Why sweet potato can be a perfect healthy snack for weight loss

Although sweet potato is a root vegetable, when boiled and eaten with skin, it provides approximately 4 grams of fibre for every 100 grams. It provides satiety and fullness, which means it takes care of your hunger pangs, says Dr Manasa Lakshmi Penta, Clinical Dietician, GITAM Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (GIMSR), Visakhapatnam. Dr Swatee Sandhan, Senior Dietitian, Jupiter Hospital, Pune, suggests some safe desserts

What does the mention of a root vegetable, sweet potato, mean to you? And though its roasted variety, with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of masala, has almost relegated it to the category of street food, very few know that it is, in fact, the common man’s superfood. Let not the word “sweet” deter you if you are worried about your sugar levels and body weight. Yes, it helps you control both.

The common misconception is that diabetics should avoid all foods that are grown underground, otherwise known as roots and tubers. “Although sweet potato is a root vegetable, when boiled and eaten with skin, it provides approximately 4 grams of fibre for every 100 grams. It provides satiety and fullness, which means it takes care of your hunger pangs. We use glycaemic index or GI as a marker which shows how quickly and how high your blood glucose levels rise post-meal. Boiled sweet potatoes with skin have a GI of 60, which makes them a moderate GI food. This could be due to their high fibre content. So it is a great snack option and can be used as a replacement for the regular potato, which usually has a high GI. As sweet potatoes are still rich in carbohydrates, they need to be used in moderation and in portions suggested by your dietician and doctor,” says Dr Penta.

Often in India, sweet potatoes are used to break religious fasts as they are good sources of carbohydrates and known to replenish depleted glycogen levels in the body. “This also makes them a good post-workout snack as they replenish glycogen that gets depleted during exercise. So having sweet potatoes with skin along with a good source of protein, like paneer, dal or eggs, will make it a nourishing post-workout meal. Also, since they take time to be broken down in your body, courtesy soluble fibres like pectin, they keep you fuller for longer and not crave for quick sugar fixes every time your blood glucose levels drop. Further, they also contain vitamin B5 and B6 which helps in maintaining a good metabolism that’s crucial to weight management,” says Dr Penta.

Often in India, sweet potatoes are used to break religious fasts as they are good sources of carbohydrates and known to replenish depleted glycogen levels in the body. “This also makes them a good post-workout snack as they replenish glycogen that gets depleted during exercise. So having sweet potatoes with skin along with a good source of protein, like paneer, dal or eggs, will make it a nourishing post-workout meal. Also, since they take time to be broken down in your body, courtesy soluble fibres like pectin, they keep you fuller for longer and not crave for quick sugar fixes every time your blood glucose levels drop. Further, they also contain vitamin B5 and B6 which helps in maintaining a good metabolism that’s crucial to weight management,” says Dr Penta.

The rich antioxidant content in sweet potatoes helps reduce the risk of some types of cancer, including those of the colon, bladder, stomach and breast. “Plus, the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties of sweet potatoes induces cell death in prostate cancer,” says Swatee Sandhan, Senior Dietitian, Jupiter Hospital, Pune

The rich fibre content of this root vegetable has gut healing properties, promotes bowel regularity and helps increase feeling of satiety. They are a great natural remedy for acid reflux, heartburn, irritable-bowel syndrome, diarrhoea and constipation, according to Dr Sandhan.

“The rich potassium content in sweet potatoes helps to eliminate the sodium build-up in the body and combat the risk of heart diseases. Further, the high magnesium content aids to reduce the risk of hypertension besides working to reduce the level of bad cholesterol and protect your heart.

The many benefits of sweet potatoes improve your mental well being as a great stress buster and improve sleep quality as well,” adds Dr Sandhan.

Sweet potato is increasingly being used in a variety of mithais, according to Dr Sandhan. “There’s the Sweet Potato Rasmalai, where the tuber is used to make the soft dumpling in the rasmalai. If lactose intolerant, then the malai cream sauce can be made with coconut milk, cashews, pistachios and cardamom. You can even make gulab jamuns by replacing milk solids and they are equally melt-in-your-mouth,” says she.