Healthiest way to cook sweet potatoes.

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KVS1985
KVS1985 Posts: 29 Member
edited February 2016 in Food and Nutrition
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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  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
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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.

  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
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    I have never heard that steaming is better than baking. I microwave them.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    KVS1985 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.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    Slice and sauté in olive oil with onion.
  • meganmoore112
    meganmoore112 Posts: 174 Member
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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!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    KVS1985 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?
  • tisadell
    tisadell Posts: 23 Member
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    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!
  • curves2j
    curves2j Posts: 144 Member
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    I love to bake mine in the oven or throw them on the grill. YUM!
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
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    tisadell wrote: »
    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!

    Oh my, that sounds amazing.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited February 2016
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    Still trying to figure out how sugar content is changed by cooking method.
  • carmkizzle
    carmkizzle Posts: 211 Member
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    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    KVS1985 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.
  • lisa9805
    lisa9805 Posts: 303 Member
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    I love roasted sweet potatoes. Cut them up into chunks, toss with spices and a little bit of oil and bake till soft.
  • curvy_gamer_loses
    curvy_gamer_loses Posts: 126 Member
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    I stab it with a fork and nuke it in the microwave. I don't get too creative.
  • Keiko385
    Keiko385 Posts: 514 Member
    edited February 2016
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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
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    KVS1985 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.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    KVS1985 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.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
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    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!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    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.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    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/
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
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    Baked with a tbs of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon and brown sugar.

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