Wednesday 13 March 2013

The Sweet Truth About Sweet Potatoes

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Have you ever tried sweet potato pie, fries, chips, casserole, baked sweet potato, soup, hashbrowns, or sweet potato pecan pancakes? Okay, you get the picture. Well, it is about time you gave this super-food another shot. You may already be aware that sweet potatoes are not potatoes at all. In fact, they belong to the morning-glory family (Convolvulaceae-say it ten times fast!). Sweet potatoes reproduce vegetatively by using a vine cutting. They are used to make noodles, alcohol, starch, flour, candy,etc.They are also fed to livestock. But, don't let the pigs have all the fun. There is plenty of good to go around.
Here is a breakdown: In a 1 cup serving you will enjoy... 0 cholesterol, 0 total fat, 0 saturated fat, low sodium (72 mg). The other good news: high in Vitamin A (769% of daily value), Vitamin C (65%), Vitamin E (7%), Vitamin K (6%), Vitamin B6 (29%) etc. Omega-3 fatty acids (8.0 mg) and Omega-6 fatty acids (120 mg) Minerals also: Calcium (76.0 mg), Magnesium (54.0 mg), Phosphorus (108 mg), Potassium (950 mg). It also contains phytochemicals like lutein and zeaxanthin, which promote eye heath.
Not convinced yet? It is also a good source of dietary fiber. What does fiber do? It slows the rate that sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream which is good for you because spikes in glucose fall rapidly, which can make you feel hungry soon after eating and lead to overeating. Fiber moves faster through your intestines, which can help signal that you are full. The scrubbing effect of fiber helps clean out bacteria and other buildup in your intestines which helps to reduce your risk for colon cancer. A high-fiber diet helps you have soft and regular bowel movements, reducing constipation (eureka!).
In losing and keeping off that extra weight it is essential that we don't diet but, instead, watch our diet. Sweet Potatoes are just one excellent way of doing this. While steaming is the preferred method, boiling and even stir fry (at low heat) will work. Consuming some fat (3-5 grams) significantly increases our uptake of beta-carotene from sweet potatoes. By the way, even the leaves and sprouts can be eaten.
Enjoy a sweet potato today. You won't regret it and it just may be the start of something sweet for you.
Remember, you are the only you, you have.
Get out there and live it, and live it loud.
Rob is a happily married man with three awesome children. He is a motivational teacher and writer. He has written for newspapers, blogs, and published poetry. His goal is that you would live your life out loud! He is always looking for another adventure. He's been skydiving, bungee jumping, triking, white water rafting, hiked to the top of Mt. Elbert and has dressed as a nun for Halloween. He also has been mercilessly pummeled with snowballs by his children. When he wasn't ready.
His website is http://www.todayhaspower.com or.net


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5840165

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