Food of The Week: Sweet Potatoes

Photography by slrobertson.com

As the name suggests, sweet potatoes are sweet and delicious. But not everything sweet is bad for you, as these vegetable powerhouses come packed with some unsurpassed health benefits.

They’re a superfood
There are a plethora of health benefits packed into these under-appreciated potatoes. From containing powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients to blood sugar-regulating nutrients, sweet potatoes have you covered.

They’re loaded with essential nutrients
One medium sweet potato (often incorrectly called a yam, even though they are of different species) is rich in beta-carotene and meets your daily need for vitamin A as well as providing one third of daily vitamin C requirements. They are also a significant source of dietary fiber (especially when baked with skin), protein, complex carbohydrates, iron, and calcium. And the list goes on.

Calorie-conscious? One medium sweet potato contains approximately 95 calories, which is significantly less than one Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookie.

They're Easy to Enjoy
Fortunately, sweet potatoes are very versatile in the kitchen and can be consumed anytime of the year. You can enjoy a sweet potato soup in the fall and winter and a sweet potato salad in the spring and summer. Also, these nutritional wonders of nature have many faces; from being orange to purple in colour, they can also bring some vibrant colours to a meal.

Although studies suggest that steaming or boiling sweet potatoes is the healthiest way to go for a variety of reasons, baking or stir-frying them make a tasty and healthy side dish as well.

Take a closer look at sweet potatoes. They’re worth it!

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