Spicy Sweet Potato and Lentils | Slimming Eats Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Are lentils and sweet potatoes good for you? ›

Smoky Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are a filling, nutritious dinner packed with fiber and plant protein. Serve these vegan stuffed sweet potatoes with a crisp side salad for a flavorful meatless meal. This meal combines sweet and smoky flavors, creamy and crunchy textures, and loads of good-for-you nutrients.

Description. These breakfast potatoes are packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and fiber thanks to the beautiful orange sweet potatoes, so they're a warm and delicious side dish you can feel good about eating.

Add cooked, diced sweet potatoes to soups or salads. For a quick meal, slice a baked sweet potato in half and top with cooked beans, broccoli, and feta cheese or Greek yogurt. For mashed sweet potatoes: Use a fork, masher, or blender to puree the cooked potatoes.

Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes are both included on the FDA's Top 20 Raw Vegetable list. Data for potatoes is based on a medium-size potato (148 grams/5.3 ounces). Data for sweet potatoes is based on a medium-size sweet potato (130 grams/4.6 ounces).

Black Lentils (Beluga lentils)

Best of all, black lentils are the most nutritious variety of lentils, boasting the highest amount of protein, plus high levels of calcium, potassium, and iron.

Lentils and sweet potatoes, when combined, provide a complementary amino acid profile that can contribute to a more complete protein intake. While lentils are considered a good source of plant-based protein, they are not considered a complete protein on their own as they lack some essential amino acids.

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

Because of their higher sugar levels and high vitamin A content, you can likely enjoy them in moderation about two or three times per week. Eating these vegetables too often could lead to too much vitamin A intake or increase the potential for negative effects on your blood sugar.

However, there is no one specific "best" time to eat sweet potatoes for weight loss. It is more important to focus on the overall balance and timing of your meals throughout the day. Some experts recommend eating a small, balanced meal or snack every 3-4 hours to help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent overeating.

Use your senses to determine if your sweet potato is past its prime. First, give it a squeeze. It'll be firm if it's fresh, and mushy if it's not. Other signs to check for are discoloration, shriveled skin, black or brown spots, and suspicious odors.

What is the healthiest way to eat sweet potato? ›

Boiling may actually retain most of the antioxidant power of sweet potatoes, compared to roasting and steaming. If we compare baking to boiling microscopically, boiling helps thin out the cell walls and gelatinize the starch, which may enhance the bioavailability of nutrients.

It will be good for your body if eating sweet potatoes in the morning, with fresh milk or yogurt, some seeds and green vegetables will be a nutritious breakfast and provide an abundant source of energy for the body.

Are Yams and Sweet Potatoes the Same? No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.

“Sweet potatoes are great sources of potassium, magnesium, and calcium to help you relax,” nutrition director Jaclyn London told Good Housekeeping. She suggests swapping a baked sweet potato for whatever you eat right before going to bed.

Eating more lentils may help people maintain a healthy weight or lose weight. Replacing energy-dense (or high calorie) foods with legumes such as lentils can help people prevent or manage obesity and lose weight. Research suggests that regularly eating lentils may help with the management and prevention of diabetes.

Lentils have plenty of folate, iron and vitamin B1, which also support your heart health. Lentils may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease, by lowering bad cholesterol and blood pressure. One study found that eating lentils led to greater reductions in blood pressure than eating chickpeas, peas or beans.

Alternatively, a full complement of amino acids can be achieved by pairing lentils with whole grains such as rice or wheat. Lentils are also a great source of fiber, vitamin B1 and folic acid, and are naturally gluten-free.

Lentils are a healthy choice for most people and aren't associated with significant health risks. However, since they are so high in fiber, people who aren't used to eating fiber-rich foods may experience bloating and gas after consuming lentils, especially in large portions.