Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a starchy sweet-tasting vegetable known as a tuber. Sweet potatoes are a great alternative for regular white potatoes loaded with dietary fiber, vitamin A, and potassium. Sweet potatoes can be baked, mashed, roasted, and even fried!
Feel full with fiber!
Sweet potatoes are among the many vegetables that contain dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is naturally found in plant foods including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. Dietary fiber performs numerous benefits important for digestive regularity and health, satiety, and even have benefits related to lowering cholesterol and blood sugar.1 One cup of cooked sweet potato (with the skin) contains over 6 grams of dietary fiber, which is over 20% of the daily recommended value of fiber for one day.
Keep your eyes and skin healthy
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps maintain vision, helps keep your skin healthy, and supports growth. Vitamin A is commonly found in animal food sources, but some plant-based food sources provide specific carotenoids that are able to be converted into vitamin A. Carotenoids are pigments that give fruits and vegetables their bright colors and may possess cancer-fighting properties in the body. Sweet potatoes provide one of those carotenoids known as beta carotene. In fact, one large sweet potato, baked with skin, provides approximately 561% of the daily value for vitamin A for an adult.
Packed with Potassium
Potassium is an essential mineral needed to maintain normal levels of fluid in the body. It helps our muscles contract and supports normal blood pressure. The average adult needs approximately 4,700 mg of potassium a day. One cup of baked sweet potato provides approximately 950 mg of potassium, which is over 20% of the recommended daily value for potassium for one day.
Sweet Potato Brownies
Yields 16 Brownies
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes (1 cup, mashed)
1 1/3 cup almond butter (or other nut butters)
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup cocoa powder
Optional: ¼ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350*F
2. Choose either A or B
- A. Use a fork to poke holes in each sweet potato and then place on a microwave-safe dish to microwave for 6-7 minutes until soft. Then, slice each sweet potato down the middle and allow to cool for a few minutes. Scoop out the sweet potato flesh and discard the skin.
- B. Preheat oven to 400*F. Peel and roast the sweet potato in the oven for 25-30 minutes until soft
3. Mash the sweet potato and set aside
4. In a large bowl, whisk the almond butter and maple syrup together. Then, add the cocoa powder and the mashed sweet potato.
5. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper and pour batter into the pan.
6. Bake brownies for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool before indulging!
Nutrition (16 servings) :
Serving Size: 1 Brownie Calories: 168 Fat: 12g Carbohydrate: 14g Fiber: 3g Protein: 5g
References
1. Mayo Clinic. Healthy lifestyle: Nutrition and healthy eating. Accessed November 2, 2019. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983
2. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Food Data Central: Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, flesh, without salt. Accessed November 2, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168483/nutrients
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: National Institutes of Health. Vitamin A. Accessed October 29, 2019. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans: 2015-2020. 8th ed. https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/appendix-10/.Accessed November 2, 2019.
5. The Almond Eater. Flourless sweet potato brownies. Accessed November 2, 2019. https://thealmondeater.com/flourless-sweet-potato-brownies/
A sweet potato is a
sweet-tasting vegetable known as a tuber. Sweet potatoes can be orange, white,
and even purple. They are a great alternative for regular white potatoes,
loaded with vitamin A
(important for vision), potassium (important for regulating blood pressure) and
fiber (promotes digestive regularity). Sweet
potatoes can be mashed, roasted, fried, and even baked!
