Sweet Potatoes are In Season
Part of the In Season series
It’s sweet potato season…
Sweet potatoes are in season here in Georgia from July to November. This may vary a bit for you depending on where you live. These earthy, sweet-flavored roots herald the arrival of fall and offer not just taste but a plethora of health benefits.
Far from being just another variety of regular potatoes, sweet potatoes belong to an entirely different family that includes morning glories.
Fast Facts about Sweet Potatoes
Despite their health benefits, sweet potatoes are also high in rapidly digested starches. To balance this, I recommend pairing them with high-quality protein, healthy fats, and extra fiber. This combination helps mitigate blood sugar spikes after meals. Additionally, cooling cooked sweet potatoes and consuming them cold or slightly reheated can increase their resistant starch content, further aiding in blood sugar control.
How I Use Sweet Potatoes
Try this: Next time your make a pot of vegetable soup, try adding diced sweet potatoes
Looking for a sweet potato recipe?
This Mexican Sheet Pan Bake is a quick one-pan meal that’s filled with flavor, color, and texture!
What’s In Season Where You Live?
This website is a great resource for discovering what’s in season in any state:
Sources:
Ghavami A, Ziaei R, Talebi S, Barghchi H, Nattagh-Eshtivani E, Moradi S, Rahbarinejad P, Mohammadi H, Ghasemi-Tehrani H, Marx W, Askari G. Soluble Fiber Supplementation and Serum Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Adv Nutr. 2023 May;14(3):465-474. doi: 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.01.005. Epub 2023 Feb 2. PMID: 36796439; PMCID: PMC10201678.
Sugata M, Lin CY, Shih YC. Anti-Inflammatory and Anticancer Activities of Taiwanese Purple-Fleshed Sweet Potatoes (Ipomoea batatas L. Lam) Extracts. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:768093. doi: 10.1155/2015/768093. Epub 2015 Oct 5. PMID: 26509161; PMCID: PMC4609785.
Cebula, T. (2022, August 10). Okinawan cuisine: How sweet potatoes came to be a staple food for Centenarians. Blue Zones. https://www.bluezones.com/2022/08/okinawan-cuisine-how-sweet-potatoes-came-to-be-a-staple-food-for-centenarians/
Bjarnadottir, A., & Hobbs, H. (2023, February 2). Sweet potatoes 101: Nutrition Facts and health benefits. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/sweet-potatoes#nutrients
WebMD. (2023, March 23). Sweet potatoes: Health benefits, nutrients per serving, preparation information, and more. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-sweet-potatoes