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The Secret of Sweet Potatoes for Weight Loss Revealed

try sweet potatoes for weight loss and improve your health“Sweet potatoes for weight loss” - sounds so sweet right! Yes, it’s true. There is, however, a specific way of using sweet potatoes to get the desired slimming effect. The secret behind it - heavy starchy leftover water from boiled sweet potatoes. This water is rich in sweet potato peptide (SSP) that helps in weight loss.

Some people confuse yams with sweet potatoes. This is because both these root vegetables can sometimes look alike in terms of flesh, skin color, and even shape! The fact is sweet potatoes and yams are not the same. Sweet potatoes come from an entirely different food family than common potatoes and yams.

Sweet potatoes are nutritious root vegetables with immense health benefits. After cooking sweet potatoes you usually discard the leftover starchy water, but this water is rich in sweet potato peptide which can help aid weight loss.

A new study reveals that mice placed on high-fat diets showed significant weight loss when fed with sweet potato peptide (SSP). This finding suggests that SSP possesses the capacity of digesting fat. Scientists hope that the same result can be seen in humans as well.

Experiment with Sweet Potatoes for Weight Loss

Japanese scientists conducted the experiment to find the effect of SSP on mice. During the study, the mice on a high fat-diet were divided into three groups. One group was fed with SSP in high concentration while the other group was fed with a low concentration of SSP.

sweet potatoes for weight loss testingAt the end of 28 days observation, scientists measured the weight, fatty tissue, and liver mass of the mice. Further, the levels of triglyceride, fats cholesterol, leptin, and adiponectin were also measured in the mice. Leptin helps to control hunger whereas adiponectin regulates metabolic syndrome.

The measurements taken after the experiment revealed that the mice group fed with the high concentration of SSP had considerably lower levels of body weight and liver mass, as well as triglycerides and cholesterol. Further, the mice had higher levels of lipid controlling and hunger hormone. The results of the study suggest that for mice on high-fat diets, SSP can help in controlling lipid metabolism and activate appetite suppression. Scientists were surprised to find a reduction in the level of fat molecules and an increase in hunger suppression molecules.

Furthermore, boiled sweet potatoes are shown to have a positive effect on your blood sugar regulation. Moreover, studies show that boiled sweet potatoes have low glycemic index (GI) value of 46 when compared to its roasted (82 GI) and baked versions (94 GI). This is another good reason for boiling your sweet potatoes. Not only can you use sweet potatoes for weight loss but it can help balance your blood sugar.

How to Make Your Own Sweet Potato Water

  1. Pour water into a saucepan and season it with salt. Make sure you add water to just cover the sweet potatoes. Cover the pan and bring water to a rolling boil.
  2. Scrub the skin of the sweet potatoes thoroughly under running water. Cut them in half if they are large.
  3. Add sweet potatoes into the boiling water. Turn heat to medium and cook with the lid on for about 12-15 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.
  4. Allow the saucepan to stand for 3-5 minutes with lid on. Remove the boiled sweet potatoes into a bowl.
  5. You are now left with healthy sweet potato water in the saucepan.

How Sweet Potatoes Can Help in Adrenal Fatigue

Obesity is a major health issue in the developed nations. Besides high stress, obesity is a major factor contributing to cardiovascular illness and heart attacks. Waste water from sweet potatoes can help in reducing obesity.

Frequently experiencing high stress along with symptoms such as brain fog, insomnia, extreme tiredness, difficulty in waking up, anxiety, lower concentration, stubborn weight gain, and food cravings for salty/fatty foods can be due to Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS). In many cases, people don’t even realize that they are suffering from it. The NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response system protects your body from excess stress.

Those with AFS have a tendency to gain weight and find often great difficulty in losing it. Moreover, since AFS can cause fatty food cravings, people often tend to indulge in high-fat foods which increase the chances of weight gain. Using sweet potatoes for weight loss provides a great solution for them.

sweet potatoes for weight loss and AFSAdrenal fatigue can lead to hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Studies show that boiled sweet potatoes can help in regulating blood sugar levels. A nutritious diet, regular exercise, customized detox programs, and a mind-body approach can help normalize AFS.

Sweet potatoes are extremely rich in nutrition. Hence people with adrenal exhaustion should consider adding this nutritious root vegetable to their diet. Deep purple sweet potatoes, which are rich in antioxidant anthocyanins and anti-inflammatory properties, can help in detoxification by removing free radicals including heavy metals from your body. Consider boiling or steaming them to preserve anthocyanins.

Sweet potatoes are also loaded with magnesium and potassium which help in the healthy functioning of your nerves. Including them with your meals can help meet your magnesium intake. It is estimated that around 80 percent people in America are magnesium deficient.

Vitamin D promotes healthy nerves, bones, teeth, skin, and heart function as well as boosting the overall immune system. Sweet potatoes are also rich in vitamin D.

One of the great things about sweet potatoes is that they keep good on the counter without the need for refrigeration. So if you are camping, then it can be great to add these amazing vegetables to your food list.

Owing to its rich nutrition content, sweet potatoes (including the leftover water) can prove highly beneficial in AFS. When selecting sweet potatoes, make sure they are firm with no cracks or soft spots. Reach for the ones with certified USDA organic logo. Make sure you store sweet potatoes in a cool and dark place away from excess moisture.

Conclusion

Sweet potatoes are nutritious root vegetables with numerous health benefits. They are rich in beta-carotene, fiber, magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B1, B2 and B6, potassium, and phytonutrients. Waste water from boiled sweet potatoes is usually discarded, but Japanese scientists have discovered that the leftover water contains sweet potato peptide (SSP) which has a stunning slimming effect.

Scientists conducted an experiment in which mice on high-fat diets were fed with sweet potato waste water for 28 days. The result revealed that the mice had considerably reduced levels of body weight, fat molecules, liver mass, cholesterol, and triglycerides. There was also an increase in hunger suppression molecules. Scientists believe the same result could be seen in humans.

The promising results show that the waste water (containing SSP) can be reused and that utilizing sweet potatoes for weight loss can work as an effective and natural remedy for people with obesity, stress, and AFS.

© Copyright 2017 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.

Dr. Lam’s Key Question

Sweet potatoes are extremely nutritious with tonnes of health benefits. Using sweet potatoes for weight loss will not raise your blood sugar levels. This is because the sugar from it releases slowly into your blood stream thus avoiding any unfavorable spikes.

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