Sweet potatoes broke my heart

cwolfman13

http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-yams-and-sweet-potatoes-word-of-mouth-211176

lemurcat12

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

They are definitely a fashion food here in the UK, it's all sweet potato mash and sweet potato fries everywhere you look. They don't grow here easily so they've never been a traditional food, they're a bit "exotic" and seem to have got themselves a bit of a health halo. Maybe if we baked them with marshmallows we'd see them differently...

For me that's more yams than sweet potatoes, but close enough.

According to all the food blogs, podcasts etc, "candied yams" is a misnomer, they're actually sweet potatoes. True yams are not related.

And generally not that available in the US. For some reason in some parts of the country sweet potatoes (or certain varieties of sweet potatoes) get called yams.

JaydedMiss

I often have a big ole plate of potatoes/sweet potatoes, Can have a big plate piled pretty high and have it be 400-500 calories. Hardly high calorie. I personally can never even finish my plate xD

cwolfman13

lemurcat12 wrote: »

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

They are definitely a fashion food here in the UK, it's all sweet potato mash and sweet potato fries everywhere you look. They don't grow here easily so they've never been a traditional food, they're a bit "exotic" and seem to have got themselves a bit of a health halo. Maybe if we baked them with marshmallows we'd see them differently...

For me that's more yams than sweet potatoes, but close enough.

According to all the food blogs, podcasts etc, "candied yams" is a misnomer, they're actually sweet potatoes. True yams are not related.

And generally not that available in the US. For some reason in some parts of the country sweet potatoes (or certain varieties of sweet potatoes) get called yams.

From my link...

Here's an interesting little history lesson to explain why there's so much confusion. As we mentioned above, there are two types of sweet potatoes — "firm" and "soft." The firm variety was the first to be produced in the U.S., so when "soft" sweet potatoes began to be produced commercially, there was a need to differentiate it from its firm counterpart.

Since the "soft" sweet potatoes slightly resembled true yams, they picked up the name and became what you see labeled as "yams" in most U.S. grocery stores.

Sabine_Stroehm

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

All potatoes are low in calories, really. Sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index and glycemic load than regular potatoes, which is, in part why I choose them. I also think they taste MUCH better. I don't know that I'd consider a good ole sweet potato "fashion food" though.
Enjoy your root vegetables.

You need to hang out with Paleo folk more often

Speaking of glycemic index, you may find this interesting:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25514303

The low glycemic index diet did not show better results than the high glycemic diet, and in the case of high carb it also decreased insulin sensitivity. Not what you would expect, but only reinforces the idea that making choices based on a single construct may not yield the expected results because the diet needs to be seen as a whole.

I don't like sweet potatoes and I don't think regular potatoes are that high in calories for how satiating they are, so I personally did not fall for the hype, but I thought they were lower in calories too which would explain why dieting people pick them over regular potatoes. Interesting!

Thanks for the link. I've read that, and yes, I agree, the GI is but one piece of information.
Sweet potatoes have slightly more fiber, and a lower GI and GL. All of which (together) helps me in making decisions

coffeethencardio

I eat them daily usually for lunch but then I eat a whole foods plantbased diet with no animal products or oils. So yummy! I eat them baked and totally plain though. So no added calories from the junk that most people add to them. I loved them before they were "trendy".

JaydedMiss

coffeethencardio wrote: »

I eat them daily usually for lunch but then I eat a whole foods plantbased diet with no animal products or oils. So yummy! I eat them baked and totally plain though. So no added calories from the junk that most people add to them. I loved them before they were "trendy".

I slice them up and bake them as potato discs, so yummy! Add a little garlic powder sometimes, yum

CattOfTheGarage

Normal potatoes are very high in vitamin C. And other things which escape me at the moment. And their skins go crispier when you bake them.

I believe you have yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes in the states. We don't get those, only the orange ones. And I can get the purple ones at the Chinese supermarket, which are lovely - a bit denser and less sweet, and such a gorgeous colour, which stays when you cook them (unlike regular purple potatoes, which turn white when you cook them )

cbelc2

Try winter squash. It's actually low in calories and bakes up nicely.

Evamutt

I have a potato or two almost every day, fills me up

bbell1985

I consider potatoes and sweet potatoes high calorie because they are not filling to me. Apparently they are supposed to be one of the top foods as far as satiety goes but it is just NOT true for me. Like to the point I get hangry after I eat them and pissed I wasted my calories on them. I love them but I need lower carb veg in high volume and a protein.

Fayga

Spliner1969 wrote: »

Sweet potatoes are rich in potassium as well, and will help you regulate sodium intake. They are worth the calories if you ask me. I eat them for dinner as often as I can as a side.

Agreed!! Don't cut out sweet potatoes. There are plenty of foods to cut out or limit, but this ones a keeper

Vitamins
Low glycemic index (complex carb)
Potassium
Fiber

* Just eat with a protein to offset carb calories.

Sabine_Stroehm

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

They are definitely a fashion food here in the UK, it's all sweet potato mash and sweet potato fries everywhere you look. They don't grow here easily so they've never been a traditional food, they're a bit "exotic" and seem to have got themselves a bit of a health halo. Maybe if we baked them with marshmallows we'd see them differently...

For me that's more yams than sweet potatoes, but close enough.

According to all the food blogs, podcasts etc, "candied yams" is a misnomer, they're actually sweet potatoes. True yams are not related.

I've always wondered about that...

amusedmonkey

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

Normal potatoes are very high in vitamin C. And other things which escape me at the moment. And their skins go crispier when you bake them.

I believe you have yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes in the states. We don't get those, only the orange ones. And I can get the purple ones at the Chinese supermarket, which are lovely - a bit denser and less sweet, and such a gorgeous colour, which stays when you cook them (unlike regular purple potatoes, which turn white when you cook them )

Really? The reason I dislike sweet potatoes is because they are too sweet! Vegetable + sweet just doesn't mix for med. Maybe I need to keep an eye out for purple ones. I doubt we have them, but I will no longer avoid the sweet potato section because maybe, who knows! I really wanted to like them but ugh

Tenuses

I am grateful that sweet potatoes exist, as my partner is allergic to normal potatoes. In the UK I can find the orange fleshed type (great mashed or roasted with salt and rosemary), and sometimes a variety with purple skin and pale flesh. Just have to balance the sweetness when using in a meat n 2 veg type meal!

CattOfTheGarage

amusedmonkey wrote: »

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

Normal potatoes are very high in vitamin C. And other things which escape me at the moment. And their skins go crispier when you bake them.

I believe you have yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes in the states. We don't get those, only the orange ones. And I can get the purple ones at the Chinese supermarket, which are lovely - a bit denser and less sweet, and such a gorgeous colour, which stays when you cook them (unlike regular purple potatoes, which turn white when you cook them )

Really? The reason I dislike sweet potatoes is because they are too sweet! Vegetable + sweet just doesn't mix for med. Maybe I need to keep an eye out for purple ones. I doubt we have them, but I will no longer avoid the sweet potato section because maybe, who knows! I really wanted to like them but ugh

I don't think they're any sweeter than carrots or butternut squash. But they are sweet, and have a more pronounced flavour than regular potatoes, and so they don't go with everything. I find they work best alongside something very savoury and meaty so you get that contrast. Beef stew, chops with meaty gravy, that kind of thing.

If regular potatoes are the little black dress, sweet potatoes are more of a turquoise feather boa, jarring in the wrong contextbut if you find the right combo they're fabulous.

They're great with a dollop of plain yoghurt.

amusedmonkey

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

amusedmonkey wrote: »

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

Normal potatoes are very high in vitamin C. And other things which escape me at the moment. And their skins go crispier when you bake them.

I believe you have yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes in the states. We don't get those, only the orange ones. And I can get the purple ones at the Chinese supermarket, which are lovely - a bit denser and less sweet, and such a gorgeous colour, which stays when you cook them (unlike regular purple potatoes, which turn white when you cook them )

Really? The reason I dislike sweet potatoes is because they are too sweet! Vegetable + sweet just doesn't mix for med. Maybe I need to keep an eye out for purple ones. I doubt we have them, but I will no longer avoid the sweet potato section because maybe, who knows! I really wanted to like them but ugh

I don't think they're any sweeter than carrots or butternut squash. But they are sweet, and have a more pronounced flavour than regular potatoes, and so they don't go with everything. I find they work best alongside something very savoury and meaty so you get that contrast. Beef stew, chops with meaty gravy, that kind of thing.

If regular potatoes are the little black dress, sweet potatoes are more of a turquoise feather boa, jarring in the wrong contextbut if you find the right combo they're fabulous.

They're great with a dollop of plain yoghurt.

Carrots is as sweet as I'm willing to go. If I wasn't used to eating carrots I would probably hate them too. I don't do sweetened yogurt or honey roasted meats either. That contrast between sweet and savory is what puts me off. I'm fine when sweet potatoes are in sweet desserts like pies though. How do purple sweet potatoes compare to say, carrots?

CattOfTheGarage

I think they are a little less sweet than carrots, but it's a while since I had them.

SideshowTam

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Here's an interesting little history lesson to explain why there's so much confusion. As we mentioned above, there are two types of sweet potatoes — "firm" and "soft." The firm variety was the first to be produced in the U.S., so when "soft" sweet potatoes began to be produced commercially, there was a need to differentiate it from its firm counterpart.

Since the "soft" sweet potatoes slightly resembled true yams, they picked up the name and became what you see labeled as "yams" in most U.S. grocery stores.

I was so confused!
In Australia, to my wide an vast knowledge (haha), all sweet potatoes are sweet potatoes, and all yams are sweet potatoes. I don't think I've ever seen a true yam... this is enlightening!

Gallowmere1984

Man, after reading through much of this thread, I am left wondering something. Am I the only person who's idea of dressing up a sweet potato is just cutting it in half after baking, before eating the whole thing with my hands?