Why I'll Never Be an Atkinite

Because when I'm busy, and hungry, I eat yams. In their entirety.

Bake at 320ºF for 1.5 hours. Cool for 1 hour. Unwraps to a warm yam pudding.

Update (29 Sept):
Nutritional profile for one cup of sweet potato cubes, baked, no skin:



The numbers will be higher by about a third if you eat a cup of boiled, mashed sweet potatoes. That's just a volume thing.

The top numbers, macronutrients, aren't anything to write home about except for that fiber figure. Almost 7g of fiber is a nice dent when you're working towards 30 or 40 g a day.

But look at that beta carotene! I was floored.

This is a good place to note that beta carotene can be converted to vitamin A in the body. That's why the vitamin A score is high. There's no RDA for beta carotene (12 mg is thought to provide enough vitamin A, though). The RDA for vitamin A is 3000 IU (900mcg) for adult men. So you get all the vitamin A you need, and then some, by downing this cup of orange spud.

Not all the beta carotene goes to make vitamin A, however. And what isn't converted is thought to roam the body scavenging free radicals. That's the draw of beta-carotene, its action as an antioxidant. But when you glean the benefits of vitamin A in the body (good vision, bone health, immunity, and , oh yes, moist glowing skin) you'd be keen on making sure you get enough of it.

You'd be surprised at how many people don't get enough of it. Unless you're eating whole milk, eggs, liver, or vitamin A fortified foods, you're not getting enough vitamin A. Your options? A vitamin pill ... or a sweet potato :)