A traditional Thanksgiving food, sweet potatoes are so nutritious that they should be enjoyed year round. In addition to baking it like a regular potato, you can dice this versatile root vegetable and add it to stir fries and curries, or bake it into pies and casseroles. Even diabetics can enjoy small portions of sweet potatoes if they offset their total sugar and starch load. Regardless of how it is cooked, the sweet potato will be appreciated at the table by both adults and kids.
Fat and Calories
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one medium sweet potato measuring 2" in diameter and 5" long been baked in its skin has 103 calories, 0.17 gr of fat and 3.8 gr of fiber. This information suggests that sweet potatoes are a good choice for people trying to lose weight because they are very filling without a huge fat and calorie load.
Minerals
Sweet potatoes pack in a lot of minerals, making them a very nutrient-dense food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that one medium sweet potato has 43 mg of calcium and 31 mg of magnesium. It also has trace amounts of iron, copper, manganese zinc and selenium.
Vitamins
Sweet potatoes are a powerhouse of certain vitamins. While they have no vitamin D and only 22.3 mg of vitamin C, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that they pack in a whalloping 21,909 IU of vitamin A, far exceeding the recommended daily allowance. Moreover, they provide 2.3 micrograms of vitamin K, 14.9 mg of choline and small amounts of B vitamins.
Warning
Diabetics should consume only small portions of sweet potatoes because this is a very starchy vegetable. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that one medium sweet potato baked in its skin has 8.4 g of starch. This can be problematic for diabetes because starches get metabolized as sugars. For this reason, the American Diabetes Association recommends that diabetics minimize their intake of starchy vegetables and enjoy non-starchy alternatives such as spinach, artichokes, beets, broccoli, celery, peppers and tomatoes.
Benefits
An entire medium-size sweet potato has only 41 mg of sodium. The National Heart Association suggests that people restrict their sodium to 1500 mg per day. The low sodium count of sweet potatoes makes them a good choice for people trying to follow a heart-healthy diet.
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