The Yam or Sweet Potatoe - Excellent Food Source of Nutrition

From Michael Murray's weekly newsletter - this one December 3, 2003 - comes advice for nutrition from a very good food source.

The Sweet potato or Yam with a very important other benefit in that they are stabilizing for blood sugar levels and important foods to decrease insulin resistance

..... "Clearly, the most important nutritional aspect of sweet potatoes is their excellent source of carotenes. In general, the darker the variety of sweet potato; the higher the concentration of carotenes. One cup of cooked sweet potatoes provides 30 mg of beta carotene. That translates to 50,000 IU pf vitamin A.

It would take 23 cups of broccoli to provide the same amount. The redder variety of sweet potato is also an excellent source of lycopene.

This red carotene has been shown to be extremely protective against the major cancers, i.e., breast, colon, lung, skin, and prostate cancer. It has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, cataracts, and macular degeneration.

Lycopene help prevents these diseases and others by neutralizing harmful oxygen free radicals before they can do damage to cellular structures.

Sweet potatoes are also a very good source of vitamin C and vitamin B6. In addition, sweet potatoes are a good source of manganese, copper, biotin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B2 and dietary fiber.

Unlike many other starchy vegetables, sweet potatoes are classified as an "antidiabetic" food.

Animal studies have shown that sweet potato helped stabilize blood sugar levels and improved the response to the hormone insulin.3 In this application, the white-skinned sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) may be more beneficial.

In a human study, consumption of this sweet potato consistently improved metabolic control in type 2 diabetic patients by decreasing insulin resistance.4

www.doctormurray.com

That's good to know because i personally love sweet potatoes. What is it about this starchy root vegetable that keeps it from having a high glycemic value, does anybody know?
Years ago when microwaves were not as common as now, i was against them in principle as a newfangled gadget. Somebody gave me one, and i discovered that i could get home from work dead tired and starving, and in the time it took me to scrub a sweet potato and go change my clothes, i could have a hot, wholesome meal that smelled like somebody's mother made it. Made a convert of me, and i love microwaved sweet potatoes to this day.
Peggy

Peggy,

I have yet to try this experiment, but I think my daughter is going to do it for science. Take two small plants of equal size, same type, same soil, etc., and water one from your tap water, and water one from microwaved water, that has been cooled. The plant watered from the microwaved water will die, supposedly. There's much out there about the damages done to foods by use of the microwave. I think you can find info at www.mercola.com.

Jackie,

Thank you for the info on sweet potatoes. I've been avoiding them, thinking they had a high glycemic index, even though the nutritionist I saw, recommended them. She even knew I was having a slight problem with insulin resistance.

Richard

A friend told me that steam vegetables is much better you dont loose all the nutriants. Microwave takes it all out. Even wrapping in foil and put in oven which i do mixedveggies loses more but i like it that way.

Babs

Well all I can say is amen. I eat sweet potatoes all the time because I like 'em. I poke 'em with a knife and microwave them for a few minutes. Then I peel 'em and slice 'em and grill 'em for a few minutes on each side until they are brown and crunchy. Sweet potatoes get brown and crunchy very easily. Then I eat 'em with hot sauce (or salsa if you prefer) and eggs or perhaps a chicken breast or turkey sausage. This makes a very good meal for eating morning, noon or night.

Jackie -

Thanks for that information. I also love sweet potatoes but thought they were both too sweet and too starchy to be good for either afib or low blood sugar. But since you said they stabilize blood sugar levels I'm assuming they help with hypoglycemia as well as diabetes.

I, too, have heard that microwaves reduce the nutrition of food, unfortunately.

Lorraine

Richard - I that sounds like a very good experiment - if your daughter does it - please share. I have no doubt that it is true.

Microwaves are bad news. Convenient - yes! I agree, but absolutely destructive to the nutritional value of foods. Lots written on the downside of microwaving.

I believe one can use the MW for brief heating - but for cooking, it is absolutely tabu.... In the case of proteins, it denatures them to the extent the body doesn't even know how to metabolize them...so it's a double whammy. I'm sure a google search will reveal lots of comments about nutritional value - and I know for sure that www.mercola.com has had articles in the past.... in case anyone wants to do research.

Did you know they are banned from use in Russia? I guess that really says something.

I published the Sweet potato story because it was documentation of what my functional medicine MD has told me all along - about the nutritional value of the SP/Yam and most importantly that they are low on the glycemic index - which is really nice to know they are low starch.

I like to bake one and cool it - slice a few pieces and eat cold for a satisfying snack. Totally wholesome.

Jackie

Spanish research shows that microwaved broccoli is practically devoid of nutirents--see Hans' current IHN.

I thought yams/potatoes will turn to starch and raise blood sugar levels. Aren't they also high in carbs?

blessings,
MLM

Marshall - the last section of Dr. Murray's report is this..... and it is repeated elsewhere in glycemic index information....

No - it is not a starchy carb....
Jackie



Unlike many other starchy vegetables, sweet potatoes are classified as an "antidiabetic" food.

Animal studies have shown that sweet potato helped stabilize blood sugar levels and improved the response to the hormone insulin.3 In this application, the white-skinned sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) may be more beneficial.

In a human study, consumption of this sweet potato consistently improved metabolic control in type 2 diabetic patients by decreasing insulin resistance.4

After I wrote the statement - it is not a starchy carb - I thought - yes it is - but the glycemic index is low... big difference.

Usually anything white is considered starchy...sugar, flour, potatoes, rice, and are higher on the GI. Yam or sweet potato is much lower and safe.

Sorry, Jackie