# Sweet Potatoes!



## Ruthanne (Aug 9, 2016)

*What's New and Beneficial about Sweet Potatoes*



Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes may be one of nature's unsurpassed sources of beta-carotene. Several recent studies have shown the superior ability of sweet potatoes to raise our blood levels of vitamin A. This benefit may be particularly true for children. In several studies from Africa, sweet potatoes were found to contain between 100-1,600 micrograms (RAE) of vitamin A in every 3.5 ounces—enough, on average, to meet 35% of all vitamin A needs, and in many cases enough to meet over 90% of vitamin A needs (from this single food alone).
Sweet potatoes are not always orange-fleshed on the inside but can also be a spectacular purple color. Sometimes it's impossible to tell from the skin of sweet potato just how rich in purple tones its inside will be. That's because scientists have now identified the exact genes in sweet potatoes (_IbMYB1_ and _IbMYB2_) that get activated to produce the purple anthocyanin pigments responsible for the rich purple tones of the flesh. The purple-fleshed sweet potato anthocyanins—primarily peonidins and cyanidins—have important antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory properties. Particularly when passing through our digestive tract, they may be able to lower the potential health risk posed by heavy metals and oxygen radicals. For more details on purple-fleshed and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, please see our Description section below.
It can be helpful to include some fat in your sweet potato-containing meals if you want to enjoy the full beta-carotene benefits of this root vegetable. Recent research has shown that a minimum of 3-5 grams of fat per meal significantly increases our uptake of beta-carotene from sweet potatoes. Of course, this minimal amount of fat can be very easy to include. In our Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes recipe, for example, we include 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and with just this one tablespoon, each of our 4 servings for this delicious recipe provides 3.5 grams of fat.
Some nutritional benefits from sweet potatoes simply may be easier to achieve if you use steaming or boiling as your cooking method. Recent studies show excellent preservation of sweet potato anthocyanins with steaming, and several studies comparing boiling to roasting have shown better blood sugar effects (including the achievement of a lower glycemic index, or GI value) with boiling. The impact of steaming is particularly interesting, since only two minutes of steaming have been show to deactivate peroxidase enzymes that might otherwise be able to break down anthocyanins found in the sweet potato. In fact, with these peroxidase enzymes deactivated, natural anthocyanin extracts from sweet potato used for food coloring may be even more stable than synthetic food colorings. This benefit isn't limited to the food's appearance since the anthocyanins have great health benefits as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients.
Most dry beans and tubers have their own unique storage proteins. Soybeans have glycinins, potatoes have patatins, yams have dioscorins, and corn has zeins. While researchers have long been aware of sporamins—storage proteins in sweet potato—only recently has research shown some of their unique antioxidant properties. The potential health benefits of the sweet potato sporamins in helping prevent oxidative damage to our cells should not be surprising since sweet potatoes produce sporamins whenever subjected to physical damage to help promote healing.


For more information on Sweet Potatoes:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64


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## Ruthanne (Aug 9, 2016)

I boiled one for 25 minutes tonight and the skin fell off when I cut it with a fork.  Wow, it was good and Suzy dog liked it, too!


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## Ruth n Jersey (Aug 9, 2016)

I love them baked,a little butter, and a touch of cinnamon on top. I can make a meal out of just that.


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## Ruthanne (Aug 9, 2016)

Ruth n Jersey said:


> I love them baked,a little butter, and a touch of cinnamon on top. I can make a meal out of just that.


I am going to try one baked one of these days.  I have some real nice ones in the frig.


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## WheatenLover (Aug 9, 2016)

I never liked sweet potatoes until I roasted them-- cut up in smallish pieces, hot oven, tossed with olive oil and whichever herbs strike my fancy. I feel virtuous when I eat them, which is a bonus. I wish cream puffs had the same health benefits!


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 9, 2016)

I don't really like them but they are super healthy.  https://www.seniorforums.com/showthread.php/243-Sweet-Potatoes-for-Diabetes

Recipe for Sweet Potato Fries.  https://www.seniorforums.com/showthread.php/14139-Sweet-Potato-Fries?highlight=sweet potato fries


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## Ameriscot (Aug 10, 2016)

I love them baked with a dab of butter.  Husband sometimes cut them up and adds them to a curry.  Yum!


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## Ruthanne (Aug 10, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> I love them baked with a dab of butter.  Husband sometimes cut them up and adds them to a curry.  Yum!


Hey Annie, how long do you bake one at at what temperature?  I have never baked one.


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## NancyNGA (Aug 10, 2016)

I like candied sweet potatoes.  Peel first, then boil, then thick slice rounds, and pop them in a skillet with butter and brown sugar until a crust forms.


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## Jackie22 (Aug 10, 2016)

My mother's wonderful Candied Sweet Potato recipe...

Cut potatoes in wedges...parboil just until you can stick a fork in them...drain, place in ovenware....cover with sugar, cinnamon and butter...slow bake for one to 2 hours.


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## debbie in seattle (Aug 10, 2016)

Eat them all the time.    Baked with some butter, will cut into cubes, add some olive oil and bake,  wedgies with olive oil and herbs and bake or just fries with a dipping sauce of mayo, honey and chipotle.


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## Ruthanne (Aug 10, 2016)

[h=3][FONT=Lato, Arial, sans-serif]FlourlessSweet Potato Muffins [/FONT][/h][FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Ingredients[/FONT]


 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]1	small organic sweet potato, roasted (1 cup, packed)[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]3	organic free range eggs, lightly beaten[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]¾	cup of organic canned coconut milk[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]2	tbsp of organic olive oil[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]½	cup of pure organic maple syrup[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]1	cup of organic brown rice flour[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]¼	cup of organic coconut flour[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]1	tbsp baking powder[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]½	tsp pink Himalayan salt[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]1	tbsp of ground cinnamon[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]1	tsp of ground ginger[/FONT]

 ⅛ [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]tsp	of ground cloves[/FONT]

 ⅛ [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]tsp	of ground nutmeg[/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Instructions[/FONT]


 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Preheat	oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Oil	a 12-hole muffin tray.[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Poke	holes in your sweet potato and place on middle rack – cook for 60	minutes (or until soft).[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Remove	sweet potato from oven and let cool.[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Scoop	the sweet potato from the skin and place in a mixing bowl.[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Discard	the skin or eat it as a snack – it contains a lot of the same	vitamins as the insides![/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Add	olive oil, almond milk and maple syrup to the sweet potato and mix	until it is smooth.[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]In	a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together.[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Pour	the dry ingredients into the sweet potato and mix until well	combined.[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Pour	the batter in the muffin pan and fill each tin until ⅔ full.[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Cook	in the oven on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes (or until an	inserted knife in the middle of the muffin comes out clean).[/FONT]

 [FONT=Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Now	take that muffin and eaaaaaaaaaaaat it. Nom nom nom nom nom.[/FONT]


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## Redd (Aug 10, 2016)

I do them in the oven sliced into rounds, mixed with sweet onion, bacon bits, and topped with shredded Havarti cheese. I use no stick foil to make a closed pouch and bake them.

Also good as Sweet Potato fries parboiled and then crisped up with Olive Oil and Old Bay seasoning.


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## Ruthanne (Aug 10, 2016)

Thank you all for describing how you cook your sweet potatoes!


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## Eric (Aug 12, 2016)

I like a good sweet tater pie haven't had one since my wife passed on


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## Ruthanne (Aug 13, 2016)

Eric said:


> I like a good sweet tater pie haven't had one since my wife passed on


I haven't had any since my husband passed on and that's a real long time, too.


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## Ameriscot (Aug 13, 2016)

Ruthanne said:


> Hey Annie, how long do you bake one at at what temperature?  I have never baked one.



It's been a while, but I'm impatient and have stuck in the microwave.  I just judge by the size and keep poking it to see if it's done.


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## Capt Lightning (Aug 13, 2016)

I get very cynical when people talk about anti-oxidents,  health benefits  etc...  I just simply like them I like them cut  into largish chunks, tossed in rapeseed oil and herbs and baked. 
.


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## Ruthanne (Aug 13, 2016)

Capt Lightning said:


> I get very cynical when people talk about anti-oxidents,  health benefits  etc...  I just simply like them I like them cut  into largish chunks, tossed in rapeseed oil and herbs and baked.
> .


I like to find out what good they do so I know they are nutritious and just not empty calories.


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## Capt Lightning (Aug 14, 2016)

Ruthanne said:


> I like to find out what good they do so I know they are nutritious and just not empty calories.



As we say here,  "a little of what you fancy does you good".


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## bluebreezes (Aug 14, 2016)

I adore sweet potatoes, especially roasted with some light olive oil and cinammon.

I believe "good for the soul" is a food group!


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## Byrd (Aug 15, 2016)

Coming from Germany, I'm no stranger to a potatoe-based diet 

I've switched to sweet potatoes years ago. I use them for everything and anything really. 

My favorites include microwaved sweet potatoes: Take a knife or fork and punch some holes in, 5 mins into the wave at ~600, take out, let it rest for 1-2 and back in for 4-5. Should be well done by then and beats half an hour in the oven. I usually like mine with some curd and fresh chive.

Another classic dish from Germany that goes well with sweet potatoes: Chipped & pan-fried. Throw some chopped onions, rosmary and garlic in a pan (I prefer concentrated butter to oil), let them simmer for a minute and add the chipped sweet potatoes (I pre-boil or microwave them for a few mins). Should be done in about 10 minutes. Works best with pre-boiled taters.


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## kaufen (Aug 29, 2016)

I never liked sweet potatoes until I roasted them-- cut up in smallish piece


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## Aunt Bea (Aug 29, 2016)

How about an inexpensive sweet potato soup!

1 T oil
1/2 onion minced
1 clove of garlic minced
4 cups of chicken stock.  I use 2 packets of Goya chicken flavored bouillon powder when the cupboard is bare.
1 or 2 good sized sweet potatoes peeled and cut into small dice
Salt and pepper to taste.

You can also add some cumin, cayenne and paprika or cinnamon and nutmeg to change up the flavor of the soup.

Sweat the onion and garlic in the oil until translucent, add the stock, sweet potato and seasonings, simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until the sweet potato is tender, puree until smooth and serve.

With the savory version a sprinkle of grated cheese or a few garlicky croutons make nice additions at serving time.


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## Ruthanne (Sep 4, 2016)

Thanks for the recipe Aunt Bea!


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## RadishRose (Sep 6, 2016)

I'm not even fond of sweet "potatoes" but this soup sounds delicious. I'll go for the cumin, first. Thanks.


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## Carla (Sep 6, 2016)

When you say sweet potatoes are you including yams? I always thought they were different but I like both. I just nuke them. My brother brings me some from NC that are so moist and creamy, very good. I always keep some on hand as it is one of the things suggested on my diet. I just eat them plain.


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## Knightofalbion (Sep 6, 2016)

They are delicious - and very healthy. A big favourite in the 'castle'.


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## oldman (Sep 8, 2016)

Sweet potatoes over brown rice. I learned that when I was in Vietnam. We ate all kinds of combinations, but this was one of the better ones that stuck with me.


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## Ruthanne (Sep 8, 2016)

Carla said:


> When you say sweet potatoes are you including yams? I always thought they were different but I like both. I just nuke them. My brother brings me some from NC that are so moist and creamy, very good. I always keep some on hand as it is one of the things suggested on my diet. I just eat them plain.


No, just sweet potatoes.  Yams are different.


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## rkunsaw (Sep 11, 2016)

I use sweet potatoes many ways, including sweet potato pie and sweet potato cake.


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