Zoodles (zucchini noodles) have been all the rage for the last few years, and while there is no denying zucchini noodles are delicious and very nutritious, we are now saying hello to sweet potato noodles for this year’s most delicious superswap. Running a sweet potato through a spiraliser to make noodles can be a tasty and nutritious alternative to pasta or noodles, and accredited practising dietitian Jemma O’Hanlon shares her top reasons why you should be eating more sweet potato noodles.
image via pinterest
Power on
Winter has us craving warming and filling meals, often reaching for comforting carbs like white rice and pasta. Sweet potatoes are a filling swap that will keep your energy levels steady – especially through the 3pm slump! Swap out noodles in a stir fry for sweet potato ones or use sweet potato in a tasty “pasta” bake that will leave you satisfied and nourished.
Goodness boost
Sweet potato stands out because of its nutritional benefits, with 150g of baked sweet potato containing over 100% of your daily intake of vitamin A and vitamin C, which are important for eye, skin and immune health, respectively.
Sweet potatoes are also great option for fussy kids. Sweet potato noodles are sweet, soft and provide a serve of vegetables for even the pickiest of eaters. Better still, sweet potatoes are a great source of nutrition for infants under 3, having a good source of magnesium, to help maintain healthy bones, muscles and teeth.
Healthy gut
Having a healthy and happy gut is an important part of our health, and sweet potato makes for a delicious good gut health boost. One serve (150g) of sweet potato is a great source of dietary fibre to help keep your digestive system healthy and help to keep you regular. It’s a delicious way to keep your gut happy and healthy! Sweet potato gnocchi is an easy, flavour-packed alternative to regular gnocchi, with the added benefit of potassium from the sweet potato, which helps muscles function properly.
Flu fighter
With winter well and truly here we’re looking for any way to get an immune boost to conquer the winter cold. Sweet potato can turn your meals into supermeals with the veggie being a great source of Vitamin C to help keep your immune system healthy. Adding sweet potato noodles to your salad for a refreshing and fun twist on a lunch staple that will give your immune system a health a boost to try and fight pesky colds and flus.
Easy superswaps with sweet potato noodles
– Alfredo noodles – Instead of using normal pasta, create a delicious garlic alfredo sauce to put on top of your sweet potato noodles for a healthy spin on yummy weeknight meal
– Bolognese bonanza – Next time you make Bolognese, cook your mince as usual and place on top of delicious sweet potato noodles for a sweet and healthy twist
– Sweet stir fry – an easy way to get more vegetables in your day is by adding spiralised sweet potatoes to your next stir fry dish – it will add a sweet and tasty boost to any simple stir fry
