SERVING SIZE: 1 c SPECIES: Ipomoea batatas FAMILY:
Convolvulaceae PREPARATION: EAT IN: FOR OCCASION: "Exzellent replacement for starchy foods, when on a thyroid friendly diet!" - Kathrina Clark, ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() About the Author: John Immel, How Can This Ayurvedic Food Make You Feel Great?AYURVEDIC ANALYSISSweet potato is rich in beta-carotene, a Pitta pacifying precursor to vitamin A. Its increased cultivation is encouraged in Africa, where vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem. Sweet potatoes are diuretic and can provoke people with Vata symptoms of dryness.Yams are a good alternative to sweet potatoes for those with too much dryness. Sweet potato comes from the morning glory family. Many members of this family contain psychotropics and hallucinogens. Scott Blossom, in a unique interview with Joyful Belly, says "They facilitate lymphatic circulation. Pretty much all the roots due, the bitter ones are even better. A close second of course is turmeric of course. In the winter time especially I love root vegetables. The kind of carbohydrates they provide is so easy to digest it's really malleable to lots of different flavors you can use many spices with it. My kids love it. It's a great side dish to any meal including breakfast. Yams are feminine in the sense that they encourage ojas, deep juice in the system, deep healing and integration in the system. It makes me happy to eat them." Watch the video interview with Scott Blossom BUYING & PREPARATIONCOOKING SWEET POTATO![]() ![]() Next to the stuffed turkey, nothing conjures Thanksgiving more than grandma's sweet potato casserole whether candied with maple syrup, topped with roasted pecans, or served mashed with butter. Scott Blossom describes his love of Yams as a veggie-mance, or vegetable romance. In his words: "I ate one yesterday morning. I love to bake them because they caramelize. There's always this sense of wonder as I'm opening a sweet potato wrapped in foil. I love to see if it's actually created this caramel, the brown, slightly sticky sweet juice that's with the potato. I'm always blown away that it can make its own caramel. The smell of that caramel is the first thing that greats me when I approach a yam. Then, as I take a bite I always notice a sour flavor. The caramelized sugars will also have a slight sour flavor. There is a sweet sour balance. My mother in law always likes to put a bit of orange zest with the sweet potato. That citrus-y flavor always works well with it because the yam itself already has a sour note. It has an earthy but subtle and refreshing flavor because of the sweet and sour quality mix. If you overdue it with the butter and spices you don't get that. But when you have them plain you may notice that little note of sour. It's another heavenly gift that makes yam as good as any fruit. Note that so many fruits also have that same balance of sweet and sour. Then when it hits my stomach it's so nourishing and warm. It is soft and soothing to my stomach. Yam immediately gives me a sense of strength and grounded vitality. Further, they are so easy to digest. I just never have any problem digesting a yam. They seem to help other foods digest. I like when I cook them in combination with other foods. They are truly a 'peacemaker in the belly.' To speak to your website it makes my belly joyful." The large, starchy sweet potato is an important and nourishing vegetable in many countries. As an ingredient in cakes in Spain, a fried street food in Cairo, a sweet jelly in South America, and a snack dish in Southeast Asia, all across the globe, sweet potato is a staple food throughout winter. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. However, it is the root that offers the versatility and nutritional integrity to many diets worldwide. Sweet potatoes are a popular alternative to potatoes in chips and french fries in the United States. Sweet potato pie is a popular Southern dish. In many African and Asian countries, sweet potatoes can be found as a popular street food and household staple. It is often cooked in rich, fatty, sweet combinations to nourish through the lean, cold calendar months. As a heavy, sweet food, it is either roasted or fried and served with honey, sugar, coconut milk or peanut sauces to provide important fats. In addition, sweet potato is sometimes dried and ground up to use as a flour. In India, during important religious observances in which many foods are restricted, sweet potato provides a prime source of sustenance. Paired with ginger in dumplings and snacks, sweet potatoes are a favorite feast food for religious holidays in Japan and other south-east Asian countries. Learn about the health benefits of Sweet Potato for FREE
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WHY EAT AN AYURVEDIC DIET?Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Ayurveda shows you your specific body type’s needs and what should be favored in your Ayurvedic menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.Is Sweet Potato Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL QUALITIES
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES![]() Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary.
The list of actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.Digestion: Spleen Tonic SPLEEN-TONICAn herb that strengthens spleen function by improving strength of the blood. Spleen tonics Builds agni, brighten the person's appearances & firms up tissues.Energy Vitality Strength: Satisfies stomach , SATISFIES-STOMACHProvides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach.Nutritive NUTRITIVEAn herb that is strengthening and nourishing.Heart & Circulation: Alterative , ALTERATIVELiterally, an herb that restores the proper function of the body. In practice, alteratives are usually blood cleansers and blood chemistry balancers. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.Opthalmic OPTHALMICBenefits the eyes.Liver & Gall Bladder: Livotonic LIVOTONICAn herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias.Mind, Stress & Sleep: Grounding GROUNDINGEncourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth.HEALTH & WELLNESS PRACTITIONERS!(Not you? Keep scrolling!) Eat Well for Life With Ayurveda: Balance Your DoshaHOW DOES EATING AYURVEDICALLY MAKE YOU FEEL?Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. Food digests with ease when right for your body type (dosha). Healthy digestion is seen as the cornerstone of well-being in Ayurveda. Healthy digestion generally prevents illness. If you do get sick, a strong digestive fire reduces the severity of illness and increases your resilience. It also improves your mood. Once you begin eating Ayurvedically, you will feel refreshed, vital and strong.View Other Ingredients for Autumn-WinterSweet Potato is recommended for Autumn-Winter. Check out these other Autumn-Winter foods here.Comments & Impressions of 'Sweet Potato'Do you like 'sweet potato'? Why or why not? What makes it unique? Is there something you'd like to know about 'sweet potato'?
Many grocers don't distinguish yams from sweet potatoes. Yams are more moist, orange colored, Vata reducing, and Kapha increasing. Sweet potatoes have more dry, astringent quality and lighter color. Sweet potatoes are best minimized for Vata. In constipation favor yams. Sweet potatoes are better than yams for Kapha. The recipe works for both nicely!
Exzellent replacement for starchy foods, when on a thyroid friendly diet!
I love sweet potatoes! What is the thought on eating the skin?
In general skins are harder to digest, but contain more micro-nutrients. It depends on your digestive strength.
a traditional home remedy for
This information has not been validated by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.
Reproductive Health Abortion (Past, Recent or Considering), Painful menstruation & menstrual cramps, Premature EjaculationSkin Acne - general, Gray skin/lacking lustre, Psoriasis, RosaceaeMind Stress Sleep Anxiety, fear, uncertainty, Dizzy / Light-headed, Judgmental, Overwhelmed by responsibilities, Self CriticalDiet Bulimia, past or current, Sweet cravingsDigestion Celiac Disease, Crohn's Disease, Diverticulosis / Diverticulitis, Duodenal Ulcer, H pylori infection, Stomach Ulcer, Ulcerative Colitis, Vomiting BloodPoop Constipation, Explosive elimination, Frothy Stool / with Bubbles, Stool entirely liquid, no solid pieces, Stool in mushy pieces mixed with liquid, Stool thick mudBlood and Circulation Flushes Easily, Gall Bladder Removed, Hepatitis (Past/Current), Jaundice, Liver Sore, Low energy, Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), Sensitive to Alcohol, Sensitivity to bright light, Thalassemia Minor, Yellowish skinWeight Loss Hashimoto's ThyroiditisAbout the Author John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda exudes a certain ease, which many find enjoyable and insightful. His online course Balance Your Ayurvedic Diet in a Week provides tools for gracefully healing with Ayurveda to thousands. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda , which specializes in digestive tract pathology & Ayurvedic nutrition. John and his wife Natalie recently published Explore Your Hunger: A Guide to Hunger, Appetite & Food.John's interest in Ayurveda and digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, including his public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well. |