Healthy Sweet Potato Gratin 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.

Therefore, from a nutritional standpoint, boiling rather than baking should be recommended for cooking sweet 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!

Steaming is also one of the best ways to keep sweet potatoes' nutrients intact; their naturally high vitamin, potassium, fiber, and beta-carotene content won't be burned off in a steamer basket. Both boiling and steaming also keeps the potatoes' glycemic index down, meaning less of a blood sugar spike for you.

Potatoes Au Gratin is a classic dish, and one you may remember eating at Granny's house. That's probably why it's one of our most requested Christmas side dish recipes. Those creamy, classic flavors are just unbeatable, and now they are fit for your diabetes diet, too!

While all sweet potatoes contain vitamin A, the orange variety has substantially more of it. Beta-carotene and vitamin C help regulate your immune system and boost your body's natural protection against infections.

What's the best way to cook sweet potatoes? Boiling may actually best retain the antioxidant power of sweet potatoes, compared to roasting and steaming.

Nutrient-Dense : Sweet potatoes are nutrient-dense, providing plenty of essential vitamins and minerals with relatively few calories. This makes them an ideal food for weight loss, as they help you meet your nutritional needs without exceeding your calorie limit.

Antioxidants Aplenty

Purple-fleshed sweet potatoes are thought to contain super-high levels of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. As these substances pass through your system, they balance out free radicals -- chemicals that harm your cells.

Despite their sweet taste, these potatoes have an intermediate glycemic index (GI) level, meaning they are digested and absorbed fairly slowly, leading to a more gradual increase in blood sugar levels. But, a lot of these benefits, including nutrients and taste, can be lost by boiling sweet potatoes.

It's really the best way. Microwaving sweet potatoes cuts down cook time by 45 to 55 minutes, and, according to a 2018 study, helps maintain the potato's nutritional value. All cooking methods cause foods to lose some of their nutrients, but the quicker your potato cooks, the more nutrients it will retain.

What are the 5 worst foods for blood sugar? ›

You limit dairy products, red meat, sweets, added sugars, sodium (salt), and highly processed foods. Some additional guidelines include focusing on seasonal produce and reading food labels to help you avoid added sodium and sugar.

“Sweet potatoes are a source of carbohydrates, which raise blood sugars,” says White. “People with diabetes can eat carbs but need to watch portions of foods with carbs.” What this means: Limit portions to half a sweet potato per meal or snack.

That's the beauty of extra virgin olive oil, it can so easily take the place of butter with no ill effects, and in fact I'd argue it makes these potatoes even butterier than if they were made with butter, if that's even possible.

Some good options are peanut butter and almond butter, says McManus. You can still use traditional butter, but save it for special occasions or for recipes where only true butter flavor will do, she says.