Sweet Potatoes: Unlocking the Beauty, Health, and Energy Within.

When is the ideal time to indulge in sweet potatoes?

According to Eating Well and Epicurious, consuming sweet potatoes at certain times of the day can offer significant health benefits:

Morning

First things first, starting your day with sweet potatoes is an excellent choice. This complex carbohydrate-rich food provides long-lasting energy, ensuring steady performance throughout the morning without sudden blood sugar spikes. The fiber content in sweet potatoes also contributes to a prolonged feeling of fullness, curbing cravings and aiding weight loss.

Additionally, eating sweet potatoes in the morning stimulates intestinal motility, reducing the risk of constipation. Try some enticing breakfast options with sweet potatoes, such as boiled/steamed sweet potatoes, sweet potato porridge, honey-glazed sweet potatoes, or a sandwich with mashed sweet potatoes.

Noon

Noon is the perfect time to savor sweet potatoes. Not only are they a good source of calcium, but they also enhance the body’s calcium absorption when exposed to sunlight, benefiting bone health.

Furthermore, after a busy morning, your body needs an energy boost to continue working efficiently. Sweet potatoes are an ideal choice to refuel without feeling heavy or sluggish. Try easy lunch recipes like brown rice with boiled or steamed sweet potatoes, grilled sweet potatoes with scallion oil, sweet potato salad with chicken breast, or sweet potato soup with minced meat.

Before Your Workout

If you’re into working out, consider eating sweet potatoes about 1-2 hours beforehand. Sweet potatoes are a great source of complex carbohydrates, providing sustained energy for your muscles during exercise.

Eating sweet potatoes before a workout also helps maintain stable blood sugar levels, preventing hypoglycemia during intense physical activity. Opt for boiled/steamed sweet potatoes or a sweet potato and banana smoothie to optimize your pre-workout nutrition.

Things to Keep in Mind When Consuming Sweet Potatoes

In addition to choosing the right time to eat sweet potatoes, it’s important to consider how you consume them to ensure optimal health. Here are some of the best practices for eating sweet potatoes:

Moderation is Key

While sweet potatoes offer numerous health benefits, overindulging, especially for those with stomach issues, is not advisable. According to herbalist Tran Dang Tai, Vice Chairman of the Dong Y Association in Thai Hoa, Nghe An, the fiber and potassium content in sweet potatoes can stimulate the secretion of digestive juices, leading to bloating, abdominal distension, acid reflux, and other digestive disorders. Moreover, sweet potatoes are high in natural sugars, which can increase acidic digestive juices in the stomach.

Pair Sweet Potatoes with Other Foods

For diabetics, sweet potatoes can help stabilize blood sugar levels, but due to their high carbohydrate content, excessive consumption can lead to increased blood sugar. Therefore, diabetics should monitor their intake and opt for white sweet potatoes, pairing them with non-starchy vegetables and quality protein sources to create balanced meals and prevent blood sugar spikes.

According to Dr. Doan Thi Tuong Vi, former Head of Nutrition at Hospital 198, sweet potatoes contain significant amounts of natural sugars, especially the honey-like varieties. Diabetics can reduce their rice intake and increase the proportion of sweet potatoes during their dietary restrictions, but they should still accompany them with protein-rich foods and fresh produce to ensure a nutritionally balanced diet. For those who are overweight or have cardiovascular concerns, it’s best to limit consumption to 2-3 times a week.

Opt for Boiled or Steamed Sweet Potatoes

Research suggests that different cooking methods impact the bioavailability of bioactive compounds in sweet potatoes. Specifically, boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes it more absorbable than frying or grilling. Steaming sweet potatoes also preserves more phenolic compounds compared to other cooking methods.

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