If there is one food on this earth that I absolutely loveeee..it’s french fries. Regular fries, sweet potato fries, truffle fries, spicy fries..any and all things french fries is usually the way to my heart.
When people ask me what my go-to “cheat meal” is, I have to rack my brain and then I tell them french fries. The response is usually a laugh considering that’s not really a cheat meal, as potatoes are actually healthy for us, especially sweet potatoes, what makes potatoes unhealthy is the vegetable oil or canola oil typically used to fry potatoes. Baking as opposed to fry makes for a healthier alternative, and a much easier at home side dish for lunch, dinner, or next BBQ event.
Sweet potatoes, like regular white potatoes contain loads of health benefits that make them an easy, guilt-free treat.
Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin C. In order for our bodies to achieve and maintain optimal health and wellness, our immune systems need to be stellar. Diseases from the common cold, to cancer cannot thrive if our immune system is strong enough and up for the task of protecting our bodies from foreign invaders. Vitamin C also plays an important role in strong digestion, healthy blood cell formation and helps to produce natural collagen in the body to maintain a youthful glow and strong elasticity to the skin.
Sweet potatoes contain iron. An essential mineral for natural energy in the body, iron also helps build up our bodies resistance to stress, helps promote proper immune system function, and increases white and red blood cell formation.
Sweet potatoes do not cause blood sugar spikes. You may have heard of low glycemic versus high glycemic index in certain foods. White potatoes do contain a higher glycemic index which causes a spike in blood sugar levels, thus diabetics should switch out white potatoes for the healthier sweet potato. Sweet potatoes provide a slow release of sugar into the blood stream helping to ensure a balanced and regulated source of energy versus spikes leading to fatigue and weight gain.
Sweet potatoes contain antioxidants that help prevent and fight cancer.Ever wonder what gives sweet potatoes it’s rich orange color? All that natural vibrance is the nutritional goodness that gives sweet potatoes it’s most epic health attribute – its antioxidants. Sweet potatoes are high in carotenoids like beta carotene, which is the precursor to vitamin A in your body. Carotenoids help strengthen eyesight and boost our immunity to disease, and they are the powerful antioxidants that fight off diseases like cancer.
Studies at Harvard University of more than 124,000 people showed a 32 percent reduction in risk of lung cancer in people who consumed a variety of carotenoid-rich foods as part of their regular diet. Another study of women who had completed treatment for early stage breast cancer conducted by researchers at Women’s Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) found that women with the highest blood concentrations of carotenoids had the least likelihood of cancer recurrence.
Smoky Chipotle-Paprika Sweet Potato Fries with Beet Ketchup
Ingredients: Sweet Potato Fries 1 large organic sweet potato
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil chipotle powder paprika seasoning himalayan pink salt pepper
Beet Ketchup 4 medium sized cooked red beets 1/2 red onion diced 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey) 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar garlic powder pink salt pepper
Sweet Potato Fries Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 2. Cut sweet potato into sticks 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide and about 3 inches long 3. In a bowl, toss together olive oil and spices evenly coating all sweet potato sticks 4. Spread evenly on baking sheet, and bake about 15 minutes until crisp
Beet Ketchup Directions: 1. In a medium sized sauce pan, boil beets, red onion, apple cider vinegar, and seasoning together and place on low simmer for about 25 minutes 2. Allow 10 minutes to cool, in a high speed blender add all ingredients and maple syrup and blend together about 1-2 minutes 3. Store in glass jar and cool in the refrigerator until ready to serve *Will keep for about 7-10 days!