Clean Eating Sweet Potato Butter Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a healthy alternative to butter on sweet potatoes? ›

For something smoky, tangy, and nicely salty, smear some plain Greek yogurt on your sweet potato, then layer with smoked fish, scallions, and briny capers. Roast whatever mushrooms you have until crispy. Thin some tahini, adding a little yogurt for creaminess. Or mix hummus and yogurt, and spread on your potato.

Boiling may theoretically be best, but sweet potatoes are so incredibly healthy that the actual best way to prepare them is whichever way will get you to eat the most of them! The exception is deep frying, which can lead to the formation of acrylamide, a potential human carcinogen.

Thanks to the extra hit of fiber, sweet potato fries are a filling stand-in for white spuds. With just a light coating of olive oil, baking the potatoes adds a crispy, crunchy texture that garners Clean Eating approval while you indulge your craving.

Sweet potatoes fall into the healthy carb category. A medium sweet potato has about 140 calories and 5 grams of fiber.

"However, we need to step back and decide if there's something even better." Nut and seed butters, such as almond or sunflower, are naturally rich in heart-healthy fats and also contain fiber and protein, which are not found in butter substitutes. You can also try mashed avocado, hummus, or extra virgin olive oil.

Simply substitute coconut oil in place of butter, and almond milk for whole milk. This recipe could be spruced up with orange zest, a fresh herb like basil, or even a soft cheese like goat cheese. But really, I just keep coming back to making them this way.

Eating a sweet potato post-workout is ideal as they contain copper, which can help replenish energy levels and protect the cardiovascular, nervous and skeletal system. It also strengthens the tendons needed to lift weights. Just one cup of baked sweet potato contains 36% of your daily copper needs.

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.

You can eat sweet potato skin. It's a good source of fiber, a nutrient that may help lower the risk of heart disease and keep you feeling full for longer periods of time. The next time you make a sweet potato dish, whether it's a roasted side dish or a hearty, cozy casserole, leave the peel on.

What we do know, however, is that — before any cooking happens — both white potatoes and sweet potatoes are nutritious. And almost equally nutritious at that," adds Willingham. Raw sweet potatoes and white potatoes have comparable nutrition profiles, with similar calories per serving and macronutrient breakdown.

Does frying sweet potatoes remove nutrients? ›

Boiling retained more iron and copper while frying retained more zinc, magnesium, sodium and calcium in both Irish and sweet potato tubers. Boiling retained more carbohydrate while frying retained more vitamin C and minerals.

The Bottom Line. Sweet potato fries are slightly higher in calories and carbs than French fries but also high in vitamin A — giving them a nutritional edge. Still, deep-fried fries of any kind served in over-sized portions — as in many restaurants — may increase your risk of weight gain and related health problems.

The beta-carotene in sweet potatoes has been shown to fight inflammation, and eating them regularly can help ease joint pain and other symptoms of inflammatory conditions like arthritis. If you're looking for a delicious way to reduce inflammation, add some sweet potatoes to a salad or bake alongside protein!

Sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene, and their excessive consumption can lead to hypervitaminosis A (vitamin A toxicity), in which excess vitamin A accumulates in the liver. Although it is not considered harmful, the color of the skin and nails may turn orange. Additionally, sweet potatoes are rich in carbohydrates.

A good phrase to remember is that not all substitutes are created equal. While keeping that in mind, some of the most commonly used substitutes include coconut oil, coconut butter, olive oil, safflower oil, nut butter, applesauce, yogurt, and dairy free butter.

Obviously, baking is one of the healthiest ways to cook a potato (boiling is fine too), especially if you are going to eat the skins, which are a good source of fiber. But baked potatoes don't have to be loaded with butter, cheese, and sour cream in order to be delicious.