Are you looking to adopt a healthier diet? Living off processed and fast food may be tasty, but going overboard can cause a lot of health problems in the long run. On the other hand, healthy food has a reputation of being expensive, which may discourage some people, to begin with.
However, there’s a superfood that’s known to be cheap, accessible and it might already be in your pantry. Enter sweet potato, which is in Tagalog, kamote. Yes, this root vegetable is your delicious entry to a healthier diet.
According to the Harvard University School of Public Health, sweet potatoes are one of the top sources of beta-carotene–a precursor to vitamin A. This boosts your immunity and helps you maintain healthy skin and vision. They’re also rich in Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Potassium, and Fiber, which makes sweet potatoes such an awesome superfood.Â
What’s great about sweet potatoes is that it’s so easy to cook into delicious dishes. You can steam, roast, baking, and even boil your sweet potatoes. 100 grams of sweet potatoes has only 86 calories, so consuming sweet potatoes is ideal for those looking to lose weight. They’re also a staple ingredient in a lot of Pinoy dishes, so you won’t even have to eat something you’re not familiar with. What a total win, right?
As per Brigitte Zeitlin, a registered dietitian, and owner of BZ Nutrition in New York, you shouldn’t overcook your sweet potatoes though, as this may lead to a loss of nutrients. Given that you’re eating sweet potatoes for their nutritional value, doing so would be totally unproductive.Â
Health is wealth especially now, and eating more sweet potatoes is an affordable way to eat your way to a healthier you. You don’t have to go on an all-sweet potato diet though. It’s all about finding balance. You are what you eat after all.Â
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