Monday Meals: Thai Baked Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes get a bad rap. The carb-phobic among us see the words “sweet” and “potato” and run the other direction. In reality, sweet potatoes are a great addition to a healthy diet. Despite their natural sweetness, they are lower on the glycemic index than regular potatoes; which means that they won’t spike your blood sugar. They are packed with potassium and vitamins A, C & B6. Their high fiber and low glycemic index number make them useful for weight loss and management, just remember to leave those skins on.

And, of course, they are absolutely delicious.

Boiling sweet potatoes lowers their glycemic index more than baking, which also reduces some of their nutritional punch. But as Dr. Michael Greger, author of How Not To Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease, writes “Boiling may theoretically be best, but sweet potatoes are so incredibly healthy that the actual best way to prepare them is whichever way will get you to eat the most of them! The exception is deep frying, which can lead to the formation of acrylamide, a potential human carcinogen.”

Use them as the foundation of this satisfying and flavorful vegetarian meal. The recipe for Thai Baked Sweet Potatoes is found at A Couple Cooks, but it is credited to the cookbook author Dana Shultz (AKA the Minimalist Baker.)

Are you unclear about the connection between glycemic index, blood sugar, insulin and hunger? If you have 3 minutes, this video will clear it all up.

Source:

Greger, Michael M.D. “Is it Better to Bake, Boil, or Steam Sweet Potatoes?” NutritionFacts.org, November 24th, 2015. https://nutritionfacts.org/2015/11/24/is-it-better-to-bake-boil-or-steam-sweet-potatoes/