Power Food: Sweet Potatoes
Posted on Nov 02 2010 by Liz Wolfe
By: Cave Girl
I spoke to a friend recently who had been advised by a nutritionist to manage her blood sugar by eating a whole-grain bagel for breakfast. 2 hours after eating the bagel her blood sugars were above 140. To ensure she could stay off insulin her sugars needed to be below 120.
I advised her to switch out the bread for a simple sweet potato. 2 hours after eating this breakfast her sugars were below 100.
Oprah would call this an “Aha!” moment.
All carbs are not created equal.
While it’s common knowledge that carbs from refined sources like sugar-filled processed foods and sodas are a poor source of both nutrition and energy, the common “complex carb” substitutes – whole-grains, rice, white potatoes and beans – also have plenty of issues. These issues range from anti-nutrient content, phytates, lectins, and glycoalkaloids – all of which block effective digestion, absorption and nutrient utilization. Beyond that, these Neolithic foods have suboptimal nutrient content when compared to carb-dense vegetable sources.
In English? They’re pretty pathetic.
I wouldn’t date a guy with that many issues. Why eat a carb with that much baggage?
There are incredible sources of nutrient-dense carbohydrate in the produce aisle: squash (all kinds), root veggies (carrot, parsnip, beet), gourds, and my personal favorite: the Sweet Potato.
100 grams of Sweet Potato (about ½ cup) has almost 2,000 iU of Vitamin A. The same amount of whole-grain bread? Zilch. The Sweet Potato also has more calcium, potassium and magnesium – all extremely important for active individuals who want to maximize their overall health and athletic recovery.
If you aren’t already impressed with the Sweet Potato resume, consider this: It’s low in fructose when compared to other produce-aisle inhabitants. Our Paleolithic ancestors had very little fructose exposure, and when our modern livers are overwhelmed with fructose-processing duty, they begin producing triglycerides. Blueberries contain over 11 times the amount of fructose in an equal amount of sweet potato.
Last – and most important, if you ask the Cave Girl – sweet potatoes are ridiculously easy to prep when compared to their squash & gourd brothers. They’re perfect single-serving size and travel easily. For added nutrition, mash sweet potato with a dash of coconut milk. Don’t forget to jazz it up with cinnamon or bacon!
Easy Sweet Potato Prep:
Poke 3-4 holes in a sweet potato. Wrap in a paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes. Turn over, microwave 2 minutes. Open up, mash, and enjoy! Also delicious cold, so pack up leftovers for your post-workout meal.
Eat Paleo, Live Well!
Filed Under: Diet stuff
