By: Svendblad Josephine
Food Wisdom, Health & Fitness, Paleo, Primal, Side Dish, , , , , ,

Behold the Power of Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potato or Yam is a tuberous crop with the scientific name of Ipomoea Batatas.
The white/yellow flesh type is more juicy and tastes less sweet, where on the other hand the orange variety is drier and has harder flesh, which makes this variety a better candidate for making baked sweet potato fries. Yumm!
So what are some of the major benefits of sweet potatoes?

Good for the tummy: The vitamins (B-complex and C), beta carotene, potassium and calcium are very effective in curing stomach ulcers. Also the ruffage and fiber in sweet potatoes acts as a preventative for constipation and resultant acid formation, thereby reducing the chance of ulcers. They help your body in the whole digestions process.
Good for Diabetics: Most people don’t know enough about sweet potatoes and their delicious nutrition, but they are actually quite beneficial for diabetics. They are super effective in regulating blood sugar levels by aiding proper secretion and function of insulin. With this said, of course moderation is key for folks suffering from diabetes, as with everything else. (Use it as a rice replacement)
I love Beta Carotene: Sweet potatoes are very high in beta carotene, which is a major antioxidant, separately from vitamin-C and B-complex, iron and phosphorus; they are awesome immunity boosters. Beta-carotene, the champion anti oxidant and anti carcinogen, the pigments responsible for the color of the peel of the sweet potatoes and vitamin-C, are very beneficial for curing many types of cancer, mainly those of colon, intestines, prostrate, kidneys and other internal organs. Much like “the common potato”, sweet potatoes pack anti-inflammatory qualities. (It does not belong to the family of “the common potato”) This is due to presence of beta-carotene, vitamin-C and magnesium.

Here’s a tasty recipe from our Kitchen:

Sweet Potatoes with Cayenne

Very nutritious and a great side dish for various entrees


Ingredients

3 medium Sweet Potatoes boiled
2 pinch Sea salt to taste
1 tbsp Unsalted butter
1 tsp Cayenne to taste
3 pinch Fresh Ground Nutmeg

Instructions
Boil sweet potatoes for about 20 to 30 minutes on medium-high or until soft. Drain and let cool for a minute so not to burn yourself when peeling. I just cut them slightly along side before placing them in the pot so that I can just peel them right off with a paper towel. Cut the little edges off as they don’t taste nice, add salt, cayenne, fresh ground nutmeg and butter. With a hand-held blender, blend until the consistency is creamy and all lumps are gone.

This is an excellent side-dish!

Note: Do not microwave sweet potatoes instead of boiling them. They will turn out very dry and the dish will not work.
Also, you can pre-boil your sweet potatoes and save them in the refrigerator for a couple of days in a freezer bag, and then prepare them as above.