Half of the world’s population is currently working on a weight loss transformation. According to experts, weight loss requires both a calorie deficit and exercise. However, they put more emphasis on a healthy diet. As the 70/30 rule applies, weight loss success depends on 70 percent of your food intake and 30 percent on exercise. It is evident that diet plays a vital role in losing weight, which is why recipe books and the internet are full of tons of healthy recipes. But are all those recipes appetizing? Well, eating bland foods isn’t the only way you can lose weight. Sweet potatoes have a delicious taste and aid in weight loss, too. Let’s see healthy sweet potato recipes for weight loss.
3 Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes for Weight Loss
While sweet potatoes are healthy, their benefits heavily depend on the way you cook them. Of course, frying them will not make you shed pounds. One of the recommended methods is roasting them, so here’s a tasty recipe that can easily help you to lose weight.
1. Sweet Potato As Snacks
Ingredients:
- 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes
- 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
How Do You Prepare?
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Prepare a baking sheet by coating it with oil, preferably using cooking spray. In a bowl, add the cube-sized sweet potatoes, oil, salt, and pepper. Toss the sweet potatoes to fully coat them. Place them in the baking pan and bake them for 30-35 minutes. When they are lightly brown and tender, take them out and enjoy your tasty snack!
2. Sweet Potato Pancakes
Ingredients:
- 400 gr of sweet potato
- 1 cup of rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
How Do You Prepare?
The first thing you should do is steam the sweet potato to preserve a good part of its nutritional properties. Once cooked, mash with the help of a fork until you get the texture of a puree. Now add the eggs, milk, and vanilla, and mix vigorously to fully integrate. It only remains to add the oatmeal, baking powder, cinnamon, and honey.
The result should be a dense mixture, loose enough to spread in the pan, otherwise, you can add a little more milk to get the perfect texture. Take a portion of the preparation and pour it into the previously greased hot pan. Cook over medium heat until the pancakes are completely golden. At the time of serving you can accompany with blueberries, peanut butter, or honey.
3. Roasted Sweet Potatoes Stuffed With Quinoa And Cheese
Ingredients:
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 100 gr of cooked quinoa
- 40 grams of goat cheese
- Basil
- 1 lemon
- 1 clove garlic
- Sweet paprika, cumin and ground pepper to taste
- Salt
How Do You Prepare?
Wash the sweet potatoes with plenty of water to remove any trace of dirt on their skin, when they are clean-cut in half and steam for 30 minutes or until tender. In a bowl mix the quinoa, goat cheese, crushed garlic, cumin, paprika, pepper, and salt. Once the sweet potato is cooked, extract a good part of the pulp to make a space where the filling will go.
When you have added the quinoa, decorate with finely chopped basil, a little cheese, salt, and pepper, and add a splash of oil. Bake at 180ºC for 5 to 8 minutes to gratin. After the time has elapsed, remove the sweet potatoes from the heat and if you wish, add a touch of lemon before consuming.
How Many Calories Does Sweet Potato Have?
Every 100 grams of cooked sweet potato usually give you 114 calories, if it is a cup of puree it will be 234 calories. Added to this is olive oil, in case you use it: 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil provides 40 calories, or if you use Greek yogurt to provide creaminess healthily, you will be adding 33 calories.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Sweet Potatoes?
People are skeptical about including sweet potatoes in their diet, as it is considered unhealthy. Luckily, sweet potatoes are a healthy choice for weight loss. In fact, they are considered a healthier alternative to white potatoes. Let’s look into some of the benefits of sweet potatoes.
They Are Low In Calories
They are rich in minerals and phytonutrients, with only 150 calories in a medium-sized sweet potato. When trying to lose weight, counting your calorie consumption is crucial. Their low-calorie content makes them an ideal weight-loss food. Unlike the carbohydrates found in white bread, sweet potatoes contain complex carbs that are healthy for your body.
They Are Fiber-Rich
Fiber is not only great for digestion, but it also aids in weight loss. It requires more energy to break down, which helps to boost your metabolism and prevents you from overeating. Science has recommended fiber intake for people on a calorie-restricted diet. Fiber has been proven to regulate your blood sugar levels, as well as reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
They Are High In Water Content
We are all aware of the importance of water. 77 percent of sweet potato’s calories come from water. It promotes hydration by rehydrating your cells. An adequate water intake is crucial to maintaining your metabolism and weight. It can keep you satiated too, which in turn prevents overeating and cravings.
What Flavors Go Well With Sweet Potatoes?
The addition of salt and pepper provides a good taste to roasted sweet potatoes. However, there are a lot more ways to make your snack more scrumptious. A variety of flavors can be added to sweet potatoes, such as cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and even honey. Sweet potatoes are already sweet, but if you want to enhance their flavor drizzle honey or brown sugar and cinnamon. If you want to spice it up then red pepper or cayenne pepper is the best, though there are several other spicy seasonings too. A minimal amount of spices is enough to avoid going overboard, but you can add as much as you’d like.
How Much Weight Can You Lose By Eating Sweet Potatoes?
If you’re trying to lose weight, then adding sweet potatoes to your diet can boost your weight loss. Many diets around the internet consist of sweet potatoes, some replace all the carbs with them or include them in a low-calorie diet. Sweet potatoes are nutrient-rich and high in fiber, making them a filling food. They are great for managing sugar cravings, as they’re sweet and can be a substitute for unhealthy foods. However, you have to cook them the correct way to lose weight. Boiling, roasting, and air-frying are the healthiest methods of making sweet potatoes. You should also avoid serving them with mayonnaise or ketchup because they’re high in fat and sugars. Adding spices is the best way to add flavor to sweet potatoes while keeping them nutritious.
Is Eating Sweet Potatoes Every Day OK?
Alex Smith, a senior health & wellness writer put sweet potatoes on the list of healthiest vegetables on Earth.
However, it is suggested to watch your carbohydrate intake when eating sweet potatoes. Having them twice a week or more is enough, as long as you’re eating healthily. Sweet potatoes alone cannot make you lose weight, a healthy lifestyle is still necessary. But they can surely add taste to your diet, and make healthy foods more tolerable. So, don’t be afraid of the false fattening reputation of sweet potatoes and start including them in your diet.
As we can see, sweet potato has a high content of vitamins, starches, fibers, and minerals are which make it a food of great energy value, in addition to being very versatile in its preparation. Since you can use it as a complement to meals, it can be a substitute for refined flour or as a dessert. If you haven’t tried it yet, we have already shown you the properties of sweet potatoes with healthy sweet potato recipes for weight loss that you won’t hesitate to include in your diet.