TLC Wellness Coaching
Connect Here:
  • Home
  • About
  • Free Discovery Session
  • Resources & Ebooks
  • FAQs
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Coaching Packages
  • Contact

Sweet Potatoes: A Fall Superfood

10/19/2016

 
Do you love sweet potatoes? Do you only eat them at holiday meals? If you rarely eat them, you may want to reconsider! Sweet Potatoes are a superfood, which means they are packed full of nutrition and health benefits! We’re going to talk about just a few of them.
​
Sweet potatoes were brought back to Spain by Christopher Columbus and were being cultivated already during the 1500s. Sweet potatoes have been valued for over 5,000 years in South American cultures for their healing properties. They come in not only the orange color you are used to seeing, but also white, red, pink, yellow, and purple. 
One sweet potato contains about 700% of your daily needs of vitamin A! Vitamin A is utilized by your body in a number of ways, including keeping both your eyes and your skin healthy.
One sweet potato contains about 700% of your daily needs of vitamin A

​Sweet Potatoes are Packed with Vitamin A

Sweet potatoes, particularly the orange variety, contain beta carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A. In fact, one sweet potato contains about 700% of your daily needs of vitamin A! Vitamin A is utilized by your body in a number of ways, including keeping both your eyes and your skin healthy. Vitamin A triggers your DNA to create new, healthy skin cells. Plus, some research is suggesting that it may reverse free radical damage and thereby reduce wrinkles. Vitamin A is vital to eye health. In fact, vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. Cooking, such as steaming or baking sweet potatoes makes the vitamin A more accessible to your body.
​Studies show that sweet potatoes contain powerful antioxidants that may help treat certain types of cancer.
Purple sweet potatoes contain 3 times the antioxidants as blueberries

Sweet Potatoes May Help Prevent Cancer

​Studies show that sweet potatoes contain powerful antioxidants that may help treat certain types of cancer. Diets rich on carotenoids (found in orange sweet potatoes) have been found to lower the risk of stomach, kidney, and breast cancer. Antioxidants reverse the damage of free radicals, which are substances that can cause cancer. Purple sweet potatoes have been found to have the highest level of antioxidants, containing 3 times more the blueberries, which are considered extremely high in antioxidants! Purple sweet potatoes contain a substance called anthocyanidins. These prevent stomach, lung, colon, and breast cancer cell growth.
It may seem counterintuitive for a diabetic to eat sweet potatoes, but they are actually low on the glycemic index, which means they won’t spike your blood sugar.
Try Caiapo sweet potatoes for the biggest benefit

​Sweet Potatoes are Great for Diabetics

It may seem counterintuitive for a diabetic to eat sweet potatoes, but they are actually low on the glycemic index, which means they won’t spike your blood sugar. In fact, sweet potatoes actually help regulate your blood sugar. A certain type of sweet potato (Caiapo) is thought to have the most blood sugar regulating benefits. Just make sure you consume them in moderation, because they do contain sugars. 
Sweet potatoes are high in fiber and potassium and low in glycemic index and calories, so they are great for losing weight.
Sweet potatoes are high in fiber and make you feel full for longer

​Sweet Potatoes for Weight Loss

One of the reasons sweet potatoes can help with weight loss is the reason we just talked about—they have a low glycemic index, so they don’t cause a spike in blood sugar, which can pack on weight. They are high in fiber, which keeps you feeling full for longer. They are also high in potassium, but low in calories. Just make sure you don’t top it with lots of butter and sugar!

Sweet Potato Recipes

Sweet Potato Cauliflower Soup
Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Black Bean Salad
Perfect Sweet Potato Fries
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts
Try some of these recipes this week and let me know how you liked them! If you would like some help with incorporating more superfoods and healthy foods into your diet, contact me today for a Free Nutrition Discovery Session!
Get My Free Discovery Session

Comments are closed.
    Picture

    Tonya Cruz

    I am a Duke Integrative Medicine trained Health Coach located in Charlotte, NC. I hold a B.S. and M.A. in Wellness Management. I have a passion for health and for helping others achieve the healthy life they desire.

    Archives

    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    January 2016
    April 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

    Categories

    All
    Aging
    Air
    Allergies
    Antioxidants
    Anxiety
    Arthritis
    Beauty
    Blood Pressure
    Cancer
    Children
    Cholesterol
    Clutter & Organization
    Depression
    Diabetes
    Digestive Health
    Disease Managment
    Emotional Health
    Energy
    Environment
    Exercise
    Fertility
    Food Labels
    Fruit
    Goals
    Health Coaching
    Heart Health
    Herbal Remedies
    Holiday
    Hormones
    Immunity
    Inflammation
    Inspiration
    Kidney Health
    Menopause
    Nutrition
    Optimism
    Pain
    Pets
    Pollution
    Recipes
    Relationships
    Rest
    Sexual Health
    Sleep
    Spirituality
    Stress
    Vegetables
    Water
    Weight Loss

    RSS Feed

    Visit TLC Wellness Coaching's profile on Pinterest.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.