Most people have been consuming sweet potato just for its sweet taste without knowing how it influences weight loss.
Sweet potato is an extremely nutritious carbohydrate that offers lots of weight-loss-friendly nutrients, such as fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. Sweet potatoes are rich in other nutrients that support a healthy body, and a healthy body is better able to process foods efficiently without storing excess fat.
This vegetable with a high satiety index is scientifically proven to aid weight loss. Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber, which can help you lose weight and belly fat.
Here’s how sweet potato promotes weight loss.
1. High dietary fiber
One of the main ways that sweet potatoes can help you lose weight is due to their high amount of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is important if you are trying to lose weight for several reasons. First, fiber is bulky, meaning that foods that contain high amounts of dietary fiber will take up a lot of room in your stomach. This helps to keep you feeling full for a long time, thereby preventing overeating.
2. High water content
The high amount of water that is found in sweet potatoes can help you lose weight, both in the long term and in the short term. Except for bone and fat your body is composed almost primarily from water, and therefore it is of no surprise that it responds favorably when you eat foods that contain high amounts of water.
Dehydration slows down your metabolism. Consuming sweet potatoes helps rehydrate your cells and kick-start metabolism.
3. Low calories
Sweet potatoes have a relatively low calorie content, which is also very important if you are trying to lose weight. In one pound of fat there is 3500 calories. This means that if you want to lose one pound of weight per week, you need to eliminate 500 calories from your diet each day. By using sweet potatoes, which typically contain around 100 calories per serving, you are well on your way to achieving this calorie deficiency.
4. Good carbohydrate content
Carbohydrates should not be ignored totally. They provide the energy to do various functions. Sweet potato contains carbs that provides the right amount of energy you need for your day to day activities.
5. Low glycemic index
Glycemic index is a number given to a food depending on the glucose spike it causes in the body after a meal. If a particular food causes a high blood glucose spike, it means it has a high glycemic index. Although sweet potatoes are sweet, they have a low glycemic index. So, you can consume them without worrying about blood glucose spikes. Whether it’s boiled, baked or roasted, it still has a low glycemic index.