cooking sweet potatoes

Make the most of this incredibly healthy veggie by trying these recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinnertime.

Roasted sweet potatoes add flavor—and nutrition—to this salad.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Sweet potatoes are not only sweet, they're superior. This versatile tuber is thought by many to be a superfood, and for good reason—take a look at the root vegetable's résumé and you'll be cooking sweet potatoes before you know it . For starters, it’s an excellent source of vitamin A, in the form of beta-carotene. About half of us don’t get enough vitamin A (women need 700 micrograms (mcg) per day, men need 900 mcg). Vitamin A protects and maintains eye health, the integrity of our skin, and the linings of our respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. A study at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that eating more carotenoids such as beta-carotene was linked to a 36 percent lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness among Americans. Beta-carotene has also been shown to slow the age-related decline of lung power, help regulate the immune system, and lower the risk of lung cancer. And a one-cup serving of sweet potatoes provides more than 700 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin A!

And there are more reasons to start cooking sweet potatoes. They rank lower on the glycemic index scale than white potatoes, which means they're easier on your blood sugar levels. They’re a very good source of vitamin C (one cup provides 65 percent of our daily requirement) and manganese, a trace mineral that is an essential component of biochemical reactions that affect cartilage, bone, and brain function. It also helps break down fat and carbohydrates for energy. Sweet potatoes are a good source of copper, potassium, iron, fiber and vitamin B6, too; B6 can help lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can promote the blockage of blood vessels if allowed to reach unhealthy levels.

Sweet potatoes taste great, too! But they don’t have to be relegated to Thanksgiving casseroles and pies. Read on for five flavorful entrées and sides from the Rodale Recipe Finder, and reap the benefits of this superfood at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.