24/09/2018
It is really a puzzle why potatoes are considered fattening and sweet potatoes as slimming! But if you look the following reasons, you will hold the key to this puzzle. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Low In Calories
Sweet potatoes are low in calories – 100 grams contain about 86 calories and about 100 calories per serving. But 100 grams of peeled potato contain 110 calories or 400 calories per serving! Clearly, consuming sweet potato will keep your calorie consumption in check and your taste buds alive. So, when you follow the sweet potato diet, you will not feel restricted.
2. High Fiber Content
Sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber. Dietary fiber aids weight loss by forming a gel-like mesh in the stomach, which makes you feel full and prevents you from overeating. It also encapsulates the fat molecules and prevents fat absorption, promotes stool movement in the colon, and aids the production of good gut bacteria. Hence, consuming the dietary fiber-rich sweet potatoes improves metabolism, digestion, and excretion, leading to weight loss.
4. High Water Content
The high water content in sweet potato is another reason for it being an effective weight loss aiding food. Dehydration slows down your metabolism. And consuming sweet potato helps rehydrate your cells and kick-starts metabolism. This, in turn, prevents your body from accumulating fat, balances the internal pH, and flushes out toxins. Plus, the water and fiber from the sweet potato will keep you satiated for a long duration.
5. Antioxidant Property
The orange or purple hue in sweet potatoes indicates the presence of carotenoids or anthocyanins. These phytochemicals are antioxidants. Sweet potatoes contain many other antioxidants like copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, catalase, and sporamins. These antioxidants help protect the body by preventing DNA mutation by the harmful oxygen radicals. The less the number of oxygen radicals in the body, the lower your stress or inflammation levels will be, which, in turn, aids weight loss.
