A food rich in vitamins and antioxidants The sweet potato contains large quantities of essential nutrients. It is rich in beta-carotene and trace elements. Many vitamins such as vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, B5, B6 and B9 and are in sufficient quantity in this vegetable for muscle recovery.
Sweet potatoes are a delicious root vegetable that are chock-full of fat-burning, muscle-building, and immune-boosting benefits.
Overall, they're pretty evenly matched: both contain strikingly similar amounts of calories, protein, carbs and fat. In the content of a couple of key minerals, though, white potatoes are the winner.
Carotenoids present in sweet potatoes are helpful to prevent getting cancer like prostate cancer in males. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that may help to prevent and reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
White Potatoes
They are also a good source of complex carbohydrates, providing energy for higher intensity exercise like resistance training.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a good, nutrient-rich source of carbohydrates, which makes them another go-to post-workout food. Carbs are critical after physical activity.
Potatoes are excellent sources of carbohydrates, which is essential for bodybuilders. They contain mainly complex, starchy carbs, as well as small quantities of simple sugars like cellulose, fructose and glucose.
They're loaded with beta carotene, which functions as a potent antioxidant and a rich source of vitamin A. These nutrients are important for your immune system, skin, vision, bones, and reproductive health, and have cleansing properties that may even reduce one's risk of developing cancer, Tallmadge adds.
Bodybuilders should regulate carbohydrate intake, as low intake leads to decreased training quality and hormonal imbalance. One large size (5 inch) sweet potato is enough for you per serving, as it accounts for 38g of carbs.
Rice is often chosen over potatoes as rice is less filling. So many large bodybuilders look to get their lean carbs in without filling up. If you're dieting or have a big appetite compared to your energy expenditure, potatoes can have the advantage of filling you up.
If your sweet potato is oozing, soft and squishy, discolored, smelly, or have a bunch of sprouts, it's time to toss. If there are only a few sprouts and the sweet potato is still firm you can cut the sprouted portion off, cook and eat right away, or you can plant it!
Sweet potato
“Eating a sweet potato post-workout is ideal as they contain copper, which can help maintain healthy muscle tissue and replenish energy levels. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin C which helps to prevent muscle catabolism (the breakdown of muscle tissue).”
In contrast, taurine, carnosine, anserine, and creatine are absent from all plants [e.g., corn grains, peanuts, pistachio nuts, potatoes, soybeans, sweet potatoes, wheat flour, and white rice (Hou et al.
Nutritional Therapist
Of the thousands of vegetables available today, sweet potatoes are considered one of the most nutritious. The orange- (or sometimes purple) fleshed vegetables are loaded with minerals and A, B, and C vitamins. This has led to sweet potatoes being called a superfood by many.
While both our experts say eating a sweet potato a day is certainly healthy, they don't recommend more than that, since there are plenty of other vegetables to enjoy too. “If you're eating more than one a day, you might want to consider varying up your food choices so you get a variety of nutrients,” Rizzo says.
Being a good source of potassium, sweet potatoes can help you manage your blood sugar level, reducing the risk of heart problems. But when consumed in excess may not be a good idea. Excess potassium intake may lead to hyperkalemia or potassium toxicity and can be a reason for heart attack.
The beta-carotene in sweet potatoes has been shown to fight inflammation, and eating them regularly can help ease joint pain and other symptoms of inflammatory conditions like arthritis. If you're looking for a delicious way to reduce inflammation, add some sweet potatoes to a salad or bake alongside protein!
Sweet potato
Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber, which research has shown to protect against colon cancer. Dietary fiber is not digested in the small intestine. The fiber makes it to the colon, where it promotes healthy composition of gut microbiota.
One of the main reasons bodybuilders eat rice and chicken is because it's cheap, clean, and incredibly good for building muscle. This is because it gives a good mix of carbs to replenish the muscles right after a workout, with a ton of protein to start the muscle-building process as well.