March 28, 2024
Sweet potatoes are popular and are even regularly referred to as a superfood. Is it right to use the name superfoods for sweet potatoes and what are the biggest differences between the sweet variety and regular potatoes? Jasper Alblas explains.
Potatoes and carbohydrates
For some people, the term superfood in combination with sweet potato comes as a surprise, because regular potatoes do not have such a good reputation with everyone.
Why has the common potato gotten such a bad name? You can summarize that in one word: carbohydrates. Potatoes are packed with carbohydrates that provide your body with energy. Because we eat carbohydrates with every meal in our Western diet, we get far too many of them. This causes your body to produce a lot of energy and if you don't exercise much, that energy is simply stored as fat tissue. As a result, we become heavier and heavier.
Are carbohydrates good or bad?
The carbohydrates in sweet potatoes are not unhealthy. These are long, complex molecules that your body must invest a lot of time and effort to digest. That is why it is often said that these potatoes are a source of slow carbohydrates and they are not bad for you at all. They maintain your blood sugar level and give you a feeling of satiety for a long time. The regular one potato contains more fast carbohydrates. These cause the sugar level to rise faster.
What makes sweet potato so special?
Sweet potatoes are also a good source of antioxidants. These are small molecules that protect your body against all kinds of harmful substances. Sweet potatoes also contain carotenoids (which your body makes vitamin A), vitamin C and vitamin E. In addition, sweet potatoes are also packed with so-called phytonutrients. These are healthy substances that you only find in plants. All these vitamins, minerals and important nutrients make sweet potato a real addition to your diet. So you could definitely call it a superfood. Especially if you want to lose weight.
Are regular potatoes that bad?
The regular potato also contains a considerable amount of minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients and is only slightly inferior to its sweet competitor. The biggest difference is actually in the way we eat potatoes. Sweet potatoes are often simply boiled or put in the oven and are then part of, for example, a salad or healthy meal with vegetables. In contrast to regular potatoes, where an unhealthy addition is often chosen. We like to use regular potatoes in processed and fried dishes with minimal nutritional value. Or we use all kinds of sauces when we eat them. And in that way it does not fit within a healthy diet.
Can you lose weight by eating potatoes?
If you want to lose weight, sweet potato is a better choice. Don't forget to add lots of extra vegetables and remember, too much is never good, including sweet potatoes, superfood or not!
This article is a contribution by Anita van JasperAlblas.nl. Also read the previous article: 3 foods to avoid if you want to lose weight.
Image: GettyImages
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