Many people associate sweet potatoes with weight gain, but they are actually a great food for weight loss! So, is it better to steam or boil sweet potatoes? How can you eat sweet potatoes for weight loss?

The effects and benefits of sweet potatoes

1. Weight Loss. Will eating sweet potatoes make you fat? According to scientific research, eating sweet potatoes will not make you fat; on the contrary, sweet potatoes are an ideal food for weight loss. They are very low in calories, much lower than rice, so you don't need to worry about gaining weight after eating them; in fact, they can help with weight loss. Sweet potatoes also contain a substance similar to estrogen, which has a certain effect on protecting human skin and delaying aging. Therefore, many women abroad regard sweet potatoes as a beauty food.

2. Anti-cancer properties. The most potent anti-cancer nutrients in the diet are beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), vitamin C, and folic acid, all of which are abundant in sweet potatoes. A small sweet potato (about 100 grams) provides twice the daily requirement of vitamin A, one-third of the daily requirement of vitamin C, and about 50 micrograms of folic acid; its dietary fiber content is higher than that of a bowl of oatmeal. Regularly eating sweet potatoes helps maintain normal folic acid levels in the body; low folic acid levels increase the risk of cancer. The high dietary fiber content in sweet potatoes promotes gastrointestinal motility and helps prevent constipation and colorectal cancer.

3. Beneficial for the heart. Sweet potatoes are rich in potassium, beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, all five of which help prevent cardiovascular disease. Potassium helps maintain the body's cellular fluid and electrolyte balance, and helps maintain normal blood pressure and heart function.

Beta-carotene and vitamin C have antioxidant properties and can help prevent atherosclerosis. Supplementing with folic acid and vitamin B6 can help lower homocysteine ​​levels in the blood; homocysteine ​​can damage arteries and is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

4. Regulates blood sugar. The dietary fiber in sweet potatoes is very beneficial for promoting intestinal peristalsis and preventing constipation, and can also slow down the rise in blood sugar after meals. The selenium in sweet potatoes can help regulate blood sugar.

5. Anti-diabetic effects. Japanese researchers found that blood insulin levels in diabetic obese rats decreased by 26% and 60% after 4 and 6 weeks of consuming white-skinned sweet potatoes, respectively; they also found that sweet potatoes could effectively inhibit the rise in blood glucose levels in diabetic obese rats after oral glucose administration; and that consuming sweet potatoes could also reduce the levels of triglycerides and free fatty acids in diabetic rats.

How to eat sweet potatoes for the best weight loss effect

1. Sweet potato porridge

Ingredients: 250g fresh sweet potato, 100g rice.

Cooking steps: Wash the sweet potatoes (red skin and yellow flesh are best), cut them into small pieces with the skin on, add water and rice and cook into a thin porridge.

II. Wheat and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients: 250g fresh sweet potato, 100g wheat kernels.

Cooking steps: Soak a small bowl of wheat kernels overnight. The outer skin of wheat kernels is very hard, so they need to be soaked for a longer time.

Put the soaked wheat kernels into a pressure cooker. Alternatively, you can steam them first and then cook them. A pressure cooker is faster, but you'll need to add plenty of water. Cook on high heat for 20 minutes.

Once it boils, add the sweet potato chunks and cook for just a few minutes.

Add an appropriate amount of rock sugar before taking it out of the pot; when the pot is opened, the sweet aroma of wheat kernels will fill the air.

3. Sweet potato puree

Ingredients: 500g sweet potato, 25g lard.

Cooking steps: Select red sweet potatoes, wash and peel them, steam or boil them until cooked, then mash them into a puree;

Heat oil in a wok, add sweet potato puree, and stir-fry until the moisture is almost gone. Add more oil and continue stir-frying until the sweet potato puree resembles fish roe. Stir-fry quickly until well combined.

IV. Savory Sweet Potato Rice

Ingredients: 1 pound sweet potato, 1/2 pound rice, 2 tablespoons chopped green onion, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 tablespoon salt.

Cooking steps: Wash the sweet potatoes, cut them into chunks, and drain the water;

Add oil to a wok, stir-fry the sweet potatoes until fragrant, then add salt.

Add an appropriate amount of water, then pour the rice over the sweet potato and simmer over low heat until cooked.

5. Sweet Potato and Sesame Soup

Ingredients: 1 pound sweet potato, 1/4 onion (thinly sliced), 400 ml chicken broth, 100 ml milk, 1/2 tablespoon oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a suitable amount of black sesame seeds.

Cooking steps:

1. Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them into 3 cm long strips, and put them in water;

2. Put the butter in a pot, add the onion and sauté over medium heat until softened, then add the sweet potato and sauté until translucent;

3. Add the stock and simmer over low to medium heat until the sweet potatoes are soft. Remove a small portion for garnish, and mash the rest in a container. Add milk, salt, and pepper.

4. Pour into a container and garnish with sweet potato and black sesame seeds.

Precautions for eating sweet potatoes

There are some points to note when eating sweet potatoes correctly. First, they must be thoroughly steamed or boiled. This is because the cell membranes of the starch in sweet potatoes are difficult to digest if not broken down by high temperatures. Furthermore, the gas-producing enzymes in sweet potatoes, if not destroyed by high temperatures, can cause discomfort after consumption. Second, it's important to note that excessive or improper consumption of sweet potatoes can cause bloating, heartburn, acid reflux, and stomach pain. Therefore, it's not advisable to eat too many. Those diagnosed with dampness obstructing the spleen and stomach or qi stagnation and food accumulation in Traditional Chinese Medicine should consume them with caution.

The drawback of sweet potatoes is their lack of protein and lipids. However, with improved living standards today, sweet potatoes are no longer a staple food, and the missing nutrients can be easily obtained through other dietary sources. For example, consuming milk and sweet potatoes together is beneficial, as milk is rich in protein and fat.