Sweet potatoes have three major nutritional highlights. Sweet potatoes are a typical high-potassium, low-sodium food, and their dietary fiber content is very high, much higher than that of napa cabbage, which appears to have a lot of fiber. Moreover, the vitamin C content in fresh sweet potatoes is even higher than that of tomatoes and apples, as it is heat-stable and water-resistant, so it is not easily lost during processing.
Different "cores" mean different nutritional strengths. Sweet potatoes with red and yellow cores have a higher content of carotene, which is more beneficial for protecting vision. White-core sweet potatoes have a higher content of crude fiber and 4% to 5% more sugar than red and yellow-core ones, making their taste sweeter. Purple-core sweet potatoes are rich in selenium and anthocyanins, making them veritable antioxidant powerhouses.
However, although sweet potatoes are good, you should also pay attention to a few things:
Don't forget to reduce your staple food when eating sweet potatoes. The carbohydrates and energy in sweet potatoes are almost equivalent to the same amount of rice. If you eat 100 grams of sweet potatoes, you should eat 100 grams less rice. Moreover, eating too many sweet potatoes can easily produce a large amount of carbon dioxide gas in the gastrointestinal tract, causing bloating and burping. When eating it as a staple food, it is recommended to consume only 100 to 200 grams.
Be cautious about eating sweet potatoes on an empty stomach. People with weaker gastrointestinal functions may experience excessive secretion of stomach acid if they eat sweet potatoes on an empty stomach, leading to abdominal discomfort. For people with normal gastrointestinal function, the impact is not significant. It is best to eat them hot after high-temperature heating. People with stomach ulcers or highly acidic chronic gastritis should eat less to avoid worsening their condition.
Pair sweet potatoes with the right foods. Eating sweet potatoes alone lacks protein and lipids. It is best to eat them with vegetables, fruits, and protein-rich foods to avoid nutritional imbalance. For example, when eating sweet potatoes, you can also eat a little less pork, which can promote the absorption of fat-soluble beta-carotene and vitamin E. You can also pair them with some savory dishes to adjust the flavor, reduce stomach acid, and alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort.
Sweet Potato Porridge, No Bloating
Make sweet potato porridge. If you're worried about bloating from eating sweet potatoes, you can cook them into a porridge with millet or glutinous rice to relieve the discomfort.
Steam or boil sweet potatoes. Soak the sweet potatoes in salt water for 10 minutes before steaming or boiling to reduce the effect of oxidase and decrease bloating.
Bake sweet potatoes. You can use a microwave or oven to make baked sweet potatoes yourself, which is safer than store-bought ones. Baked sweet potatoes have a higher sugar content and taste sweeter. Furthermore, when carbohydrates reach a temperature above 120°C, they produce aromatic substances, a temperature that steaming and boiling cannot achieve.
In addition, you can also make pan-fried sweet potato slices, sweet potato vermicelli soup, snacks, or stir-fry them on their own.