Naturally sweet, creamy and delicious\u2014there\u2019s a lot to love about sweet potatoes. \u201cOne medium sweet potato, baked in its skin with nothing else added, is only about 100 calories,\u201d says Caroline Passerrello, MS, RDN, LDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. And there\u2019s a whole lot of nutrition packed into that low calorie count. Sweet potatoes are a good source of fibre, beta-carotene, vitamin C and potassium.<\/p>\n
\u201cVersatility and year-round availability can make sweet potatoes a weekly staple, not just a holiday tradition,\u201d says Passerrello. One of the easiest ways to enjoy them is baked whole in the oven. Simply pierce the potato with a fork about six times and bake for about an hour at 205C (until tender).<\/p>\n
If you want to cut down on cooking time, sweet potatoes are also great cubed and roasted. Cubes can be drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper, then roasted at 205C for about 25 minutes. Olive oil is an especially good addition because it helps your body maximize the absorption of beta-carotene, says Passerrello.<\/p>\n
Hungry for more? Try these quick and easy sweet potato recipes:<\/p>\n
Sweet Potato Fries<\/strong> Savory Roasted Sweet Potatoes<\/strong> Sweet Potato Smoothie<\/strong> Naturally sweet, creamy and delicious\u2014there\u2019s a lot to love about sweet potatoes. \u201cOne medium sweet potato, baked in its skin with nothing else added, is only about 100 calories,\u201d says Caroline Passerrello, MS, RDN, LDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. And there\u2019s a whole lot of nutrition packed into that low calorie […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[78,79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-balanced-eating-uk","category-mindful-eating-uk"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n
\nAnother easy way to work sweet potatoes into family meals is to julienne them into \u00bc inch strips (or buy them precut). Toss the strips with salt, then spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet prepared with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.<\/p>\n
\nRoast cubed sweet potatoes (see instructions above). Once cooked, toss with chopped fresh cilantro and sprinkle with cardamom and salt and pepper to taste.<\/p>\n
\nBake one sweet potato (see instructions above). Allow to cool slightly, then scoop the flesh into a blender. Add one frozen ripe banana, two cups of milk and half a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, and blend until smooth<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"