Sweet potato, commonly known as shakarkandi, is more than just a delicious root vegetable; it’s a nutritional powerhouse with significant health and weight-loss benefits. Including shakarkandi in your meals can effectively support belly fat reduction.
Why Sweet Potato Supports Weight Loss: Key Health Benefits
Sweet potatoes are popular for many reasons, including their versatility, vibrant color, and natural sweetness. If you’re aiming to lose weight, you may wonder whether eating these starchy, nutritious tubers supports your goal. Generally, sweet potatoes can support healthy weight management, but there are many factors to consider, such as cooking methods and condiments.
A randomised controlled trial published in Nutrition and Diabetes, found that replacing two meals daily with a white sweet potato-based shake, along with a calorie-restricted diet, resulted in greater reductions in body weight, BMI, and fat mass compared to diet alone. The intervention also improved blood sugar control highlighting sweet potato’s potential role in weight management and metabolic health.
High in Fibre for Longer Fullness
Sweet potatoes are packed with dietary fibre, which promotes satiety and reduces overeating. Fibre slows digestion, keeps you full for longer, and improves bowel regularity. A fibre-rich diet also helps regulate cholesterol levels, supports healthy gut bacteria, balances blood sugar, and boosts metabolism, all of which are key factors in sustainable, long-term weight loss success. One medium sweet potato contains about 4 grams (g) of dietary fiber. Research has found that fiber helps send fullness signals from your stomach and intestines to your brain, which can help curb your appetite and keep you eating less, and studies have shown that the fiber in sweet potatoes can also help support good digestive health. Be sure to eat the sweet potato skin.
Low Glycaemic Index for Stable Blood Sugar
Despite their natural sweetness, sweet potatoes have a low glycaemic index (44-50). This means they release glucose slowly into the bloodstream, preventing sudden sugar spikes and crashes. Stable blood sugar levels reduce cravings, improve energy balance, and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, making them ideal for weight and belly-fat control.
Read also: Low-Carb Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
High Water Content Boosts Metabolism
With nearly 77% water content, sweet potatoes naturally hydrate the body while being filling. This hydration supports efficient metabolism, aids digestion, and helps the body burn calories more effectively. Eating water-rich foods like shakarkandi also curbs appetite, promotes fullness, and reduces the likelihood of consuming extra unhealthy, high-calorie snacks significantly.
Nutrient-Dense Yet Low in Calories
Sweet potatoes are rich in essential vitamins A, C, and B6, plus minerals like potassium, manganese, and antioxidants such as beta-carotene. These nutrients strengthen immunity, improve skin health, and combat inflammation while keeping calorie intake low (90-112 kcal per 100 g). They provide energy without excess fat, making them an excellent weight-loss superfood.
One medium 4.6-ounce (130-gram) sweet potato packs the following:
- Calories: 112
- Carbs: 26 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
- Fat: 0.1 gram
- Fiber: 3.5 grams
- Vitamin A: 102% of the daily value (DV)
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): 11% of the DV
How Shakarkandi Helps Tackle Belly Fat
- Resistant starch and satiety: Some starch in sweet potatoes resists digestion, keeping you fuller for longer, improving gut health, and reducing fat storage.
- Hormonal support for fat burning: Sweet potatoes stimulate adiponectin, a hormone that regulates fat metabolism and encourages the breakdown of belly fat.
- Anti-inflammatory benefits: The antioxidants in shakarkandi reduce inflammation, which is linked to stubborn abdominal fat and metabolic slowdowns.
- Natural calorie control: Their satisfying taste and fibre-rich bulk help replace refined carbs, lowering overall calorie intake without leaving you hungry.
Sweet Potatoes as Part of a Low-Carb Diet
Low-carb diets are a popular way to limit calories and lose weight. Sweet potatoes have carbohydrates, but you can still find a place for them on your plate and benefit from their nutrients. When you follow a low-carb diet, you lower the number of carbohydrates you eat each day. Instead, you eat more protein and "healthy" fat. Going low on carbs triggers your body to not store fat but to instead burn it for energy. Most people who lower their carbs do it to lose weight. Another benefit, though, is that some low-carb diets have been found to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes and other health conditions that involve how your body burns fuel.
Different low-carb diets vary on what they allow. Some let you have a few servings of fruit, whole grains, and vegetables. In these diets, sweet potatoes can have a place.
Read also: Satisfy Keto Cravings
One 5-inch sweet potato has about 26 grams of carbohydrates. In a low-carb diet, one sweet potato has half of the calories from carbohydrates that you may be allowed. But that's still less than the carb content of a white potato: 35 grams, on average. That's also less than those sweet potato fries. The way they're prepared raises their carb content to about 34 grams. Low-carb diets that allow vegetables in moderation can include simply prepared sweet potatoes - in moderation.
Sweet Potatoes vs. White Potatoes
You may think sweet potatoes are just a kind of regular white potatoes. But regular potatoes are tubers and belong to the nightshade family. Sweet potatoes are an edible root and belong to the morning glory family.
Sweet potatoes have more nutritional value than white potatoes. Sweet potatoes have bronze skin and flesh colors of white, cream, orange, and purple. Naturally sweet, they are filled with nutrients such as:
- Vitamin A, in the form of beta-carotene
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
- Potassium
- Fiber
Orange sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A, but purple sweet potatoes have plenty of other antioxidants. These help protect your body against free radicals, bits of waste that your cells make. Free radicals can come from things like infection, cigarette smoke, air pollution, and sunlight.
Ultimately, the choice between the two comes down to personal preference.
Read also: Healthy Comfort Food: Keto Meatballs
The Role of Fiber in Weight Loss
Sweet potatoes also have fiber, a complex carbohydrate that slows your digestion in both forms: soluble and insoluble. Fiber provides moisture to your stool, which helps your stool move easily through and out of your digestive tract. Besides lowering your risk for problems with your bowels, fiber can help lower high cholesterol and high blood sugar levels.
The high fiber content of sweet potatoes can help promote feelings of fullness and satiety, reducing overall calorie intake.
How to Incorporate Sweet Potatoes into Your Diet
Store sweet potatoes in a cool, dry place. It's best to use them within a week to get the most out of their nutrients. Before you cook a sweet potato, scrub the skin to clean it, but leave it in place. The skin is nutritious and an excellent source of fiber.
Sweet potatoes are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in various forms, from baked and mashed to roasted and grilled. They don’t require refrigeration. Instead, store them unwrapped in a cool, dark place, where they’ll last for weeks.
Here are some healthy ways to enjoy sweet potatoes:
- Cook with the skin on: Much of the fibre lies in the peel, keeping it on can preserve up to 60% more fibre.
- Choose boiled, baked, or roasted preparations: These methods retain nutrition while avoiding excess fats. Skip frying or heavy toppings to keep calories low. Boiled sweet potatoes have low glycemic index (GI) value of 46 when compared to its roasted (82 GI) and baked versions (94 GI).
- Pair wisely: Combine sweet potato with protein-rich foods such as lentils, lean meats, or eggs, along with plenty of vegetables, for a balanced, satisfying meal.
- Swap Out White Potatoes: Instead of white potatoes, opt for sweet potatoes as a healthier alternative. Instead of a baked white potato, try baked sweet potatoes loaded with nutrient-dense toppings for a delicious, satisfying meal or side dish. Smolen likes putting broccoli, low-fat cheddar cheese, and nonfat Greek yogurt on a sweet potato.
- Add Them to Salads: Dice roasted sweet potatoes and add them to salads for an extra burst of flavor and nutrients.
- Make Sweet Potato Toast: Slice sweet potatoes lengthwise into thin slices and toast them until golden brown.
- Blend Them Into Smoothies: Add cooked sweet potatoes to your morning smoothie for a creamy texture and added nutritional benefits.
- Enjoy Them as a Snack: Roast sweet potato wedges in the oven and enjoy them as a healthy snack alternative to potato chips or French fries.
- Experiment with Sweet Potato Recipes: Get creative in the kitchen and experiment with sweet potato recipes like soups, stews, curries, and even desserts. Roasting vegetables can bring out their natural sweetness. Cube sweet potatoes and season with olive oil, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, then toss the mixture on a sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes. If you’re looking for a new ingredient in your soups and stews, add sweet potatoes because they contribute a nice heartiness in addition to nutrients and extra fiber. Shredded sweet potatoes make for a delicious, nutrient-packed breakfast hash.
Quick Recipe: Spiced Baked Sweet Potato Wedges
- Wash and cut 2 medium sweet potatoes into wedges (skin on).
- Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, half tsp turmeric, half tsp cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Spread on a baking tray and bake at 200°C for 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Serve with a yoghurt dip or alongside grilled chicken/fish for a nutrient-packed meal.
Healthier Twist on Sweet Potato Casserole
Think traditional sweet potato casserole, but with a healthier twist. Pace suggests topping a baked potato with candied pecans for the perfect amount of sweetness.
Considerations for Weight Management
Weight loss results from a calorie deficit. In other words, it occurs when you eat fewer calories - or energy - than you burn. By promoting fullness, sweet potatoes may help you eat fewer calories. Uncooked sweet potatoes are 77% water and 13% fiber. This means that they can keep you feeling full on not a lot of calories while providing lasting energy.
While there isn’t a magical component in sweet potatoes that’ll make you lose weight, you should consider how they’re cooked and what they’re served with. Cooking sweet potatoes alters their chemical composition. Their impact on your blood sugar is lowest when you boil them, as this makes the starches easier to break down by enzymes in your body. On the other hand, deep-frying potatoes increases the calories. This is because fat is retained from the frying oil. If weight loss is your goal, it’s best to limit how much and how often you eat deep-fried foods, including sweet potatoes.
To make sure you get all the fiber and nutrients that sweet potatoes offer, try enjoying sweet potatoes with their skin on - just make sure to wash them thoroughly before cooking. It’s also important to consider what you serve them with. For example, limit condiments that are high in sugar or fat, like ketchup or mayonnaise. You can swap these condiments with spices, herbs, crushed garlic, or even Parmesan.
Keep in mind that eating too much of just about any food can contribute to weight gain. Weight management happens in the context of what else you’re eating and how much you’re moving.
Sweet Potatoes and Adrenal Fatigue
In many cases, people don’t even realize that they are suffering from Adrenal Fatigue (AF). Those with Adrenal Fatigue have a tendency to gain weight and find often great difficulty in losing it. Moreover, since Adrenal Fatigue can cause fatty food cravings, people often tend to indulge in high-fat foods which increase the chances of weight gain.
Adrenal fatigue can lead to hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Studies show that boiled sweet potatoes can help in regulating blood sugar levels. 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. 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. Vitamin D promotes healthy nerves, bones, teeth, skin, and heart function as well as boosting the overall immune system. Owing to its rich nutrition content, sweet potatoes (including the leftover water) can prove highly beneficial in Adrenal Fatigue.
The White Sweet Potato Meal Replacement Study
A study assessed the effects of a white sweet potato (WSP) formula on body weight management in 58 white-collar workers through meal replacement (MR) to elucidate the effects of this WSP-MR on factors leading to overweight.
Participants consumed either two packs a day for a total of 132 g of WSP (WSP-MR group) or a normal diet daily (non-WSP group) for eight weeks. After eight weeks, body weight, body fat, body mass index, wrist circumference, thigh circumference, calf circumference, mid-arm circumference, and triceps skinfolds decreased significantly in both the groups. Moreover, the WSP-MR group demonstrated a 5% decrease in body weight, body fat, body mass index, and mid-arm circumference and a 3.5% decrease in glycated hemoglobin levels. The treatment was well tolerated, without side effects or adverse events.
The results indicated that both weight loss strategies were effective for treating overweight white-collar workers. The well-developed MR developed using WSP reduced body weight, body fat, BMI, and MAC by 5% and HbA1c by 3.5%.