to be high in fiber and have a low glycemic index, which results in a less immediate impact on blood glucose levels. This can help individuals with diabetes control their blood sugar.
As someone with diabetes, if you do consume sweet potatoes, the amount and how you prepare the sweet potato is important.
There was a study that showed that out of 70,773 people consuming three servings per week of mashed, boiled, or baked potatoes there was an increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes by 4%.
The study also looked at the consumption of French fries, and the risk elevated to 19%. Consuming fried potatoes can lead to weight gain and other health issues. For individuals with diabetes, weight control is important.
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Foods Rich In Unsaturated Fats
Cutting down on saturated fat and replace some of it with unsaturated fats is great way to lower your cholesterol. Foods which contain unsaturated fats include:
- vegetable oils such as olive, sunflower, corn, rapeseed, nut and seed oils
- avocado, nuts and seeds
- fat spreads made from vegetable oils, such as sunflower and olive oil
- oily fish
Oily fish are a good source of healthy unsaturated fats, specifically a type called omega-3 fats. Aim to eat two portions of fish per week, at least one of which should be oily. A portion is 140g, but you could have two or three smaller portions throughout the week. Tinned, frozen or fresh all count e.g. salmon, sardines, pilchards, trout, herring and mackerel.
Avoid coconut and palm oil as, unlike other vegetable oils, they are high in saturated fat.
How To Choose And Store Sweet Potatoes
Next time you shop for sweet potatoes, here are a few things to keep in mind.
When you pick one up, take a close look at its skin . It should all be mostly the same color without visible signs of decay or cracking.
Give it a little squeeze. You dont want your sweet potato to be squishy anywhere, as this could indicate rotting.
When you get your sweet potatoes home, make them a nice place to rest in a basket on your countertop or pantry. You should keep them dry and cool .
Typically, you should use sweet potatoes within a few weeks of purchase.
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Sweet Potato Health Benefit #: They Can Help Fight Cancer
Sweet potatoes are a rich source of cancer-fighting antioxidants, especially in their skin. They have other anti-cancer properties, too.
Up to 80% of the protein in sweet potatoes is a type of storage protein known as sporamin. This unique protein has been studied for anti-cancer ability and found to be effective in several disease types.
Research has been promising in the use of sporamin to inhibit tongue, gallbladder, and colorectal cancers. It has also been shown capable of slowing cancer cell growth and reducing cell migration and invasion in metastatic cancers.
Sweet potato peels, particularly those of the purple varieties, may be especially powerful when it comes to cancer prevention.
A study in Nutrition and Cancer in 2016 looked at the antioxidant and anti-cancer effects of an extract from sweet potato peels. They found promising anti-cancer activity for cancers of the breast, colon, ovary, lung, and head/neck.
White Potato Nutrition Facts
A white potato can be one of the seven common potato varieties including russet, yellow, white, red, purple/blue, fingerling, and petite.
One medium-sized white potato has about 110 calories, 26 grams of carbohydrate, 3 grams of both fiber and 3 grams of protein, and is also free of fat and cholesterol. As for vitamins and minerals, white potatoes are stuffed with vitamins C, B6, niacin, folate, potassium, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus.
Just like sweet potatoes, white potatoes make an easy and delicious side dish all by themselves. They’re also wonderful in classic comfort foods like Shepherd’s pie and potato pancakes. To get more fiber in your diet, keep the skin on your potato when mashing or making other dishes.
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Benefits Of Sweet Potatoes
The benefits of sweet potatoes are numerous and adding this superfood to your diet may help prevent certain health conditions. Christie Ferriell Diabetes & Nutrition Education Coordinator at Reid Hospital suggests that flavoring sweet potatotes with orange zest is an excellent way to enjoy the natural taste of sweet potatoes without the extra calories from added sugar. Here are some of the biggest benefits these root vegetables have to offer.
Glycemic index effects
Another benefit of sweet potatoes is their low glycemic index or GI. While refined grains such as white bread and white rice make your blood sugar increase rapidly lower-GI foods like sweet potatoes cause a lower blood sugar spike. Therefore low-GI sweet potatoes are often beneficial for people with diabetes who want to fine-tune their blood sugar control notes the American Diabetes Association.
Potassium perks
Eating potassium-rich sweet potatoes helps promote a healthy heart. Higher potassium intake allows you to excrete more sodium lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk for heart disease according to the American Heart Association. Sweet potatoes contain about 475 milligrams of potassium per 1/2 cup cooked portion notes the United States Department of Agriculture . The Institute of Medicine suggests that adults consume 4700 milligrams of potassium daily.
Vitamin Abenefits
Fiber advantages