7 Delicious Sweet Potato Ideas for People With Diabetes

When it comes to preparing sweet potatoes, you may want to opt for boiled when you can, suggests research published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism. In the study, volunteers ate sweet potatoes that were roasted, baked, fried, or boiled. Boiled sweet potatoes have the lowest glycemic index value, meaning they won’t quickly spike your blood sugar. Baked and roasted sweet potatoes have the highest glycemic index values.

RELATED: 10 Tips to Lower Blood Sugar Naturally

7 Tips and Tricks for Preparing Sweet Potatoes if You Have Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you can eat sweet potatoes daily — as long as you factor the vegetable’s carbohydrate count into your meal planning. “Sweet potatoes are a source of carbohydrates, which raise blood sugars,” says White. “People with diabetes can eat carbs but need to watch portions of foods with carbs.” What this means: Limit portions to half a sweet potato per meal or snack. Then pair that portion with a protein source, such as chicken breast or eggs, to further stabilize blood glucose levels, advises Zanini.

Now go ahead and try these ideas for preparing sweet potatoes, from culinary dietitians around the country.

Add sweet potatoes to a smoothie. “I add cooked sweet-potato pieces to a smoothie with ½ of a small banana for sweetness, yogurt for a boost of protein, and a sprinkle of cinnamon and ginger or pumpkin spice for an added aromatic flavor,” says Tracee Yablon Brenner, RDN, a certified holistic health counselor and the author of Simple Foods for Busy Families.

Top it with nut butter and fruit. This is a go-to for Marisa Moore, RDN, a culinary dietitian in Atlanta. Just heat up half a baked sweet potato in the toaster oven or microwave, then add a dollop of peanut butter and a few sliced fresh grapes, she suggests. If you’re having this for breakfast, serve with a side of scrambled eggs for extra protein.

RELATED: 7 Healthy, Protein-Packed Nut Butters

Make sweet-potato toast. “I love cutting sweet potatoes into thin slices and toasting them to make sweet potato toast, says Abbey Sharp, RD, a culinary dietitian in Toronto. “You can then top them with any of your favorite healthy high-protein toppings.” Try cottage cheese, plain Greek yogurt, or eggs.

RELATED: 10 of the Best Plant-Based Sources of Protein

Eat a baked potato side. Flavor half a baked sweet potato with chipotle pepper for sweet and spicy flair, suggests Moore. Or roll baked sweet ’tater pieces in nuts and seeds. Try a mixture of chopped pecans, walnuts, hemp seeds, and cinnamon, suggests Yablon Brenner.

Mash ’em. To cut down on added sugar, Yablon Brenner suggests mashing cooked sweet potatoes with diabetes-friendly seasonings like cinnamon and ginger. “The cinnamon brings out the sweetness in the sweet potatoes,” she says. “Mashed sweet potatoes are a delicious side, as well as a breakfast dish when combined with yogurt, nuts, or nut butter.”

RELATED: The Next Generation of Food Sweeteners

Create a sweet potato bowl. Cube half a cooked sweet potato, then add it to a bowl with black beans, ½ cup of cooked quinoa, and sautéed spinach, suggests Toby Amidor, RD, of New York City, the author of The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook.

Add ’em to soup. “Soups are nourishing, and sweet potatoes add a creamy texture and sweetness to soup,” says Yablon Brenner, whose favorite sweet potato soup is made with red lentils, carrots, onions, and a variety of spices and herbs.

Healthy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

These healthy baked sweet potato fries are an easy to prepare side dish or appetizer. By adding a seasoning blend with chipotle powder, garlic, and onion, these spicy sweet potato fries are full of flavor!

This recipe was originally published on November 5, 2012.

Fall is in full swing in most of the country!  Now is the perfect time to enjoy and celebrate the fall harvest – starting with sweet potatoes!

At only 100 calories per serving, sweet potatoes are one of the highest sources of beta carotene and are a good source of vitamin C, fiber and potassium. Sweet potatoes are perfect for any plate but especially for people with diabetes and anyone. (I originally wrote this post for National Diabetes Month though.)

Sweet potatoes are lower on the glycemic index compared to white potatoes and deliver chart-topping vitamin A for eye health. The fiber helps with blood glucose control and weight management and the potassium helps control blood pressure. With all of these benefits and more, sweet potatoes can proudly flaunt the title: superfood.

How to choose the best sweet potatoes

Choose small sweet potatoes which tend to have the sweetest, richest flavor.  Roast sweet potatoes instead of boiling them for the best flavor and nutrient retention. Roasting also enhances the natural sweetness so they are perfect for this recipe.

How to make crispy baked sweet potato fries

The key to making crispy baked sweet potato fries is two-fold, well maybe a bit more..

Slice the fries evenly. Fries that are about the same size and length will cook more evenly. This way you don’t end up with burnt pieces mixed soft or uncooked fries.

Dry the raw potatoes. When roasting or baking, you generally want to make sure there’s no extra water between the food and the pan. The oil will also help with achieving a nice color.

Don’t crowd the pan. If you add too many fries to the pan, the food will steam and not get crispy. 

Use a hot oven. In this case, I preheated the oven to 425 F. Starting the fries in a hot oven will help the sweet potatoes to naturally caramelize.

What to eat with baked sweet potato fries?

These sweet potato fries go especially well with a black bean or veggie burger. If you’re not into veggie burgers try a turkey burger with these easy fries on the side. You can also eat them as-is with a tasty dip or drizzle of sweet peanut sauce. 

Looking for more sweet potato recipes? Here are a couple of my faves:

Roasted Kale Sweet Potato Bowls

Brown Butter Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Twice Baked Sweet Potato Pudding

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Healthy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

These healthy baked sweet potato fries are an easy to prepare side dish or appetizer. By adding a seasoning blend with chipotle powder, garlic, and onion, these spicy sweet potato fries are full of flavor! Serve these sweet potato fries as an appetizer or as a side to an open-faced turkey burger or a grilled chicken or fish dish.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked sweet potato fries

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 135kcal

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet potatoes scrubbed (peeling is optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Coarse salt to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

• Slice the potatoes lengthwise into fries. Place the potatoes into a large mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, chipotle chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Make sure all fries are evenly coated.

• Spread the fries onto the pan in a single layer. Don’t crowd the pan.

• Roast at 400°F for 15-20 minutes or until slightly browned, turning once. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 16384IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg

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Sweet Potatoes: A Super Food for Diabetics?

We hear it over and over, “Eat your vegetables!” While we all know the importance of including vegetables in meals, we can get pretty bored with the same lineup of veggies.

If that’s the case with you, consider preparing Southwestern Roasted Vegetables as a solution to your daily veggie dilemma. Featured in Holly Clegg’s book “Holly Clegg Trim & Terrific Diabetic Cooking,” this simple combination of crispy, roasted sweet potatoes (yams) with an assortment of vegetables goes great with almost any entree.

As healthy foods go, the sweet potato is hard to beat. Touted as one of the most nutritious vegetables, the bright orange, fiber-packed tubers are rich in vitamins and minerals, and are a great choice for any diet.

When it comes to diabetes, the sweet potato is a very wise choice. Sweet potatoes are a low glycemic index (GI) food. Low GI foods release glucose slowly into the bloodstream, helping avoid spikes in blood sugar levels — an important factor in managing diabetes.

In addition to earning stellar health ratings, sweet potatoes are easy to prepare. The natural sweetness of the yams in this recipe contrasts with the mild zucchini and bold portabella mushrooms. Roasting is a simple method of cooking, and if you line the baking sheet with foil, clean up is a cinch. The end result in both color and taste is amazing. Have fun creating your own vegetable combinations to pair with colorful, nutritious sweet potatoes.

Content Continues Below ⤵ ↷

Southwestern Roasted Vegetables

Roasted vegetables with taco seasoning mix turns a simple selection of vegetables into a trouble-free Southwestern side. Pop any leftovers into a soup pot with some chicken broth for a terrific Southwestern vegetable soup.

Yield: Makes 8 (1/2-cup) servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups peeled, cubed sweet potatoes (yams), cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups zucchini, cut into small chunks
• 1 small red onion, cut into small chunks
• 1 6-ounce package portabella mushroom slices, halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix (about half a 1.25-ounce packet)
• Salt to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Coat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with foil.
2. In large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, zucchini, onion and mushrooms. Toss with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and spread vegetables on baking sheet.
3. Bake 40 minutes, shaking pan every 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender and roasted.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 110g
Total Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Protein: 2g
Carbohydrates: 17g
Sodium: 209mg

This recipe is from Holly Clegg’s Trim & Terrific Diabetic Cooking (Holly Clegg, American Diabetes Association). Louisiana Yams are the sweetest variety of sweet potatoes. For information about Louisiana sweet potatoes, including nutritional information and free recipes, click here.

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes – Easy Diabetic Friendly Recipes

Put the fall’s harvest to good use with this classic side dish. With its combination of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, chopped walnuts, and miniature marshmallows, this casserole is so delightful, you won’t even need dessert.

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Ingredients

• 4 sweet potatoes (8 ounces each), unpeeled

• 1 tablespoon reduced-calorie margarine

• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar substitute

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon allspice

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, canned in juice

• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

• I cup miniature marshmallows

Directions

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Wrap each sweet potato in foil, place on oven rack, and bake for one hour, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and allow to cool 15 minutes. Cut each potato in half lengthwise and carefully scoop flesh into a bowl, leaving shells intact with 1/8–1/4 inch of flesh. Place shells in a baking dish and set aside. Using an electric mixer, mash flesh until smooth. Mix in margarine, brown sugar substitute, and spices. Drain pineapple well in a sieve, forcing out extra liquid with the back of a spoon. Stir drained pineapple into mashed sweet potatoes. Spoon filling into shells; sprinkle with walnuts and press on marshmallows. Return to the oven for 8–10 minutes, or until marshmallows are lightly toasted and potato is heated through.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 174 calories, Carbohydrates: 36 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 2 g, Saturated Fat: Sodium: 37 mg, Fiber: 4 g

Exchanges per serving: 2 starch, 1/2 other carbohydrate.
Carbohydrate choices: 2 1/2.

Tami Ross is a Diabetes Nutrition Specialist and Certified Diabetes Educator in Lexington, Kentucky.

Make Homemade Sweet Potato Chips | Healthy Potato Recipes

I love this sweet potato chips recipe.

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables and I eat them often. The nice bonus about them is that they are really healthy too, much better for us than eating regular potatoes (which I have to admit I love too).

This is a very simple recipe as you can see from the list of ingredients. It takes the simple sweet potato and amps it up with just a little olive oil and sea salt. It’s simple, healthy and fabulous.

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and peeled
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, preferably sea salt

Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), with racks in the center and lower positions.

Step 2

Slice the sweet potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices. Divide the slices between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with oil, toss and spread them in a single layer on the sheets. Bake, flipping once, until the centers are soft and the edges are crisp, 22-25 minutes. Sprinkle with salt before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

These savory sweet potato chips are nice served with wedges of lime.

Tips and Variations:

• Season it Up: I love adding herbs and spices to this basic baked sweet potato fries recipe. Sprinkle rosemary over the tops before baking, or, my favorite is to mix them with the olive oil then drizzle the herbed oil over the potatoes. It’s fabulous. Other herbs that also work well are thyme, marjoram and chives.
• You can also spice it up with a bit of cayenne pepper, or add your favorite hot sauce.
• It is difficult to get sweet potatoes crisp without frying them, so these sweet potato chips are not super crispy. If you want them that way, slice them thinner and deep fry them. These chips are soft in the middle and crispy around the outside, similar to french fries.
• This recipe doesn’t call for the sweet potatoes to be peeled, just well scrubbed. Peeling or not is a choice you can make based on the sweet potatoes you are using. If the skin seems thin and quite free of marks or wrinkles, I would consider scrubbing them well and cooking them with the skin on. Often though the sweet potatoes I see in my grocery stores have slightly thicker skins on them. I prefer to peel those sweet potatoes before I cook them.

I have included this baked sweet potato chips recipe as one of our diabetic recipes because sweet potatoes are very healthy for us and we all need a treat once in a while. That said, sweet potatoes are higher in carbs than many other vegetables so it you need diabetes recipes, use this one if your blood sugar is controlled and your body can handle the carbs.

Here is the brief version of the sweet potato’s natural health benefits:

Sweet potatoes contain almost twice as much fiber as white potatoes. They are heart-healthy, containing a significant amount of Vitamin B6 and potassium. It also contains manganese which helps your body metabolize carbohydrates and is rich in Vitamins C and E and beta-carotene, an important anti-oxident. So switch out your white potatoes often for these orange beauties and easily up your health profile.

If you like sweet potato chips, have a look at our other sweet potatoes recipes here.

If you like this recipe, please take a moment to Pin it to Pinterest, Tweet about it, Like it on Facebook and leave a comment below. Thanks a lot. It is much appreciated.

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How to Cook Sweet Potatoes for Diabetics and How Much can You Eat?

The healthy changes one needs to inculcate in their diabetic lifestyle include regular walks, yoga, and meditation, following proper sleep patterns, taking prescribed medicines and insulin according to doses prescribed, and, most importantly – keeping a check on what to eat and how much of it.

Choosing what to eat, the portions to consider, ways to cook certain food, etc. become valuable pointers to take care of.  One such food that one has to consider a little research about before including in the diet is the Sweet Potato.

Is it safe to eat Sweet Potatoes by diabetic patients?

Well, to answer it accurately, it depends on the way you eat it and how much. Diabetic patients can take sweet potatoes, but with certain restrictions and rules.

Sweet potatoes are generally known for their carbohydrate and sugar content. There are several varieties of sweet potatoes found everywhere, and there are many ways even to cook it and be included in different recipes.

Sweet potatoes are not only delicious but also very rich in many nutrients. Considering a safe portion of this starchy fibrous vegetables can be beneficial to your body, even if you have diabetes.

First of all, let us talk about the Glycemic Index of this vegetable. The Glycemic Index is a measure that is used to determine whether a particular food item is safe to be consumed by diabetics or not. It takes into account the number of carbohydrates and other nutrients present in the food item and how it can impact one’s blood sugar levels.

Although different people have differences in their metabolic rates and functioning, no two people will have the same result in consuming the same food. General awareness of the food’s glycemic index can be a great help in managing proper food intake in your diabetic diets.

The various kinds of foods are classified based on their Glycemic Index as follows:

–         Low GI – ranging from 0 to 55

–         Medium GI – ranging from 56 to 69

–         High GI – ranging over 70

The glycemic index is not always the same for a food item; it can vary depending on the way a food is cooked, taken raw, store-bought, processed in factories, added with preservatives, etc.

The fact that the Glycemic index of foods differs according to their cooking is exceedingly true for Sweet Potatoes. The Glycemic Index can range from low to even high when cooked in a specific method.

How much of the Sweet potato should be had by diabetics?

Well, as by now, we are aware that sweet potatoes are good for the health, but must be taken in regulated quantities if you have diabetes, therefore, let us discuss the recommended amount one can have.

Most sweet potatoes are big, and that much of an amount is not recommended. It is best to select medium-sized sweet potatoes and use only one for consumption. This will be around 80 grams of sweet potato. Lesser amounts are fine, but more than this quantity must be avoided.

Let us get into further details of how the Glycemic index differs from the variation in the sweet potato recipes:

Changes in the Glycemic Index of Sweet Potatoes with the changes in cooking method:

–         Boiled Sweet Potatoes: Boiling is considered to be one of the healthy ways to cook food to reduce its effects on the blood sugars.

Boiling the starchy sweet potatoes helps the starch be broken down easily in the human body’s digestive system.

This prevents extreme spikes in the sugar levels in the blood.

Boiling also makes another excellent addition to the sweet potato, that is – it makes the vegetable to retain comparatively more resistant starch that is a kind of fiber that slows down the digestion process and releases sugars at a slower pace. Thus, the level of blood sugar rising dangerously is prevented.

The sweet potatoes have a low to medium range of Glycemic Index when boiled.

The more you boil it, the lower goes its glycemic count.

For instance, sweet potatoes that are boiled for around 10 minutes will have a GI of 61, which is moderate in the category.

When the sweet potatoes are boiled for a longer time, say for 30 minutes, the GI drops to a lower category and is about 46.

Therefore, boiling is an efficient way of adding sweet potato to your diet.

–         Baking the Sweet Potato: Baking is another popular method of preparing the sweet potato. But this is not the perfect way to cook it if you have diabetes.

Baking the sweet potatoes tends to have a more significant effect on their glycemic index.

On baking, the Sweet potato becomes a high Glycemic Index item.

Baking a peeled sweet potato for about 45 minutes makes it high in GI, 94.

Sweet potato consumed in this way can have very sudden reactions on the body’s blood sugar count, and it can be problematic for diabetic patients. It is thus advisable to avoid having baked sweet potatoes by diabetics, pre-diabetics, obese individuals, and those trying to watch their diet.

Instead, you can stick to boiling the sweet potato for a longer time and then eating it to minimize its effects on the blood sugar levels.

–         Fried Sweet Potatoes: As obvious as it sounds, frying is not the best option either. Frying anything makes it harmful for the body and its digestive functioning even though it can enhance taste and texture.

Well, the same applies when it comes to frying the sweet potatoes.

Frying adds to the fat content of the food.

When peeled and fried in regular vegetable oil, the GI of the sweet potato comes up to 76.

Frying adds up to the oil content that increases the fat in the food. As a result, the time required to digest the food increases, and the release of sugar in the body after digestion is slowed down. Hence, the GI count slightly decreases when compared to baking the same.

The fried sweet potato is although comparatively a better version than baking it.

Although the Glycemic index of the sweet potato is not as high as when it is baked, it still comes under the classification of High GI foods.

Thus, this can be affecting your body’s blood sugar.

Also, the GI can lower or heighten depending on the type of sweet potato you are frying and the variety of oil used for frying.

–         Roasting the sweet potato: Similar to baking, roasting also tends to increase the tendency of the sweet potato to be harmful to the body.

The process of roasting, as well as baking, cuts off the resistant starch that is fibrous and beneficial to the digestive system and the gut. It also results in a higher Glycemic Index.

Roasting the sweet potato is not a great way to eat it as due to this, the glycemic index heightens.

The roasting process can add the Glycemic Index in the sweet potato, and it comes to around 82 when peeled and roasted.

Thus, unlike boiling the sweet potato, roasting it isn’t suitable for the body’s blood sugar levels.

What is the best way to cook sweet potatoes?

Thus, from the above-mentioned processes of cooking the sweet potato in different ways, it is best to opt for a boiled version. Boiling preserves the goodness and adds to its already existing fiber content, which is excellent for the gut system.

Apart from that, the Glycemic Index for sweet potatoes is the least when cooked by boiling it in water. It tends to decrease with the increase in its boiling time. Hence, you can boil your sweet potatoes for longer.

You can add some spices and flavors to your boiled sweet potato or even add boiled sweet potatoes to salads, sandwiches, and soups, mash it to enjoy its creamy texture, or in such other recipes.

Steaming the sweet potato is similar to boiling, and it is another safe way to prepare your sweet potatoes for consumption based on your diabetes-related diet.

It is ok too, at times, to include a fried version of this starchy potato tuber, but make sure to only consume it once in a while and regulated quantities.

It is best to avoid roasted and baked varieties as they tend to increase the Glycemic Index of the sweet potato and increase the rapidity of blood sugar level rises. Make sure you follow the advised rules to prevent sudden splurges in the blood sugars and keep away the casualties.

Among the various types of sweet potatoes available, the orange sweet potato varieties are said to have a higher Glycemic Index. They can have a more significant impact on your blood sugar levels.

Sticking to Japanese sweet potatoes and purple sweet potatoes are better for patients who have diabetes.

It is also recommended to ask your doctor for a proper diet plan and to stick to it. If you notice any symptoms of the discomfort of worry when you have sweet potatoes, be sure to always reach out to your medical team for proper observation and checks.

The effect of sweet potatoes on the blood sugar levels and the overall human body:

Due to its high starch content, the sweet potato tends to be a food item that results in spiking the level of sugar in the blood flow. But at the same time, taking sweet potatoes in a controlled amount and cooking it per your diabetic diet is an excellent way to be cautious.

The presence of fiber in the sweet potato is a useful element as it slows down the digestion to a certain extent and, in turn, delays the rise of sugar levels in the body. Therefore, sweet potato is not so bad, after all, if you are a diabetes patient.

Sweet potatoes are a better option over regular white potatoes. They are healthier and also comparatively lower in the Glycemic Index.

Other nutritional benefits in the Sweet Potato include:

–         Apart from fiber, which we already talked about, the sweet potato is rich in a variety of vitamins C, B-6, and K, and minerals. The sweet potato has a lot of minerals like iron, selenium, and calcium, which add to the Vitamin B and C reserves in the body.

–         They are also a good source of antioxidants like beta-carotene, which assists in converting Vitamin A into more beneficial components. Some varieties also hold the antioxidant – anthocyanin that is great for the eyes.

–         This vegetable also contains the right amount of protein, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, Folate, and other such minerals.

–         The fiber in these is very encouraging in maintaining gut health and keeping the digestive system healthy.

It is safe to choose low Glycemic Index varieties when it comes to sweet potatoes and stick to boiling or steaming it for consumption instead of baking, roasting, frying, or using other methods.

REFERENCES:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24000051/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22895968/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26272174/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22336861/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23235674/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26905863/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26936648/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26936870/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31636690/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25707985/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30477357/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21845749/

https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/sweet-potato-diabetes#varieties

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sweet-potato-glycemic-index

Dr Sharon Baisil MD is an international award-winning doctor, known for creating innovative technologies for the prevention and treatment of Diabetes. He developed the android app called Beat Diabetes, which is presently the most downloaded diabetes app in India. It was chosen as ‘Diabetes-App of the Year’ globally by Healthline. Dr Sharon has helped over 100,000 individuals with Diabetes from 140 countries, during the past 4 years, to control their sugar levels. You can ask all your Diabetes related questions, including diet and medications to Dr Sharon Baisil MD and his team of expert doctors, completely free of cost. 
He can be contacted through either WhatsApp or Telegram by clicking hereLatest posts by Dr Sharon Baisil MD (see all)

Diabetic Friendly Thankgiving Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potatoes happen to be one of my favorite vegetables to eat this time of year because of all the delicious ways that they can be prepared. Although sweet potatoes can be roasted, mashed, boiled or made into sweet potato fries, I think most people think of sweet potato casserole during the holidays.

This is the casserole that we all anticipate seeing on the dining room table for Thanksgiving. Sweet potato casserole appears on the family menu about as often as the family sits at the formal dining room table. But maybe its rarity is the biggest reason that this dish is near and dear to our hearts. The downside of sweet potato casserole is that it is usually crammed full of sugar and topped with marshmallows. Everyone wants to enjoy that rich casserole, but no one wants the extra sugar or unnecessary calories, so here is a recipe that you can feel much better about!

Sweet potatoes have a natural creaminess to them once they are cooked. Utilizing their natural smooth consistency, we can reduce the additional heavy cream and use natural sweeteners like orange zest and orange juice that pairs deliciously with sweet potatoes. Using fruit instead of sugar will make a dish that, dare we say, may be even better than the original without sacrificing any of the flavor!

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 6 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into small chunks
• 1 large sweet onion, minced
• 1 large orange, zest and juice reserved
• 2 cups large Georgia pecans, toasted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ tablespoon salt
• ¼ tablespoon pepper
• ½ stick of butter, diced into small cubes

Instructions

1. In a large pot cover diced sweet potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender. Drain sweet potatoes, and return to the pot to mash.
2. Toast pecans in oven at 375 degrees until fragrant. Allow to cool.
3. In a large bow, mix remaining ingredients into mashed sweet potatoes and add seasonings to taste. Pour into a glass baking dish that has been slightly greased for easy clean-up.
4. Arrange the pecans on the top of casserole and place small cubes of butter along the top to bake.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly golden on top.

Tags: diabetes, eye health, recipe, sugar, sweet potato, Thanksgiving

Curly “potato”

Curly “potato”

Relatives to the loach

The sweet potato that came to us from hot countries has nothing to do with potatoes. Outwardly, it looks like a liana, and its closest relative is the well-known morning glory – a climbing ornamental plant. Wide cordate or lobed-like sweet potato leaves, closing together, densely cover the ground around adult plants, preventing weeds from breaking through.Therefore, the sweet potato does not need to be weeded (unless at the very early stage of the growing season) and spud, unlike potatoes.

The sweet potato is not afraid of the main diseases of the potato, it is not afraid of the majority of gluttonous pests.

In the lateral roots of sweet potatoes, elongated, rather large tubers are formed, the weight of which can reach 3.5 kg (in conditions native to sweet potatoes, tubers occasionally grow up to 10 kg in weight).

The shape of the fruit, as well as the color of both the skin and the pulp of the tubers, depends on the species and variety of plants.There are sweet potatoes with red, orange, yellow, cream and even purple flesh.

“ Sweet potato ” Sweet potato is called because of the glucose content in tubers. But rumor exaggerates the sweetness of the sweet potato. Its varieties are divided into three main groups: feed, vegetable and dessert. Fodder foods have a denser pulp, and there is not so much glucose in them. If desired, fodder yam can be completely replaced in the diet with potatoes. Vegetable varieties are also moderately sweet and suitable for most dishes.As for dessert sweet potatoes, which contain a large amount of glucose, they taste like bananas, carrots or pumpkin.

Sweet potatoes are used in food boiled, fried, baked or dried. Dried sweet potatoes are used to make flour. And the stems and leaves of the plant can be fed to livestock, since this green mass is not inferior in nutritional value to clover or alfalfa.

Solid benefit?

The calorie content of tubers is extremely low, but due to the content of complex carbohydrates, the sweet potato provides a feeling of satiety for a long time.Fiber “sweet potato” is considered the softest and most delicate among vegetable plants, it “works” delicately, enhancing intestinal motility, but not injuring it.

Due to phytoestrogens, sweet potato is useful for women to harmonize hormonal levels, especially during menopause.

The high content of vitamins A, C, B6, potassium, magnesium and other useful substances in sweet potato makes it possible to recommend it to people with problems with blood pressure and cardiovascular system; with neuroses, depression, chronic fatigue, insomnia, etc.P.; for recovery during the rehabilitation period. Statistics show that in countries where sweet potatoes are the basis of the diet, the percentage of cancer is very low. Beta-cryptosanthin in sweet potatoes improves blood clotting.

Sweet potato has a very low glycemic index and contains no light sugars. Therefore, it is highly respected by diabetics.

But this useful vegetable also has contraindications. It should not be eaten during pregnancy and lactation (due to the presence of phytoestrogens in the pulp).Do not get carried away with sweet potatoes suffering from gastritis or stomach ulcers. And to start acquaintance with sweet potato dishes you need to be very careful, especially for allergy sufferers. The same can be said about people undergoing drug treatment: so far no studies have been conducted on the compatibility of sweet potatoes with various drugs, and “sweet potatoes” contain many biologically active substances that can interact with them. Sweet potatoes are rich in oxalates, so it is not recommended for those who suffer from urolithiasis.

How do we grow sweet potatoes?

The main thing that a gardener who decides to grow a sweet potato should know: this vegetable is undemanding to the soil, but very sensitive to temperature. To obtain a good harvest, the air temperature must be at least +25 degrees. Already at +10 degrees, the plant dies. Nevertheless, it is grown today even in Siberia.

(To be continued)

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Wontons Sweet Potato Recipe

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Recipe summary

active: 25 minutes total: 35 minutes Servings: 24 Nutrition Profile: Nut Free Low Calorie Soy Free Vegetarian Food Information Advertisement

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 24 wontons
• 1 non-stick spray gun
• 3 tablespoons mango chutney
• 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil
• ⅓ cup of finely chopped onions
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups, chopped, boiled sweet potatoesCouncil)
• ⅓ half cup
• Carrots, cut into bite-sized strips and sauté (optional)

Destinations

Instruction checklist

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat the wonton wrappers with non-stick spray. Press the wrapping materials, sprayed sides down, into twenty-four 1-3 / 4-inch bun cups, pleating as needed. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

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• Step 2

  Meanwhile, cut any large pieces of fruit into chutneys; put aside. In a large heavy skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add onion, curry powder, ginger and garlic; cook until the onions are tender. Add flour. Add cooked sweet potatoes, halved and chutney. Cook and stir until thick. Cook and stir for another 1 minute.

• Step 3

  Spoon of sweet potato mixture per wonton.Serve immediately. Sprinkle with carrot strips if desired.

Advice

Tip: For cooked sweet potatoes, peel and slice one 10 to 12 ounce sweet potato into a third. In a small, covered saucepan, boil the potatoes in boiling salted water for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and chop.

Nutritional value

Serving Size: 1 Snack Serving Per Serving: 61 Calories; 1.7 g total fat; 0.4 g saturated fat; 2 mg cholesterol; 69 mg sodium.65 mg potassium; 10.1 g carbohydrates; 0.8 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 1.3 g protein; 3254 IU of vitamin a; 3 mg vitamin C; 14 mcg folic acid; 14 mg calcium; 6 mg magnesium; Exchanges:

1/2 fat, 1/2 starch

90,000 Satsumaimo Japanese Sweet Potato Butter with Honey Recipe

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You just can’t miss satsumaimo when its bright red-purple color looks down at you. These are the Japanese sweet potatoes that you may have seen in the market. A common delicacy at every Thanksgiving dinner is Satsuma-Imo, a Japanese sweet potato beloved by paleo fans.

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a dicotyledonous plant belonging to the Convolvulaceae family.

Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are root vegetables.Young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens.

Of the approximately 50 genera and over 1,000 species of Convolvulaceae I. batatas is the only important crop; some others are used locally, but many are actually poisonous.

This yellow-fleshed sweet potato was traditionally grown in Okinawa and Japan, but you can now find it at any grocery store in America.

This Japanese sweet potato is a staple food in the Okinawa region and is one of the longest living and healthiest people in the world.

This variety of Japanese sweet potatoes is sweeter, has purple or red skin and yellow flesh, and is full of minerals, antioxidants and vitamins. In this post, we’ll cover the health benefits, nutritional values, and a few recipes you can make with these potatoes.

But what really sets it apart from American sweet potatoes is what lies beneath the sparkling white coating. One of the earliest plants ever found, sweet potatoes were thought to have originated around 5,000 years ago in Central or South America.

The tuber was exported to China later, in the 16th century, before it reached Japan.

Best grown in milder climates, this crop grew in southern Japan, where Kyushu accounts for over 80% of the national production.

Distinguishing satsumaimo from its American counterpart is easy: where American sweet potatoes have brown skin and orange flesh, satsumaimo stands out with a bright reddish-purple skin that covers the pale yellow flesh.

Satsumaimo is sweeter, denser and less oily in taste and appearance, and locals often compare it to chestnut.

Although the above explanation applies to common satsumaimo, there are over a hundred satsumaimo varieties currently available on the market.

Each species has specific characteristics that are ideal for different cooking techniques, varying in shape, color and taste.

Murasaki imo (purple sweet potato) is a common variety, a fairly new type of satsumaimo with rich purple flesh that is often used in desserts.

In this post we will look at:

Potato God Edo

In the Kanto area (including Tokyo) there are several Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines dedicated to the Satsumaimo service. Looking through his history, it’s no wonder why.

In the middle of the 18th century, after many years of rice crop failure, Japan and especially northern Edo (present-day Tokyo) in the Kanto region were ravaged by famine. Riots were also common due to widespread hunger.

Aoki Konyo solved many of these problems when he started growing sweet potatoes and experimenting with sweet potatoes and created satsumaimo.

Soon after, the satsumaimo crops began to grow, and the tubers became an important source of energy to compensate for the rice shortage – a huge change that saved countless lives.

On this occasion, in his pioneering work, Aoki became the “potato god of Edo.”

There is nothing sweeter than this

The sweet and earthy aroma of sweet potatoes makes them delicious freshly steamed without any additional aromas. However, satsumaimo is packed with nutrients like vitamin C, which is an added bonus to its great taste.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps improve your immune system, protect your skin from free radical damage (after sun exposure) and prevent heart disease.

For those who control their weight, satsumaimo is an excellent food choice for several reasons: it is an excellent source of dietary fiber, which is known to not only promote bowel movement, but also help you feel fuller longer; and due to the high water content of over 60%, each serving (100 grams) contains only about 130 calories.

Satsumaimo is also recommended for diabetics due to its low glycemic index, which ensures a slow and steady release of glucose into the bloodstream.

Some of the benefits of satsumaimo include controlling iron levels and blood pressure, improving metabolism, and supporting skin defenses.

Cooking Satsumaimo

The very first thing to consider is to store them in a cool and dark place. If you have unwashed satsumaimo, place it in a plastic bag and refrigerate for no more than three days.

The Japanese like to combine sweet and salty (for example, many people like to add a little salt to the watermelon). And this recipe is like that too.

The secret ingredient in this first sweet treat, to give it the right touch of pleasure, is a little soy sauce.

Japanese Satsumaimo Recipe

Yust Nusselder

Deliciously sweet satsumaimo with honey butter that you can make at home.

Prep Time 10 min

Cooking time 40 min

Total time 50 min

Course Side dish

Cooking Japanese

• 1 Satsumaimo sweet potato
• 2 tbsp.l. oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp black sesame seeds

• Wrap the satsumaimo in cling film and place in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. Then cut it into strips 1 inch thick.

• Melt butter in a skillet, place over medium heat and cook satsumaimo.

• Once the potatoes are tender, honey can be added.

• Finally add the soy sauce and water and mix thoroughly.Finish with sesame seeds on top.

Keyword Sweet Potato

Satsumaimo is sometimes tricky to cut, but if you want some advice on really good traditional Japanese knives, you should read my post about them here.

Satsumaimo Salad

Ingredients:

• Satsumaimo (500 grams)
• Carrots (100 grams)
• Butter (1 tablespoon)
• Mayonnaise (1 teaspoon)
• Sugar (½ teaspoon)
• Salt (½ teaspoon)

Preparation:

1. Start by peeling the satsumaimo and chopping it into small pieces.
2. Then steam for about 10 minutes, or until tender.
3. You can now peel the carrots and cut them into thin, small pieces.
4. Boil the carrots with sugar, butter and salt until they are also soft.
5. Mash the carrots and rub with mayonnaise for a creamy sauce.
6. Pour over the steamed satsumaimo with this sauce, stir well and serve. Enjoy!

Satsumaimo Gratin

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin (200 grams)
• Satsumaimo (200 grams)
• Milk (400 ml)
• Cottage cheese (150 grams)
• Butter (1 tablespoon)
• Breadcrumbs (1 tablespoon)
• Parmesan cheese (2 teaspoons)
• Salt and pepper to taste)

Preparation:

1. Peel and seed the pumpkin, then cut into small cubes.
2. Then peel the satsumaimo and cut into cubes about half the size of the pumpkin seeds.
3. Combine pumpkin and satsumaimo cubes with butter and milk, then cook until tender.
4. When tender, add the curd and preheat oven to 250 ° C.
5. Now transfer the mixture to a baking sheet, top with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese and bake in the oven for 7 minutes.

Japanese Sweet Potato Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• Wheat Flour – 180 grams
• Purple Sweet Potatoes – 2 pcs.
• Water – 100 ml
• Butter – 12 grams
• Milk powder – 8 grams
• Green tea powder – 40 grams
• White sugar – 18 grams
• Salt – 2 grams
• Baking powder – 3 grams
• Sesame black – 1 tablespoon

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine wheat flour, salt, 15 grams of white sugar, baking powder, milk powder (5 grams), green tea powder and water.Mix the ingredients well and add the oil. Knead the dough and make sure you get a soft and smooth result. Wrap the bowl with food wrap.
2. Then roll the kneaded dough into balls and add the ground sweet potatoes.
3. Meanwhile, cook the purple sweet potatoes and chop them well. When you’re done, divide the dough into 7 pieces and roll them into balls. Squeeze the balls gently, then add ground sweet potatoes to the middle of each ball and roll up.’
4. Place the roll on a baking sheet and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
5. First, spread the parchment paper on the baking sheet, and then put the balls on the baking sheet. Let them rest for about 30 minutes and then sprinkle the balls with black sesame seeds.
6. Place another parchment paper over the balls and squeeze them out onto another baking sheet. Now place the baking sheet in the oven at 185 ° C and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Serve when finished.

Japanese Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut

First you need cooked Japanese sweet potatoes.For this recipe, place the sweet potatoes in the microwave and then cook them until they are moist. You will need 1 cup for this recipe.

Dry Ingredients

• King Arthur Bread Flour – 1 ¼ cup (sifted)
• Baking powder – 1 ½ teaspoon.
• Baking soda – 1 ½ teaspoon
• Salt – ½ teaspoon

Preparation

1. In a small food processor or coffee grinder, grind the raw sugar cane (Demerara Sugar) to make 1 cup of final product.When grinded, it should look like a certain kind of flour. It improves the texture of the biscuits and also concentrates the flavor of the spices, and is a very important ingredient in this recipe.
2. Add 1 stick of unsalted butter to the icing sugar and beat thoroughly. Next, add 1 large egg.
3. You can now add 2 teaspoons of peanut butter, honey (1 tablespoon), ground allspice (2 teaspoons), bourbon-flavored vanilla extract (2 tablespoons), and wholemeal flour (1/2 cup).
4. Then add 1 ½ cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips and mix thoroughly.
5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and then wrap the sheet over the bowl to keep it from drying out. Chilling the butter for about 15 minutes is an important step as it prevents the edges of the cookies from spreading too much during baking. During the baking process, the cookies will retain their shape.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then toast ¾ cups of coconut and be careful not to discolor it.Let it cool before adding to the cookie dough. Stir after adding.
7. Now apply a little grease to a baking sheet or baking sheet, and then bake the cookies, baking 6 cookies at a time, until they are golden brown.

Satsumaimo can be a great addition to your kitchen, and we guarantee that any of these recipes will definitely help you enjoy its delicious flavor even more. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Japanese Sweet Potatoes: Nutrition and Health Benefits

Read Also: Japanese Unagi Eel Sushi Recipe with Sauce

How to identify sweet potatoes?

When in the grocery store, go to the grocery section where you will find a variety of tubers in a wide variety of colors.

However, it will be difficult for you to determine if you will be getting sweet potatoes, sweet potatoes, or white potatoes. These three tubers come from different botanical families and are therefore confused by many people.

So what should you pay special attention to?

Various types of sweet potatoes

• Red or orange peel and orange flesh (in most cases mistakenly labeled as sweet potato)
• Purple peel with oil-colored flesh (Japanese sweet potato)
• Tanned or gray peel with purple flesh (okina sweet potatoes0
• Pale yellow skin with buttery flesh
• Purple skin with purple flesh

In terms of flavor, orange sweet potatoes tend to be sweeter and softer, while other varieties are more starchy and dry.Most grocery stores sell orange potatoes, although other varieties can be found in Asian markets.

See also: different types of popular Japanese cuisine

White potato varieties

• Brown with beige skin, with white flesh (this is a typical reddish brown potato)
• Blue or purple skin with white flesh

Also important to note that there are different varieties of Japanese sweet potatoes, but the most common ones are:

• Beni Azima – This variety is mostly eaten in Eastern Japan and is very sweet when cooked.
• Naruto Kintoki – Very common in Western Japan, considered sweet and elegant
• Tosabeni – Considering the # 14 rating (above), this is a signature sweet potato.
• Manasume is another # 14 sweet potato brand.
• Goro Shima Kintoki – most commonly used for baking sweet potatoes
• Kugan Segan – refers to the popular Sochu sweet potato
• Tanegashima Mukashi Mistu-Imo is a sweet potato with a beautiful orange flavor and colors
• Tanegashima Murasaki Imo – has a very elegant purple color
• Anna Imo – rich in carotenes, beautiful orange color with a very sweet taste
• Tanegashima Gold Imo – this variety of sweet potatoes is grown on the island of Taneko, located on south of Kyushu.It is usually red when raw, but turns dark golden when cooked. Among all these different varieties of Japanese sweet potatoes, purple sweet potatoes are becoming more common.

Nutritional value of Japanese sweet potatoes

Phytonutrients associated with different colors of sweet potatoes have unique beneficial properties. However, all sweet potato varieties share the same nutritional profile.

They are rich in minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients and are therefore considered the healthiest of all vegetables.

Although many people rarely eat sweet potato leaves, they are a very good source of minerals, protein and fiber. The information on micronutrients, macronutrients and phytonutrients below applies to the sweet potato tuber.

• Carbs – For every 100 grams (86 calories) of sweet potatoes, you get 20.1 grams of carbs. Of these, 3.0 g is fiber, 4.2 g is sugar (glucose, sucrose, maltose and fructose) and 12.7 g is starch. Sweet potato starch contains more amylose than amylopectin, which gradually raises blood sugar levels.As a result, sweet potatoes are one of the best foods for diabetics.
• Protein – While sweet potatoes are primarily a source of healthy fiber and starch, they also contain 1.6 g of protein per 100 g serving.
• Fat – Sweet potatoes have a very low fat content of only 0.1 g per 100 g serving and are free of saturated fat.
• Vitamins – It is important to note that Japanese sweet potatoes are very rich in vitamins, especially beta-carotene (provitamin A), vitamins B5 and B6.
• Minerals – Japanese sweet potatoes are also low in sodium and a good source of some minerals.
• Phytonutrients – Sweet potatoes contain a variety of beneficial phytonutrients. While some phytonutrients can be found in all varieties of sweet potatoes, others do differ depending on the color of the flesh. Japanese sweet potatoes are mostly rich in coumarins, quercetin, peonidin, hirseriol, and kaempferol.
• Phytosterols are cholesterol-like molecules found in plant cells. Studies have shown that consuming 2 g of phytosterols every day can lower low-density lipoproteins by 10%. The most common phytosterol found in Japanese sweet potatoes is β-sitosterol. Campesterol is the second most common, and aliphatic as well as alpha-tocopherol are also found in smaller amounts.
• Polyphenols – They work in our body as antioxidants.They help prevent cancer, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders. Japanese sweet potatoes are rich in phenolic acids as well as coumarins. In addition, yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes are also high in flavonoids (chizoriol, kaempferol, peonidin, and quercetin).

Health Benefits of Japanese Sweet Potatoes

Japanese Sweet Potatoes are not only delicious and nutritious, they are also healthy.Here are some of the benefits:

You should also check out these Japanese Miso to Potato Soup Recipes

Natural Antioxidant

When free radicals react with other molecules in your body, they can be harmful, contributing to disease. But Japanese sweet potatoes are full of antioxidants, including vitamins A and E. In addition to that, they are also full of antioxidant phytonutrients like flavonoids and polyphenols.

In addition, Japanese sweet potatoes also contain some new antioxidants.The metallothioneins (which are proteins) and other polyphenols (derived from caffeine quinic acid) found in Japanese sweet potatoes are also powerful antioxidants.

In addition, sweet potato leaves contain high levels of antioxidants, especially polyphenols. Baking and boiling sweet potatoes is known to increase their antioxidant activity.

They help prevent heart disease

In a study, diabetic mice were given 150 g / kg of flavonoids extracted from sweet potato leaves to lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels.

When the researchers fed mice a high-fat sweet potato diet for 4 months, their arteries hardened less than mice fed a high-fat diet without sweet potatoes. This is an indication that sweet potatoes may help prevent the hardening of arteries caused by a high-fat diet.

Prevents constipation

Japanese sweet potato improves digestion and prevents constipation. In a study in which 120 leukemia patients who were undergoing chemotherapy were given 200 grams of sweet potatoes each, they had fewer constipation and improved bowel movements.

In another study, a group of 93 patients with acute coronary syndrome (heart disease) was given a treatment regimen consisting of sweet potatoes, acupressure and foot baths and showed a reduction in constipation. The patients also used several enemas and laxatives, and they felt comfortable having a bowel movement.

Helps in the prevention of cancer

Research in human cells has shown that polyphenols extracted from Japanese sweet potato leaves can inhibit the growth of cancer cells.Additionally, some researchers claim phytonutrients may help prevent cancer. In addition, there is another molecule (IbACP or the anti-cancer peptide Ipomoea Batatas) that the researchers found kills pancreatic cancer cells.

Boosts immunity

Japanese sweet potatoes are packed with antioxidants that prevent free radicals from damaging our bodies. When you drink a cup of baked sweet potatoes, you get about 52% of your daily value for vitamin C, which is important for tissue repair and wound healing.

In addition, Japanese sweet potatoes contain vitamin A, which helps the body produce immune cells that prevent disease and infection, and has some anti-tumor effects.

Improves vision

Satsuma-Imo contains a number of nutrients that are associated with improved vision as well as eye health. Some of the most potent nutrients are carotenoids, including lutein, zeaxanthin, alpha carotene, and beta carotene.

When you take beta-carotene, isolated from other carotenoids, it can cause some imbalance. However, when it takes a meal where it is accompanied by other carotenoids, it has very powerful anti-cancer and vision-enhancing properties.

Sweet potatoes can improve fertility

Sweet potatoes are a fantastic source of vitamin A, which is an essential nutrient for reproductive health. In addition, they also contain a rich supply of iron, which is known to support fertility.

Helps stabilize blood sugar

Japanese sweet potatoes contain complex carbohydrates and fiber, which play an important role in stabilizing blood sugar levels and can also help you feel full for a long period of time.

Bottom Line

That’s it! This is all you need to know to make an informed decision to consume Japanese sweet potatoes, and we promise you that you will not regret it in the least.You just need to try and experience the benefits first hand.

Learn more about Japanese food: make your life easier with these rice cookers

Jost Nusselder, founder of Bite My Bun, is a content marketer, dad, and loves to try new dishes based on Japanese food, and together with his team he has been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.

Selection of healthy and harmless desserts for diabetics, composition and effect on the body

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic endocrine disease that, during treatment, involves maintaining a strict diet low in sugar.This is because the cells in the body lose their sensitivity to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels, and therefore glucose entering the blood is not distributed throughout the body. Otherwise, the pancreas no longer secretes the right amount of insulin (in type 1 diabetes). To avoid this, it is necessary to constantly take drugs that block this pathological process and prevent an increase in glucose levels.

Types of diabetes

Why sweets are prohibited in diabetes mellitus

Sweets during diabetes are prohibited only in quantities at which the glucose level will rise uncontrollably.This means that it is necessary to constantly, several times a day, check the blood sugar values. Sweets, as everyone knows, are high in sugar.

Important! With diabetes, not a carbohydrate-free diet is prescribed, carbohydrates are not strictly prohibited, they just should be consumed within reasonable limits.

There are cases, and every patient with diabetes should know this, when it is urgent to eat something really sweet, made of real glucose.This happens when, after taking insulin or hypoglycemic drugs, the patient does not have time to eat on time, and glucose falls below the acceptable level. This condition is also fraught with complications: hypoglycemic coma and malnutrition of the brain.

In such cases, you should always have sweetness with you. Hypoglycemic symptoms:

• Headache,
• Dizziness,
• Feeling hungry,
• Cold sweat,
• Twitching fingertips,
• General weakness.

Emergency help with a similar condition – drink sweet tea or juice, eat candy or refined sugar.

Symptoms of hypoglycemia

Low glucose recipes for diabetics contain either sugar substitutes such as fructose, stevia, or small amounts of honey or fruit instead of sugar.

Desserts for diabetics are quite varied, sometimes it is impossible to distinguish them from ordinary sweets.

Sweeteners for dessert dishes

Sweeteners are divided into natural and artificial.The criteria by which they are classified are their origin (natural or synthetic), the degree of sweetening and their involvement in glucose metabolism.

All artificial sweeteners do not participate in metabolism, and are excreted unchanged from the body. There are also natural glucose substitutes that do not affect metabolism – erythritol and stevia. Fructose, sorbitol, which is not as sweet as others, is considered a non-intense sweetener. The more intense the sweetener, the less it can be added to meals.

Types of sweeteners

A small characterization of each substance will allow you to determine in what quantities and under what circumstances they can be used in diabetic dessert recipes.

Fructose is a harmless component of honey and fruits. Its glycemic index is 19, making it a versatile sweetener. It is metabolized slower than glucose and increases glucose levels. It is used for gestational diabetes.

Sorbitol, in small amounts, is a dietary sweetener that does not require insulin for metabolism.

Important! The disadvantage of sorbitol is that it causes diarrhea in high doses. Contained in apricots, apples, peaches.

Erythritol and Stevia – Diabetic Standards for Growers. They do not participate in metabolism, contain practically no calories, and are well tolerated by the body.

Artificial sweeteners:

1. Saccharin – very sweet, contains no calories;
2. Aspartame – the most popular, absolutely harmless, does not withstand high temperatures;
3. Cyclamate – can be used in products subject to heat treatment.

Sweeteners of all types are consistently used in many desserts, recipes for diabetics with sweeteners are low in calories without changing the taste.

Diabetes Nutrition Principles

How to choose the right foods for diabetes

On the labels of all products that are sold in packages, detailed information about the product is written. Some may have the words “diabetic” or “sugar free” in large print. But ordinary products can also be bought for a diabetic.

In order to choose a low-carbohydrate product, you need to calculate its glycemic index. Every diabetic knows how much glucose he can eat per day, so he constantly counts its amount in each product. Glycemic index tables for all major foods can be easily found on the Internet. The glycemic index shows how quickly glucose from a given product enters the bloodstream. The amount of glucose that will enter the bloodstream after eating is calculated by multiplying the amount of carbohydrates by the glycemic index.

List of main products and their glycemic index

Foods with a low index, below 50, are considered low carbohydrates or carbohydrates in the form of fiber, which is metabolized very slowly to glucose.

To make low-carb desserts, the following foods are worth looking at in-store:

• Low-fat cottage cheese, cream or milk
• Whole grain flour
• Berries, fruits, certain vegetables, e.g. carrots or pumpkin
• Honey
• Eggs

Important! The diet of type 1 and type 2 diabetics is different.The first type, insulin resistant, excludes the so-called “fast carbohydrates”, and the second type also excludes foods with starch, potatoes and baked goods.

Graph of high and low glycemic index foods

The best desserts for diabetics: recipes and preparation method

The recipe for sweet dishes for diabetics is a field for the scope of inspiration, because to prepare a delicious dish using sugar, you don’t need a lot of effort.

Diabetes main dishes:

Best Carbohydrate Dessert Recipes:

• Jelly.The classic simple way is from fruit using a sweetener. Mix gelatin with water and boil, then pour in freshly squeezed lemon juice or other fruit with a low glycemic index. Leave to cool for a few hours. The ideal jelly for a diabetic is hard-cured. Cottage cheese should not be greasy, so you should carefully read the composition on the package and do not take homemade cottage cheese, the fat content of which is unknown. Mixed with sour cream and gelatin, sour cream is a quarter less than cottage cheese. Leave to freeze in the refrigerator for several hours.
• For baking, rye or buckwheat flour is used, for an apple pie you will need, in addition to flour and apples: margarine, sweetener, egg, milk and spices such as cinnamon and almonds. Beat one egg separately, add half a glass of milk, margarine and flour until a mass with a thickness of about fatty sour cream is formed. Apples cut into cubes are added inside, everything is poured into a mold, spices are added to taste and baked in the oven at 180 degrees for about 40 minutes.
• Another type of cake is prepared without heat treatment: cottage cheese is mixed with a sweetener until a homogeneous mass without lumps is formed, diabetic cookies are crumbled and diluted with milk.In a baking dish, alternating, the curd mass is laid out and from the cookies, left in the refrigerator for several hours.
• Carrot sweets can be considered the crown of healthy eating. The carrots are peeled and rubbed. Cottage cheese and egg yolk are mixed, while the protein is whipped with a sweetener. Then everything is mixed, carrots, cottage cheese and whipped protein and baked in the oven at 180 degrees for about half an hour.
• Curd soufflé. It can be a separate dish or a component of cakes and pastries.The curd is mixed thoroughly with a grated green apple, an egg is added and beaten with a mixer. Place in the microwave for a few minutes before serving. Then sprinkle with cinnamon.
• From drinks it is best to use berries such as currants or cranberries, fruits (lemons, oranges, apples) smoothies or fresh juices.
• Pumpkin is very useful, it can be stewed and added to baked chopped apples for a warm salad, or, like a carrot pie, you can make a pumpkin cake.

Panna cotta recipe for diabetics

Recipes for desserts without sugar can also please the average person. It’s not for nothing that sugar is called a sweet poison; without it, the lifestyle takes a step towards a healthy diet.

Diabetes mellitus is not a sentence that cancels your favorite sweets, but only changes your ideas about them. And, if you approach your diet wisely, diabetes will not take away the opportunity to enjoy the taste of a cake, jelly or cake.

90,000 Can I eat potatoes for type 2 diabetes?

Diabetes is a serious disease characterized by a large number of complications, such as: decreased vision, deterioration of hair and skin, ulcers, gangrene and even cancerous tumors.Therefore, a sick person needs to be very attentive to all aspects of his life, especially to the regimen and diet. For those with type 2 diabetes, this is important for two reasons:

1. Weight gain control;
2. Control of blood sugar levels.

Potatoes are classified as foods with a glycemic index above average, which raises serious doubts as to whether this vegetable can be consumed at all with such a diagnosis.

Scientific note

For many years in the scientific world there was a division of carbohydrates into “fast” and “slow”, depending on the complexity of the structure of the molecules of which they are composed.This theory turned out to be erroneous and now it has been proven that all carbohydrates eaten on an empty stomach are converted into glucose and enter the bloodstream within half an hour after eating, regardless of the complexity of the carbohydrate. At this time, a person suffers “hyperglycemia” – the highest blood sugar in connection with the use of a particular product.

On the graph, such a jump looks like a mountain peak of various sizes and sharpness. The curve obtained from the reaction of the organism to any product and the curve in the initial state form a triangle.The larger the area of ​​this triangle, the higher the value of the glycemic index, which is determined by the formula:

S _pr / S _ch = IG _pr

S _pr – product triangle area,

S _hl – area of ​​the triangle of pure glucose,

IG _pr – the glycemic index of the product.

Product processing has a great influence on the GI value. For example, the GI of potatoes and corn is 70 units, and popcorn and instant mashed potatoes are 85 and 90, respectively.GI also depends on the amount of indigestible fiber in the food. This can be traced to the example of bakery products:

• Butter buns – GI 95;
• Refined flour loaf – GI 70;
• From coarse grinding – GI 50;
• Whole flour – GI 35

The conclusion is obvious: the harmfulness of the product for diabetics with type 2 disease, in terms of the glycemic index, depends not so much on the product itself as on the way it is processed, prepared and the amount during the day.

The benefits of potatoes

The whole history of the “domestication” of potatoes by people speaks of the benefits and irreplaceable nutritional value of this vegetable on our table. More than once, potatoes have saved humanity from starvation and even from scurvy caused by a lack of vitamin C in the body. Edible tubers are actually not roots at all, as is commonly believed, but an extension of the stems in which the plant stores underground nutrients and vitamins necessary for life. with microelements:

1. Vitamins: C, B, D, E, PP;
2. Trace elements: zinc, phosphorus salts, iron, potassium salts, magnesium, sulfur, chlorine, copper, bromine, manganese, iodine, boron, sodium, calcium.

People have learned to use the valuable qualities of potatoes, domesticated wild plant species and created hundreds of varieties with a wide variety of properties, designed for different cooking methods.

Useful cooking methods

Probably there is no second such vegetable from which you can cook everything: first courses, second courses, side dishes, snacks, jelly and even desserts.

Boiled potatoes

But, if we are talking about a special diet for people with type 2 diabetes, it is preferable to use boiled potatoes.The GI of such a dish is , the minimum size for this vegetable is . It is even more beneficial if the potatoes are cooked right in the skins. After all, it is under the very “uniform” that she stores all her valuable vitamins and elements.

To get the most benefit and pleasure from this dish, you must try to find small-sized young potatoes in a smooth thin skin, which, by its very appearance, already stimulates the appetite. Boil it with a little salt and carefully remove the peel, eat it, adding any vegetables that are not prohibited for use in this disease.If desired, you can eat it directly with the skin. For example, one of the traditional salads on the American continent is made with tomatoes, boiled and sliced ​​potatoes with skin and spices. You should not add vegetable, and even more so, animal fats. And do not exceed the consumption rate of this product, which is 250 grams per day.

Baked potatoes

Another simple and healthy cooking method. You can bake in the oven, on the grill, in a multicooker and microwave, in foil, in a bag and just in your own skin.But the tastiest of all is potatoes baked in coals. If you have the opportunity to start a fire with wood, be sure to take with you a couple of kilograms of medium-sized crumbly potatoes. Bury it in the coals when the fire is almost extinguished and in 40-60 minutes you will get a healthy and very romantic dinner or lunch. In addition, both boiled and baked potatoes contain a minimum calorie content of 114-145 calories in an average serving.

Potato steeping

Both for healthy people who strive to maintain their condition and appearance for many years, and for diabetics, such preparation of potatoes for cooking is useful.This reduces the starch content and makes the finished meal easier to digest. You can soak whole washed tubers for several hours, or pour water over already peeled and chopped potatoes. In this case, the time required to remove harmful substances is directly proportional to the size of the pieces: the larger the pieces, the longer it takes to “neutralize” them.

“Harmful” potatoes

Harmful potatoes, as we found out, do not exist. It is unacceptable, with type 2 diabetes, cooking and overeating.

Diabetics should not eat potato dishes with a high content of vegetable and especially animal fats, less often cook in the form of mashed potatoes and not exceed the daily allowance of 250-300 grams.

Subject to these simple rules, potato dishes will only benefit you.

“Sweet” potato

However, with very severe forms of the disease, it may happen that even properly cooked potatoes represent too much stress on the weakened body of a diabetic.What to do if a person cannot imagine his diet without this vegetable.

A very good alternative is sweet potato. Sweet potato is a plant related to potatoes, with large mealy tubers, slightly sweet in taste, but with much lower carbohydrate content and, accordingly, a low glycemic index.

Sweet potato consists of a large amount of dietary fiber, which also slows down the absorption of starch in the gastrointestinal tract and reduces the level of hyperglycemia.

Conclusions

Thus, with type 2 diabetes mellitus, it is not only permissible, but also necessary to eat potatoes, subject to a number of simple rules:

• Boil in peel or bake;
• Soak before cooking for at least 2 hours;
• No more than 250-300 grams per day;
• Exclude fried potatoes and mashed potatoes;
• Monitor blood glucose levels regularly.

These tips are helpful, of course, but people with type 2 diabetes should first of all follow the advice of their healthcare professional and other nutritionists for this condition. Based on the analyzes and the general condition of the patient, the doctor will give more precise instructions, individually for each case . Then a person will be able to get joy and pleasure from life, while not harming his health.

90,000 Sweet potato dishes – recipes with photos on Cook.ru (57 sweet potato recipes)

Sweet potato cream soup
4.2

I really enjoy cooking sweet potato dishes. Firstly, it is tasty and healthy, and secondly, the sweet potato is prepared quite quickly. Today I will make a creamy sweet potato soup in just half an hour. … more

Added by: Daria Vakulova 30.11.2018

Breakfast in sweet potatoes
four.3

Improvise! For such a breakfast, you can think of any filling: vegetables, mushrooms, meat, fish, cheese, etc. Be sure to pamper your family with such a sweet and healthy breakfast! … more

Added by: Tsibulskaya Natalya 20.11.2017

Gratin “Dauphinua” from sweet potato
4.8

Dauphinuam gratin is one of the greatest side dishes in world cooking and probably the most delicious way to use potatoes.But this is not new either. I want to share with you a delicious recipe. … more

Added by: Ira Samokhina 08/14/2018

Sweet potato in the oven
4.0

Sweet potato is a wonderful root vegetable with a sweetish taste. They are not as high in calories as regular potatoes, and they are also rich in vitamin A and dietary fiber. In this recipe, I will show you the easiest and most delicious way to cook sweet potatoes in the oven.We will bake it in the peel until soft. Baked sweet potatoes are the perfect choice for a healthy lunch or dinner. … more

Added by: Katerina 03/25/2019

Sweet potato puree with herbs
2.3

Batat is an infrequent guest on our table. But, nevertheless, I highly recommend preparing a sweet potato side dish on occasion. So, if you come across a sweet potato in a store, be sure to buy it for trial! ….. more

Added by: Sasha Kruzhko 18.07.2018

Whiskey Sweet Potato Cupcake
3.0

Sweet potato puree makes this cake tender and juicy, while whiskey syrup adds a deep aroma. You can substitute apple juice for whiskey.

… more

Added by: Sasha Kruzhko on 11/07/2010

Squeezed pumpkin casserole
3.0

In America, pumpkin dishes are an integral part of Thanksgiving (they have such a holiday). In our country, it is a universal product. I will share a recipe on how to make the Squeezed Pumpkin casserole. … more

Added by: Anton Soroka 31.10.2017

Turkey steak

We saw turkey breast in the store – buy it immediately, without hesitation.Today I will tell you how to cook a turkey steak, which will be a great alternative to the usual chicken breast. … more

Added by: Natalya Polshak 05/01/2017

Sweet potato soup with smoked chili
5.0

Recipe for making a spicy sweet potato soup with smoked chili, caraway seeds and garlic. Serve the soup well with sour cream and fried tacos…. more

Added by: Sasha Kruzhko 04/30/2014

Sweet potato puree cookies
5.0

For a variety of familiar pastries, I would like to offer adults and children this simple and very interesting option for making cookies from sweet potato puree. Want to try? Remember the recipe! … more

Added by: Ekaterina Fesenko 13.10.2018

Cybriki
five.0

Have you ever cooked cheesecakes at home? If you have not yet had a chance to try these mouth-watering potato balls, then be sure to remember and repeat this recipe in your kitchen. … more

Added by: Marina Zolotseva 06/17/2016

Sweet potato puree
4.5

Can’t mashed potatoes be sweet? How can you! Try mashed sweet potatoes…. more

Added by: Sasha Kruzhko 10/22/2010

Oven Potato Pie Recipe
5.0

Sweet Potato Pie … Did you think this is something very strange? Perhaps original. And it’s pretty tasty, you can check it yourself. Here’s a recipe for potato pie in the oven. … more

Added by: Julia Reznik 07/27/2017

Sweet potato puree with curry
four.five

Recipe for mashed sweet potatoes, curry paste and coconut milk.

… more

Added by: Sasha Kruzhko 03.11.2010

Fried sweet potato with spinach
4.5

Recipe for a light sweet potato curry spinach garnish.

….. more

Added by: Sasha Kruzhko 03/04/2012

African Nut Soup
5.0

Asian and Oriental cuisines have long become familiar to many. I would like to offer you a small culinary trip to Africa to taste a rich, aromatic and mouth-watering soup. … more

Added by: Marina Zolotseva 06.06.2017

Spicy chicken and potato salad “Primitive”

You all know about salads with potatoes? Try using sweet potatoes and add spices for a delicious dish. I will tell you how to make a spicy chicken and potato salad “Primitive”. … more

Added by: Anton Soroka 10.11.2017

Vegetarian Potato Casserole

Sometimes I become a vegetarian, as strange as it sounds.These days I avoid meat and fish dishes. I unload my body a little. Therefore, I have a couple of recipes for this case. … more

Added by: Julia Vetrina 05/23/2017

Mashed potato soup with avocado
5.0

The soup consists of original ingredients that go well with each other and give you an amazing taste. I am telling you how to make mashed potato soup with avocado.Are you interested? … more

Added by: Anton Soroka 25.05.2017

Sweet potato and quinoa balls
4.5

Do you want to treat yourself and your loved ones with an interesting, rather unusual, hearty and tasty snack? Then check out this cool recipe. I’ll show you how to make sweet potato and quinoa balls. … more

Added by: Marina Zolotseva 04.01.2018

Steak with sweet potato and parsley
5.0

Recipe for cooking beef stack with sweet potatoes, parsley and onions … more

Added by: Sasha Kruzhko 03.12.2010

Eggplant fritters
3.0

I would like to advise lovers of simple vegetable dishes to take a closer look at this interesting recipe.Vegetable pancakes are a great inexpensive snack to complement your daily menu. … more

Added by: Ekaterina Fesenko 11/30/2016

Sweet potato
3.5

Sweet potato recipe (sweet potato). … more

Added by: Tourist 03/04/2012

Stewed potatoes with chicken in the oven
five.0

We are all used to simple potatoes with chicken. But here I will show something else. See how to cook chicken stew in the oven. We will use sweet potatoes, yams. … more

Added by: Julia Reznik 04/02/2017

Fried pears with sweet potatoes
3.0

Recipe for making a sweet pear and sweet potato garnish with dry mustard, ginger and cayenne pepper…. more

Added by: Sasha Kruzhko 06.12.2010

Sweet potato puree

Sweet potato is not the most popular product on our tables, but in vain! This is a wonderful vegetable, bright, mouth-watering and delicious. I want to recommend you a cool idea for how to make mashed sweet potatoes. … more

Added by: Marina Zolotseva 11.11.2017

Canneloni with sweet potato
four.0

Canneloni are Italian pasta in the form of wide tubes, which are filled with various fillings. Try making sweet potato canneloni stuffed with sweet potatoes, cottage cheese and apples.

… more

Added by: Sasha Kruzhko 06.12.2010

Baked Sweet Potato

I can safely recommend this dish not only to lovers of this vegetable, but to absolutely all adults and even children.It is impossible not to fall in love with such a sweet potato 🙂 And most importantly, everything is very simple and inexpensive. Remember the recipe! … more

Added by: Ekaterina Fesenko 11.03.2018

Sweet potato chips
3.7

Who doesn’t like chips? Unfortunately, you can’t say much about their benefits, so I want to offer my own version of how to make chips from sweet potatoes. They are delicious, and you can even treat children to them…. more

Added by: Anton Soroka 28.05.2018

Sweet potato snack
5.0

The choice of snacks for a festive or everyday table is huge. If you like vegetables, use sweet potatoes (yams). The result will be a delicious, interesting dish. I’ll tell you how to make a sweet potato appetizer. … more

Added by: Anton Soroka 12.05.2018

Sweet potato appetizer with guacamole
five.0

It is so easy and so quick to make an amazing vegetable snack with a refreshing sauce. Do you want to enjoy one too? Then I recommend how to make a sweet potato appetizer with guacamole. … more

Added by: Anton Soroka 01.07.2018

Baked cod with sweet potato

Well, what can you think of here: fish and potatoes.An ordinary hot dish with a side dish. But now your world will turn upside down, because you were not ready for this. Look at the recipe from a new angle and be amazed! … more

Added by: Julia Vetrina 04/28/2018

Sweet potato puree soup
3.7

I really love sweet potatoes – sweet potatoes, they are ideal for simple and healthy dishes. In this recipe, I suggest making a cream soup based on it…. more

Added by: Katerina 05/09/2019

Soup with sweet potatoes and lentils
4.2

Cooking soup with sweet potatoes and lentils. This is a light vegetable soup that cooks quickly. It turns out to be bright, satisfying and very tasty. The sweet potato adds a pleasant sweetness, while the lentils make it more satisfying. … more

Added by: Katerina 07/19/2020

Simple sweet potato recipes are all collected in one place.