Sweet potatoes
In my last GI Index post, I alluded that potatoes, although originally from the ground, are bad for our nutritional program because they dump loads of sugar quickly into your blood stream. This is true, but sweet potatoes have a distinct property that welcomes them back into our diet.
So, what makes these potatoes different? The reason these potatoes have a low GI Index compared to regular potatoes that have a very high GI Index is that sweet potatoes have a lot more dietary fiber in them. The added dietary fiber makes these foods digest slowly, allowing sugar to be released to you blood stream slowly.
added bonus
1) Sweet potatoes are loaded with Vitamin A!!! Vitamin A is essential to healthy vision and bone development. It also assists in creating a strong immune system and has an important role in the division of cells.
2) Sweet Potatoes are loaded with Vitamin C!!! Notice the orange color to the sweet potato. This is a common character of things containing Vitamin C. Vitamin C is most important in participating in tissue repair and growth all over the body. In addition, it is an antioxidant that helps block the damaging effects of free radicals. More commonly, Vitamin C has been known as a cold remedy, reducing the common cycle of a cold by up to two days. Vitamin C is not made in the body and must, instead, be consumed in naturally in the diet. There is so much Vitamin C in this food that one sweet potato can almost supply your entire daily required value.
2) Sweet Potatoes are loaded with Vitamin C!!! Notice the orange color to the sweet potato. This is a common character of things containing Vitamin C. Vitamin C is most important in participating in tissue repair and growth all over the body. In addition, it is an antioxidant that helps block the damaging effects of free radicals. More commonly, Vitamin C has been known as a cold remedy, reducing the common cycle of a cold by up to two days. Vitamin C is not made in the body and must, instead, be consumed in naturally in the diet. There is so much Vitamin C in this food that one sweet potato can almost supply your entire daily required value.
Baked, mashed, fried
I bet you haven't put much thought into the effects each type of cooking can have on the nutrition of the food you eat. Unfortunately, how you cook the food can negatively effect its nutritional value.
Frying and mashing your potatoes breaks down the proteins in the food, which makes the food digest a lot quicker in your system. Remember, this is a bad characteristic of food that causes them to have a high GI index and negatively effect our system.
The best way to eat these foods is baked. I like to peel the potatoes, then slice them into thin circles. From there, I simply spread them around a baking sheet and add a little salt, pepper, and onion powder. Finally, in about 30 minutes they are delicious and ready to eat.
Frying and mashing your potatoes breaks down the proteins in the food, which makes the food digest a lot quicker in your system. Remember, this is a bad characteristic of food that causes them to have a high GI index and negatively effect our system.
The best way to eat these foods is baked. I like to peel the potatoes, then slice them into thin circles. From there, I simply spread them around a baking sheet and add a little salt, pepper, and onion powder. Finally, in about 30 minutes they are delicious and ready to eat.