Sweet potatoes: Here’s how you can pair them right for maximum health benefits
You can include sweet potatoes on your daily menu when compared to regular potatoes, said Dr Jinal Patel, dietitian, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Mumbai
Here's how to have sweet potato for maximum benefits (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock) A winter staple, sweet potato can be whipped up in numerous ways for many meals — be it breakfast, lunch, snack time, or dinner. Not only is this tuberous root delicious, but it also comes packed with many health benefits. But to reap these benefits, you need to eat them the right way — and are you? According to nutritionist Mohita Mascarenhas, sweet potatoes are one of the richest sources of beta-carotene (vitamin A), a fat-soluble vitamin. This means that they should be paired with a fat source to enhance nutritional benefits, she shared.
“Preparing sweet potatoes with a little fat such as coconut oil, olive oil, ghee, or butter will boost the absorption of beta carotene which helps in fighting diseases, and enhances brain function, immunity, healthy vision, skin, and hair,” Mascarenhas said in an Instagram video.
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According to Mascarenhas,
*It’s good for your reproductive system, heart, and kidneys.
*Shakarkandi is also rich in vitamin A, something that is found in retinol or retinoids — ingredients dermatologists recommend for glowing skin, fine lines and wrinkles. “Consuming foods rich in this vitamin would provide you additional benefits from within,” she added.
Agreed registered dietitian Garima Goyal and told indianexpress.com, “This tuber vegetable is a rich source of beta carotene (precursor of vitamin A), a fat soluble vitamin. This beta carotene gets converted into vitamin A in the body with the help of a fat source, which is very beneficial for healthy skin, hair and eyes and possesses immune boosting properties.”
How does pairing it with fat help?
The transport and absorption of this vitamin is enhanced when cooked with fats, said Anupama Menon, food coach and nutritionist. “Do ensure that you use good fats like butter, ghee, or even olive oil, as these are great for the system as compared to vegetable oils. Nut or seed oils, like cold-pressed peanut or mustard oils, are great too,” said Menon.
So, how does it metabolise in the body?
Dietary fibre in sweet potatoes helps promote a healthy gut microbiome, Mascarenhas said. Concurring, Dr Jinal Patel, dietitian, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Mumbai added that while regulating bowel movements, which helps avoid constipation, sweet potatoes paired with a fat source also help improve one’s immunity, bone health, produce sex hormones, and regulate blood sugar levels, as well as maintain healthy nerve function.
“You can include sweet potatoes in your daily menu as compared to regular potatoes. But, remember to take the help of an expert before adding coconut oil, olive oil, or butter while preparing dishes that include sweet potatoes. Try to include fat in the quantity recommended by the expert only,” said Dr Patel.
One can have it in the traditional chat form that is famous in North of India, or could be just topped with a little butter after being sautéed in a pan, or simply cooked in its jacket in the oven, Menon shared.
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