2023-09-15 12:22:59
Are sweet potatoes part of your diet? If not, it’s time to get started!
Because this food is exceptional.
In addition, it is increasingly cultivated in France, particularly in the Loire Valley.(1).
So much the better !
This does not require you to eat sweet potatoes from the United States, Egypt or elsewhere, if like me, you prefer to eat local products.
A complete food with strong antioxidant power
Sweet potatoes contain starch, as well as lots of fiber(1,2).
They are also rich in beta-carotene, polyphenols (or tannins), flavonoids, and vitamins C and E.(2).
All these substances have great antioxidant power(2).
So, consuming sweet potatoes helps you neutralize free radicals circulating in your body(2,3).
This protects you once morest(3,4) :
- vascular diseases;
- l’inflammation ;
- excessively rapid cellular aging;
- diabetes.
And, in fact, sweet potato is one of the key foods in the diet of Okinawa, the Japanese island with the highest concentration of centenarians in the world.
The sweet potato, particularly purple, would be directly linked to this longevity(5) !
Orange or purple?
Depending on the varieties and the sun that helps them grow, sweet potatoes do not have the same nutrient contents.(6).
If you choose sweet potatoes from Violet colourwhich are perhaps less easy to find in France, you opt for varieties rich in anthocyanins(6).
This pigment is a powerful antioxidant found in red fruits such as raspberries, blackcurrants, blackberries and blueberries.(7).
Those who are orange contain more beta caroteneprecursor of vitamin A, which is known to(8) :
- improves the eyes’ ability to adapt to darkness;
- participates in bone growth;
- promotes good health of the mucous membranes and thus strengthens the immune system;
- protects the skin;
- acts once morest certain cancers.
A food that takes care of the pancreas and prevents diabetes
Sweet potato polyphenols have an indirect action on the cells of the pancreas which they protect.
However, this organ is essential for regulating blood sugar levels.
When your blood sugar level rises, the pancreas secretes insulin which makes it return to normal. This is the function pancreatic endocrine(9).
But the pancreas also secretes pancreatic juice which contains many enzymes.
These help to break up foods, particularly sugars and fats. It is the exocrine function of the pancreas(9).
This protection of the pancreas combined with the antioxidant power of sweet potato In fact a champion of blood sugar regulation.
It is therefore indicated for prevent diabetes and can even be consumed by diabetics!
A potato that doesn’t make you gain weight!
However, we cannot say that the glycemic index (GI) of sweet potatoes is particularly low.
It is between 50 and 70, depending on the cooking methods, which is average. But it remains in any case much lower than that of potatoes or fries which exceed 85(10) !
As a reminder, the glycemic index is the sweetness of a food.
The reference number is 100 and corresponds to the glycemic index of bench sugar(11).
Most green vegetables are below 30, which is low.
When the GI of a food is above 70, it is considered high(11).
A food that helps digest
Sweet potatoes are very rich in soluble and insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber has the power to dissolve in water. They capture fats and numerous residues which they help to evacuate.
Once saturated with water, these fibers slide, which facilitates digestion and reduces the absorption of lipids. They also play a positive role in regulating blood sugar levels.(12).
In short, these fibers provide you with real digestive comfort.
Insoluble fiber makes you feel full. They also have a positive effect on transit.
Generally speaking, fiber is great for helping you fight weight gain and diabetes.
Finally, do not hesitate to cook it with the skin or part of the skin: this is where many fibers and nutrients are concentrated.
The leaves also deserve your attention
Some nutritionists also recommend cooking sweet potato leaves, which are very rich in insoluble fiber, lutein and zeaxanthin.(5).
These substances are good for the brain and eyes and reduce the harmful effects of blue light from screens.
Finally, you will find many minerals in the leaves such as calcium, potassium and magnesium.
And how to cook these leaves?
Some simply prepare them in sauce. They are chopped into small pieces and combined with a fish preparation for example(12).
You can also put them in an omelette, a quiche or a gratin(12).
The important thing is to cook the leaves well so that the texture is tender.(12,13).
To do this, you can cook them separately in a pan or saucepan for example and combine them with onions or tomatoes, it’s up to you!
Enjoy your food !
Naturally yours,
Augustine of Livois
1694856476
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