Sweet potatoes and histamine: nutritional values, tips and recipes
The sweet potato is not only known for its sweet and nutty taste, but it is also a true nutritional powerhouse. Whether as sweet potato fries, creamy mashed sweet potatoes, or in hearty stews – it is super versatile and healthy. In this blog post, you will learn everything about the nutritional values of sweet potatoes, their tolerability in a low-histamine diet, as well as helpful tips for buying and storing them. Of course, we also have some sweet potato recipes for you.
Sweet potatoes in detail: origin, appearance, and taste
The sweet potato is often called a batata. It is the tuber of a plant that originates from Central America. Due to its name, it is often assumed that it is related to the potato. However, this is not the case. It belongs rather to the morning glory family.
The tuber was supposedly eaten in prehistoric times. In many countries in Asia and Latin America, the sweet potato is a staple food.
The plant has long vines that can grow up to 5 meters long. There are more than 400 different varieties worldwide, and these are divided into two main groups: one has flesh that is firm, dry, and almost mealy after cooking, whereas the other becomes soft and juicy. The skin is white, yellow, orange, red, or purple and is also edible. The flesh varies between white, yellow, orange, or even purple.
In terms of taste, they are somewhat reminiscent of floury potatoes, but they tend to taste sweet.
Sweet potatoes in the nutritional check: vitamins, minerals, and calories
Below you will find a small list of the calories and macronutrient distribution of 100g of sweet potato:
- Calories: 111 kcal
- Protein: 1.6 g
- Fat: 0.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
Sweet potato and histamine: how tolerable the tuber really is
The sweet potato is suitable for the following forms of nutrition:
- low-histamine diet
- low-fructose diet
- gluten-free diet
- lactose-free diet
- low-nickel diet
- low-sorbitol diet
- low-salicylate diet
Buying and storing sweet potatoes: what you should keep in mind
When buying sweet potatoes, you should ideally ensure that they are evenly colored and firm. Then they usually contain the most nutrients and taste best. You should also not buy too many sweet potatoes, because after one to two weeks, they lose not only nutritional value but also aroma.
In a low-histamine diet, it is also important to consume sweet potatoes as fresh as possible, since they, like almost all foods, are most tolerable when they are as fresh as possible.
If you do not consume them immediately, you should store them at about 18-22 degrees in a dry room.
Preparing sweet potatoes correctly: tips for perfect results
If you cook the sweet potato with the skin on, it retains the most flavor and nutrients. For this, however, you should wash the sweet potato thoroughly before cooking.
If you want to leave the sweet potato for a while after peeling, you should place it in fresh water, as the flesh may otherwise discolor unattractively.
Depending on the size, the sweet potato takes about 30-40 minutes to cook. However, this time can be shortened by cutting it into small pieces or pricking it several times with a fork.
Did you know that you can also cook the sweet potato in the microwave without any problems? For this, you should prick it several times with a fork and cook it on the highest setting for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the size. You should turn it over halfway through the cooking time and let it cool down slightly before serving.
Delicious sweet potato recipes
Below we have put together three delicious recipes with sweet potato as an ingredient for you.
Sweet potato-zucchini spread
You need the following ingredients:
- 1 zucchini
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 tbsp roasting olive oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 50 g pumpkin seeds
- A little turmeric powder
- A little fresh parsley
Swiss chard on sweet potato with burrata
You need the following ingredients for 2 portions:
- 1 bunch of Swiss chard
- 1/2 onion (1)
- 1 garlic clove (1)
- 1.5 sweet potatoes
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika powder
- 1 tbsp acerola juice
- 2 burrata
- HistaFood Organic Herbal Salt
Vegan sweet potato soup
You need the following ingredients for 4 portions:
- 400 g sweet potatoes
- a little fresh ginger (1)
- 1 onion (1)
- 1 garlic clove (1)
- 2 tbsp roasting olive oil
- 500 ml coconut milk (canned)
- 350 ml HistaFood Organic Vegetable Broth
- 1 zucchini
- 1 mango (1)
- 2 tbsp acerola juice
- Salt
- fresh parsley for garnish
- HistaFood Organic Asian Sauce
Sweet potato, vegetables, and a really good broth – often that's all you need for a quick comfort dish. Our Organic Vegetable Broth provides an aromatic, savory base with select vegetables and herbs and contains no yeast, garlic, or onions.
Whether for a creamy sweet potato soup, stews, sauces, or for seasoning various vegetable dishes: the organic vegetable broth is versatile and can be easily integrated into your everyday cooking.
It is suitable for a low-histamine & low-fructose diet, gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegan, without unnecessary additives, and lab-tested.
Lieferzeit: 2-3 Tage
Conclusion
Sweet potatoes are not only a culinary highlight but also a true nutritional package. Their excellent tolerability makes them an ideal choice for a low-histamine diet. In this article, you have learned how versatile the sweet potato is, from its origin and appearance to its valuable nutrients. Furthermore, we have given you tips for buying, storing, and preparing them, as well as introduced delicious recipes. You can perfectly use this information to optimally integrate the sweet potato into your meals and fully take advantage of its health benefits.
Sources
- Nutritional values and tips
- Das große Lexikon der Lebensmittel, Südwest Verlag GmbH, 1998
