Healthiest way to cook sweet potatoes.
KVS1985
Posts: 29 Member
What is the best/healthiest way to incorporate sweet potatoes into my diet. I think I've heard steaming is the best vs baking which brings out too many sugars? Is that correct?
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I don't know what you mean, but my favorite way to make sweet potatoes is chopping one up into strips, then baking them in the oven until they've browned a bit, then tossing in garlic, basil and black pepper, with a little drizzle of olive oil.
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I have never heard that steaming is better than baking. I microwave them.0
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What is the best/healthiest way to incorporate sweet potatoes into my diet. I think I've heard steaming is the best vs baking which brings out too many sugars? Is that correct?
I've read this somewhere too, don't know if it's true and can't find a link. Why don't you find a source for this and then we'll discuss it? I'm especially interested in how much more sugar is there in baked vs steamed - it may be trivial and not worth considering for people who need to worry about their sugar counts, which is not the majority of us.0 -
Slice and sauté in olive oil with onion.0
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I like mine cut into chunks or strips and roasted with a bit of olive oil and salt. YUM. Having some tonight in fact!0
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kshama2001 wrote: »What is the best/healthiest way to incorporate sweet potatoes into my diet. I think I've heard steaming is the best vs baking which brings out too many sugars? Is that correct?
I've read this somewhere too, don't know if it's true and can't find a link. Why don't you find a source for this and then we'll discuss it? I'm especially interested in how much more sugar is there in baked vs steamed - it may be trivial and not worth considering for people who need to worry about their sugar counts, which is not the majority of us.
How would more/less sugar get into the food based on cooking method?0 -
I love them cut in chunks, roasted with some Granny Smith apples chopped up in them! Sometimes I'll add pecans and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Delicious!0
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I love to bake mine in the oven or throw them on the grill. YUM!0
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Still trying to figure out how sugar content is changed by cooking method.
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »What is the best/healthiest way to incorporate sweet potatoes into my diet. I think I've heard steaming is the best vs baking which brings out too many sugars? Is that correct?
I've read this somewhere too, don't know if it's true and can't find a link. Why don't you find a source for this and then we'll discuss it? I'm especially interested in how much more sugar is there in baked vs steamed - it may be trivial and not worth considering for people who need to worry about their sugar counts, which is not the majority of us.
How would more/less sugar get into the food based on cooking method?
My thoughts, as well.0 -
I love roasted sweet potatoes. Cut them up into chunks, toss with spices and a little bit of oil and bake till soft.0
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I stab it with a fork and nuke it in the microwave. I don't get too creative.0
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JanetYellen wrote: »Still trying to figure out how sugar content is changed by cooking method.
The starches in the sweet potato are converted to sugar in the baking process, it effectives the Glycemic Index of the food. The longer and slower that it is baked more sugar is released. Unless you are a diabetic or need to monitor your blood sugar it matters very little in the end
https://fbns.ncsu.edu/USDAARS/Acrobatpubs/S114-150/S141.pdf0 -
What is the best/healthiest way to incorporate sweet potatoes into my diet. I think I've heard steaming is the best vs baking which brings out too many sugars? Is that correct?
I don't personally worry about that kind of minutia...the differences are going to be pretty negligible in the big picture.
I personally like to bake them or cut them into chunks and roast them...which is the exact same way I enjoy white potatoes and red potatoes.0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »What is the best/healthiest way to incorporate sweet potatoes into my diet. I think I've heard steaming is the best vs baking which brings out too many sugars? Is that correct?
I don't personally worry about that kind of minutia...the differences are going to be pretty negligible in the big picture.
I personally like to bake them or cut them into chunks and roast them...which is the exact same way I enjoy white potatoes and red potatoes.
I even try to ignore it when the minutia get as annoying as this. I peel and cut into chunks, boil in lightly salted water, drain, mash and add butter, black pepper, finely chopped red chili and whole milk. I do the same with ordinary potatoes, except I leave out the chili, or maybe add chives.0 -
Your sugar premise is flawed, essentially all carbohydrates are turned to sugar in the digestion process.
Usually I microwave them but my favorite is to slice them and fry in unrefined coconut oil. Sweet potato home fries!0 -
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/raw-veggies-are-healthier/
Raw veggies may not be healthier. Like many of you I don't worry about the sugars either. Cooking serves in this case more like a pre-digestion process.
The article linked above talks about various vitamins and enzymes, some which are destroyed by cooking and others that are enhanced.0 -
As for the best way to incorporate sweet potatoes in your diet, I'd match it up with a protein and a fat so that all your macros are incorporated in the meal (my diabetic training).
Something like this with a herbed chicken breast on the side.
http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/recipe/sweet-potato-and-ginger-slaw/0 -
Baked with a tbs of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon and brown sugar.0
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Boiling vs baking is supposed to lower the Glycemic Index of sweet potatoes, which in turn helps keep blood sugar from spiking really high.0
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One of my favourite quick dinners is to dice a sweet potato into 'hash brown' size, toss with olive oil, S&P, and fresh thyme and roast them at a high heat until crispy. I serve it with a poached egg or two on top.0
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ComingUntrue wrote: »Boiling vs baking is supposed to lower the Glycemic Index of sweet potatoes, which in turn helps keep blood sugar from spiking really high.
The difference is negligible...and everything else you're eating with your meal is going to have a far greater impact on the actual glycemic load than boiling vs baking...this is called majoring in the minors.
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JanetYellen wrote: »Still trying to figure out how sugar content is changed by cooking method.
The starches in the sweet potato are converted to sugar in the baking process, it effectives the Glycemic Index of the food. The longer and slower that it is baked more sugar is released. Unless you are a diabetic or need to monitor your blood sugar it matters very little in the end
https://fbns.ncsu.edu/USDAARS/Acrobatpubs/S114-150/S141.pdf
Did not know that, thanks for the info...0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »What is the best/healthiest way to incorporate sweet potatoes into my diet. I think I've heard steaming is the best vs baking which brings out too many sugars? Is that correct?
I've read this somewhere too, don't know if it's true and can't find a link. Why don't you find a source for this and then we'll discuss it? I'm especially interested in how much more sugar is there in baked vs steamed - it may be trivial and not worth considering for people who need to worry about their sugar counts, which is not the majority of us.
How would more/less sugar get into the food based on cooking method?
The ways OP listed, it wouldn't.
Cut up and soaking them in plain water first, or just boiling them would leach some nutrients out. Potassium and salts for certain (why it's recommended for kidney disease diets), I believe starch and simple sugars as well.0 -
Don't forget the glycemic index is based on the single food by itself.
the addition of protein and fat to the meal would slow down the delicious crispy sweet roast edges of those mofos getting into your system.
Roast is the only way! I do mine with jerk seasoning.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »What is the best/healthiest way to incorporate sweet potatoes into my diet. I think I've heard steaming is the best vs baking which brings out too many sugars? Is that correct?
I've read this somewhere too, don't know if it's true and can't find a link. Why don't you find a source for this and then we'll discuss it? I'm especially interested in how much more sugar is there in baked vs steamed - it may be trivial and not worth considering for people who need to worry about their sugar counts, which is not the majority of us.
I'll look. I think I heard it on this show called "My diet is better than yours" on ABC.0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »What is the best/healthiest way to incorporate sweet potatoes into my diet. I think I've heard steaming is the best vs baking which brings out too many sugars? Is that correct?
I don't personally worry about that kind of minutia...the differences are going to be pretty negligible in the big picture.
I personally like to bake them or cut them into chunks and roast them...which is the exact same way I enjoy white potatoes and red potatoes.
All of this.
The best way to cook them is how you enjoy them most. I enjoy them roasted with a little olive oil and salt and sometimes garlic. However, Need2's suggestion with the slices and onion sounds good, so I plan to try that.0 -
Springfield1970 wrote: »Don't forget the glycemic index is based on the single food by itself.
the addition of protein and fat to the meal would slow down the delicious crispy sweet roast edges of those mofos getting into your system.
Roast is the only way! I do mine with jerk seasoning.
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