Good Morning Winners and Non-Winners (Yes Andrea and Amy, the Climate has changed, we now live in a very PC environment where the word LOSERS must be reserved for people like my clients…the ones who are LOSING weight!):
Okay, it was a stretch I know, but at least I tried. Give me credit for that!
Anyway, with Thanksgiving less than two weeks away…what?!…yes my Little “Turk-a-dees”, we’ll all be sitting down to the First Hearty Feast of the Holiday Season in just 12 days, I thought I’d untangle a long thought food interchangeability. You like that huh?
Quick question, when is a Yam not a Yam? Answer: When it’s a Sweet Potato.
Although we all have often referred to one by the other, the truth is, while they do have many similarities, Yams and Sweet Potatoes are in fact different.
Yams are pale in color and grow in Asia and Africa. Sweet Potatoes are bright orange or yellow and grow in the tropic regions of the Americas.
Per serving, Sweet Potatoes provide 50% more fiber, which improves digestion and may reduce the risk of certain cancers, than its distant cousin. They also provide 270% of your daily requirement of vitamin A, compared to the 1% found in a Yam. Vitamin A is responsible for a healthy immune system, fighting cataracts and glaucoma, maintaining bone and tooth density, and aiding in the moisturizing of the skin which combats acne and psoriasis.
Sweet Potatoes also contain a plethora of super anti-inflammatory properties, which help fight pain due to irritable bowl syndrome, arthritis, gout and other similar conditions. Believe it or not, not only do Yams NOT contain such compounds, they actually contain several that AGGREVATE these aliments.
As you can see, on the plate and in the body, the Sweet Potato is the Stud Spud. How about in the gym? That’s right! Because both are full of nutrients and, due to their high carbohydrate [energy] content and low glycemic [slow rate of digestion] index, they are great pre and post workout foods. However, Yams only provide 20% of the body’s daily requirements for potassium (which helps with energy production and muscle contraction), while Sweet Potatoes offer more than half.
So whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving Dinner yourself or are off to a potluck, don’t “gyp” your guests or hosts of the valuable benefits Sweet Potatoes provide by serving Yams instead. Just don’t cover them with marshmallow or brown sugar!
