Sweet potatoes are one of the familiar foods for weight loss. Sweet potatoes contain good carbs, have a low glycemic index, and help maintain energy levels for longer.
In addition, sweet potatoes provide many nutrients beneficial to the body, such as vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B6, and other minerals that help boost the immune system. They are also rich in fiber and animal protein, making them a perfect food for weight loss diets.
Why are sweet potatoes good for weight loss?
According to an article in the Health & Life newspaper, sweet potatoes contain a lot of fiber, which absorbs water and increases feelings of fullness. In addition, the fiber in purple sweet potatoes helps prevent the accumulation of fats from food in the body.
Furthermore, sweet potatoes contain only half the starch of white rice, so eating sweet potatoes helps reduce cravings, keeps you feeling full for longer, and thus supports effective weight loss.
In addition, sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index, good carbohydrate content, and are rich in fiber, which helps the digestive system absorb nutrients slowly, stabilizes blood sugar production, and keeps insulin levels normal, thus improving health and making it easier for the body to adapt to weight loss.
Sweet potatoes are one of the "golden" foods for weight loss. (Image: Pixabay)
Should you eat sweet potatoes instead of rice to lose weight?
Sharing her views on Health & Life, Dr. Doan Thi Tuong Vi (former head of the Nutrition Department, Hospital 198) stated that sweet potatoes are very good but cannot be used to replace rice.
According to Doctor Vi, besides being a good source of nutrients, sweet potatoes are one of the foods that contain a relatively high amount of sugar, especially honey sweet potatoes. Eating sweet potatoes daily instead of rice can easily lead to sugar accumulation in the body, which not only fails to help with weight loss but can also cause rapid weight gain.
At the same time, the accumulation of sugar in the body can also worsen many diseases such as diabetes.
For people with poor digestion, such as bloating and indigestion, eating a lot of sweet potatoes can increase gastric acid secretion, causing heartburn and acid reflux.
For people with kidney disease, eating a lot of sweet potatoes can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is because sweet potatoes are high in fiber, vitamin A, and especially potassium. Weak kidneys have limited potassium removal capacity, which can easily lead to other dangerous health problems such as arrhythmias and heart weakness.
Therefore, people with kidney disease are even advised not to eat sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes are very good, but they cannot be used as a substitute for rice (Photo: Pixabay).
In an interview with VnExpress, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh from the Institute of Biotechnology and Food, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, also stated that eating sweet potatoes instead of rice for weight loss is unscientific .
A fresh sweet potato contains 24.6% starch, and weight gain is due to consuming a lot of starch. Some types of sweet potatoes also contain high amounts of sugar, such as honey sweet potatoes, so for people who are less active, eating more starch makes it easier to gain weight.
If you want to lose weight using sweet potatoes, you should choose white sweet potatoes instead of purple or yellow ones. You should steam or boil the sweet potatoes instead of frying or stir-frying them. You can reduce your rice intake and eat more sweet potatoes, but you shouldn't replace rice entirely. In addition, you should eat a variety of other food groups, plenty of green vegetables and fruits, and drink plenty of water to balance your nutrition and lose weight effectively.
In summary, sweet potatoes are healthy and an effective food for weight loss, but they cannot replace rice. You need a balanced diet that includes both rice and sweet potatoes, along with many other foods, to ensure your body doesn't lack nutrients for successful weight loss.
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