If you love sweet potatoes, you'll be happy to know that they provide the perfect balance between juiciness and sweetness, and are considered a superfood. Did you know that they also help you lose weight? But you need to know how to eat sweet potatoes for weight loss.
Content Think of sweet potatoes as a starchy carbohydrate rather than a vegetable. Do sweet potatoes help you lose weight: the benefits. How to eat sweet potatoes for weight loss.
Still, don't forget that it's a carbohydrate. WomanEL will share expert advice so you can continue to enjoy the product and stay slim.
Think of sweet potatoes more as a starchy carbohydrate than a vegetable.
There's no doubt that sweet potatoes are good for you. They're packed with nutrients and vitamins that help your body perform its most important functions. But sweet potatoes are also high in carbohydrates compared to other vegetables. Potatoes contain significantly more carbohydrates than vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, and zucchini, or leafy greens, says registered dietitian Elizabeth Huggins.
Since sweet potatoes (and potatoes in general) are higher in carbohydrates than most other vegetables, it can be helpful to consider them as grains when planning your meals. They are a good source of quality carbohydrates. But if you're watching your carb intake, it's easy to overdo it with sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes come in all shapes and sizes. So the size of the sweet potato will affect the amount of carbs and calories you get, says Huggins. “A 230-gram sweet potato is often called a medium, and a 340-gram sweet potato is a large, about the size of two tennis balls,” she explains. After cooking, a typical large serving of sweet potatoes can contain nearly 250 calories and 60 grams of carbs, according to Huggins.
While your serving size may depend on your goals, nutritionist Alana Kessler says a proper serving size can be comparable to a serving of sweet potato squeezed into a fist.
If you're on the keto diet, you might want to cut out sweet potatoes altogether, says Huggins. “If you're trying to get into ketosis, you'll find that there's not a lot of room for carbs from potatoes on a ketogenic diet.”
If you're on another type of low-carb diet, sweet potatoes may have a place on your plate when paired with other vegetables. But it depends on how low-carb you want to go, Huggins adds. “You may be able to include a small amount of sweet potatoes as an accent in a dish,” she says. “For example, you could mix 1/4 cup of sweet potatoes with a more generous serving of roasted broccoli.”
Does sweet potatoes help with weight loss: benefits
Whether sweet potatoes will help your weight loss goals ultimately depends on your eating plan. Source: freepik.com
Kessler says the fiber and glucose in sweet potatoes can help with weight loss. They provide sustained energy, which is helpful if you're adding a fitness component to your weight loss journey. “They're great to eat before and after weight training. They provide sustained energy and essential nutrients that help maintain electrolyte balance and allow the body to continue to preserve muscle mass,” Kessler explains.
Fiber also helps you feel fuller for longer, adds Huggins. “Baked or boiled sweet potatoes contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, which adds bulk,” says Huggins. “Their water content adds weight to the dish, helping to create a feeling of fullness. Unlike a bag of chips, which are light, take up little space, but are high in calories.” Sweet potatoes are also a great source of beta-carotene, potassium, and vitamin C. They support a healthy immune system.
Another way sweet potatoes can help with weight loss? They contain resistant starch. Not only does resistant starch contain fewer calories than regular starch, it can help you feel fuller longer by making you feel fuller.
Both regular and sweet potatoes contain resistant starch. But sweet potatoes have more antioxidants and fiber than regular potatoes and are slightly lower in calories, says Huggins. But it all depends on how you cook them. “How they’re cooked can make or break the nutritional profile of any potato,” Huggins adds.
How to eat sweet potatoes for weight loss
Sorry, but fried sweet potatoes aren't the best idea for weight loss. Frying them or adding high-calorie toppings like bacon can pack on a lot of extra calories. That will jeopardize your weight-loss goals, says Kessler. She recommends steaming or baking sweet potatoes with a little cinnamon.
“Cinnamon is a spice that helps maintain blood sugar levels and manage food cravings,” she says. “Combining these two spices with healthy portion control and regular exercise provides a delicious and satisfying option without compromising your weight loss goals.”
Huggins adds that you should try using other warm spices, like nutmeg or sweet paprika, when preparing baked, roasted, or boiled sweet potatoes. This will help make the dish more flavorful.
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