By There is one carb you should take advantage of on all levels
Shopping trips these days are expensive.
Come to think of it; everything is so overpriced!
I recently cut down on my takeaway coffee habit.
I can make just as good of a cup at home (when I work from home).
Travelling on the train has also gone up.
When I tally up that expense, plus coffee & giving my daughter school lunch money, it adds up to more than $15 daily.
That’s not much in the grand scheme, but imagine buying your lunch too.
People could easily spend upwards of $20 per day! It’s just not sustainable.
We should all have a budget in place and make the necessary cuts to ease the burden of our expenditures. That’s common sense.
Why not if you can make something at home or go a bit ‘el cheapo’ without causing harm?
The humble sweet potato is one carb you should take advantage of next time you shop.
It might be the least expensive item you will buy.
Sweet potatoes are only around 112 calories, with 3.7 grams of fibre and other nutrients, like vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C and B6. So it’s packed with a lot of nutrients we all need.
Here are some reasons why you should eat sweet potatoes as often as possible:
One: Helps to lower blood pressure
Rich in potassium, sweet potatoes help reduce blood pressure, help dilate blood vessels and make it easier for the heart to pump blood.
Potassium also aids in eliminating salt from our bodies.
All of these intricate workings help to lower blood pressure.
Two: Help digestion
The fibre in sweet potatoes helps your heart and promotes healthy digestion and regularity when going to the bathroom!
Fibre also binds with cholesterol to help remove it from your body.
Three: It’s a great pre-workout fuel & hydrator
Put away those pre-workout shakes and expensive supplements.
Why not use sweet potato as your pre-workout strategy?
Sweet potatoes contain strings of sugar molecules called complex carbohydrates.
Complex carbs break down slowly and provide longer-lasting energy for exercising.
Sweet potatoes contain potassium and magnesium, usually lost through sweating.
Therefore, we must keep our electrolytes up during a sweat session to keep hydrated.
Lacking hydration can impede your workout attempts and concentration.
Four: Helps reduce vision impairment
As we age, our vision can start to falter.
Getting enough vitamin A in our diets can greatly reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, which leads to vision impairment and blindness!
You only need to eat one medium sweet potato daily, giving you all the necessary vitamin A.
But make sure you lather healthy fats like avocado or olive oil on your potatoes to absorb the vitamin A content.
Key take away
Pair them with some protein and fats to benefit from sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes alone will only fill you up for short periods.
So, do make it a filling meal.
I like to pair my sweet potato with protein, baked veggies, or a nice salad if the weather is much warmer.
They are versatile and easy to add to any hot and cold meal.
You might even like to try some sweet potato brownies!
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