24. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes make for a healthier alternative to regular potatoes (but despite the rumours, are not related to yams). Even though they contain more sugar than a regular potato, they’re still full of fibre and potassium and have fewer calories than white potatoes.
A medium sized baked sweet potato with skin contains just 103 calories and makes a great addition to the diet.
Sweet potatoes are low on the glycaemic index meaning that even though they contain natural sugars, they don’t get broken down during digestion very quickly, so they avoid flooding the bloodstream with sugar.
When we have such a sugar rush, we then crash just as quickly, leaving us with sugar cravings that we might give into, scuppering our healthy diet and weight loss plans. But since sweet potatoes have a low GI, their sugar and energy release is slow and sustained, keeping us full and not left wanting sugar.
They’re also rich in belly filling fibre, which keeps us fuller and less inclined to snack between meals and consume empty calories. The high fibre content is also good for promoting healthy, regular bowels, which can help with making our stomachs flatter.
Sweet potatoes are high in choline which is a nutrient important for sleep, memory, learning and muscle movement. They’re also high in vitamins A, C and E, antioxidants and beta carotene (a derivative of vitamin A and which gives them their orange colour).
These versatile potatoes can be baked in the oven, diced up and sauteed with olive oil, or even just cooked in the microwave if you’re short on time.
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