Dig into sweet potato for weight loss

That smoky whiff of roasted sweet potato is not something you would’ve missed while walking on a street, at least in the capital city. Piping hot ‘shakarkandi ki chaat’ is a real indulgence, especially in winter, and girls, sweet potato will seem sweeter to you than ever before when you know that it can actually benefit weight loss!

Yes, noshing on sweet potato can really help you cut down on your cravings, and the need to eat constantly.

We reached out to Avni Kaul, Nutritionist, Dietician and Wellness Coach, and Founder of Nutri Activania, to share the benefits of sweet potato for HealthShots readers.

Here are some benefits:

1. Sweet potatoes promote fullness

The high fiber and water content in sweet potatoes make it a filling food. This leads to eating fewer calories, which results in weight loss.

2. Ease inflammation:

Purple sweet potatoes may help lower inflammation in the body and keep fat cells from growing. This helps in losing weight.

3. Metabolism:

Sweet potatoes even have a decent amount of vitamin B, which helps in regulating the metabolism.

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4. Lower risk of cancer:

Carotenoids in sweet potatoes may possibly lower the risk of cancer. Purple sweet potatoes are high in another natural compound known as anthocyanin that may lower the probability of developing cancer.

Can sweet potatoes be eaten every day?

Let’s remember one thing about anything to do with food – everything is good in moderation.

“Sweet potatoes can be eaten every day, but you have to ensure that the quantity is small. A small bowl is ample for a day because it is high in nutrition, but we can’t forget that it is also high in carbohydrates and calories,” he says.

So what’s the best way to have a sweet potato?

The nutrition expert suggests that you can in fact eat it instead of 2 rotis or a bowl of rice in a meal to compensate for your carbohydrate intake. The idea is to create a balance in your diet with what you eat.

Sweet potato is sweet for diabetics

The beloved superfood has a low glycemic index (GI) rating, and that makes it okay for people with type-2 diabetes to consume.

But Kaul has a word of caution. “Sweet potato must be added to a diabetes patient’s diet under supervision of an expert or educator.”

How to eat sweet potatoes?

Sometimes, some foods are best eaten in simple, desi ways. A personal favourite is the plain Jane ‘shakarkandi ki chaat’ on the streets, but Kaul has some interesting recipe suggestions just for you!

Also Read: Indulge in Yasmin Karachiwala’s chatpata sweet potato recipe without any guilt

Sweet Potato Chaat

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sweet potato, boiled, peeled and cubed
• 1 tsp chat masala
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds powder
• 1 tbsp rock salt
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 green chillies chopped
• 2 tbsp cucumber chopped
• 2 tbsp onion chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato chopped
• 1 tsp coriander chopped

Recipe

1. Take a bowl, add the sweet potato cubes.
2. Now add all the spices. Mix well.
3. Add the vegetables and stir it well.4. Add lemon juice in the end and garnish it with coriander. Enjoy.

Sweet Grilled Potato in Lemon Coriander Dressing

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potato (parboiled)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup coriander finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp green chillies finely chopped
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp water

Recipe:

1. Spread some olive oil in a grilled pan and place sweet potato slices in it.
2. Sprinkle salt and cook from both the sides until light  brown.
3. Take a bowl and make a dressing with the rest of the ingredients.
4. Pour the dressing on the slices. Serve immediately.