Food Focus: Sweet Potatoes
By Erica Cowart
Cravings for sweets can be greatly reduced by adding sweet vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, beets, squash, turnips and rutabagas to your daily diet. Sweet potatoes elevate blood sugar gently rather than with the jolt delivered by simple refined carbohydrates, so there’s no energy crash after you eat them. Much higher in nutrients than white potatoes and especially rich in vitamin A, sweet potatoes offer a creamy consistency that is satisfying and soothing. They are healing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas and reproductive organs and help to remove toxins from the body. They can increase the quantity of milk in lactating women and can lessen cramps and premenstrual symptoms. If you don’t have any sweet potatoes in your kitchen, go out and buy some (organic and local if possible) and make the recipe below.
Sweet Potatoes with Lime and Cilantro 
This recipe is an eye-opener for those who find sweet potatoes cloyingly sweet or those who are tired of eating them smothered in marshmallows and brown sugar. Japanese sweet potatoes, with their pale flesh and delicate flavor, are a treat if you can find them.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 4 sweet potatoes
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
- 2-3 limes
- butter or olive oil, salt (optional)
Directions:
- Wash the sweet potatoes and bake them whole, in their skins, at 375 degrees until tender, about 40 minutes.
- Wash and chop cilantro leaves.
- When sweet potatoes are done, slit open the skin and place on serving plate. Season with salt and dots of butter or a sprinkle of oil, if you like, then squeeze fresh lime juice all over, and shower with cilantro leaves.
Recipe Provided By Erica Cowart
Erica is a Holistic Health Counselor, Model, and Freelance writer living in Las Vegas, NV. She decided to become a health counselor to fulfill her passion of working with busy Moms, and career oriented women, to improve their health, happiness, and family life. Erica is certified through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, Institute of Integrative Nutrition, and SUNY Purchase College in NYC, as well as, having a Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences. She gives lectures on nutrition, leads healthy shopping tours, writes holistic health articles for local and global publications, writes a monthly newsletter, as well as, offers individual/group coaching to busy women, and their families. You can schedule a free consultation with Erica through her website, www.ericacowartswellnessforlife.info
