Nutrition Nugget: Okinawan Sweet Potatoes

[00:00:28] Have you had these? Maybe you've seen them in your grocery store. So they are absolutely delicious. And I know I say that and you're probably rolling your eyes because let's be real. I never met a potato I didn't like, right? But one of my favorites is the Japanese sweet potato. That one is purple on the outside and white on the inside.

[00:01:20] So then it became a staple of Japanese nutrition. So they're named after the island of Okinawa, which happens to be one of the places where people have the longest life expectancies in the world. And I wanna point out too, that's not just lifespan, it's health span. And I don't think it's a coincidence. I think these, you know, crops, the Okinawa and Sweet potato plays into that.

[00:02:12] According to the Nutrition Center at the University of Hawaii, a serving size of 171 grams, so that's a little less than a cup. It was like 0.8 or 0.9. 80, 90% of a cup. So that quantity gives us 251 calories, zero grams of fat, 61 grams of total carbs with six grams of fiber and one gram of protein, plus 812 milligrams of potassium.

[00:03:10] With the antioxidants, we can focus on anti-inflammatory activity, and we're gonna come back to the antioxidants in a second. With six grams of fiber, we think satiety and blood sugar balance. Now, if you're a longtime listener, I hear you because you're thinking, wait a minute, I heard when you said 61 grams of total carbs in that cup.

[00:03:56] There are a couple factors at play. The first is the [00:04:00] antioxidant content, which again, we're gonna come back to that. And the second is how they're cooked. So if they're boiled or steamed. They'll be low glycemic. Baking makes them high glycemic because the starches gelatinize. And then if you think back to our nutrition nugget called Cool, your rice.

[00:04:40] Now on the antioxidant front, so Okinawa and sweet potatoes have anthocyanins. It's the same antioxidant as blueberries and red grapes and red cabbage, which by the way, we could have guessed based on their color. And for perspective, it looks like Okinawa and sweet [00:05:00] potatoes have 150% more antioxidants than blueberries.

[00:05:26] Chronic diseases because again, it's how antioxidants work with cells and reduce inflammation. And then we also have that vitamin C that's additional immune support specifically for women. The combination of vitamins and minerals and the fiber seem to have support for hormone production, which is interesting.

[00:06:12] They're all in this camp. They are very sweet, like they almost have like a honey flavor. Sorts. So you can steam them, you can use them in sweet or savory dishes, just like all potatoes, we're gonna cook them then. Cool. Or refrigerate them to develop that resistant starch, and sure, you can then heat them up again after that.

[00:06:54] Connect with me on Instagram or all social media. I am at Jenn Trepeck, [00:07:00] J-E-N-N-T-R-E-P-E-C-K. Website is a salad with a side of fries.com. Pick your platform, send a message. Dr. Tyann Mueller, thank you. Thank you again for joining us this week. Thank you, Jenn. Thanks everybody. Absolutely friends. If you're not already become a member, join us in the Happy Healthy Hub.

[00:07:32] Well friends, that's it for today's episode of Salad with a Side of Fries. Congratulations for making yourself and your health a priority. Thanks so much for joining us. Be sure to click subscribe or follow on your favorite podcast platform. Share us with a friend and we'll be back next week. Always remember you deserve it and you are worth it.