Can You Eat Sweet Potato Skin? (Benefits And Problems)

Sweet potato is undoubtedly one of the things that could not be missing out on a delicious meal. Its incredible flavor is the perfect association with every dish we prepare.

The consumption of sweet potatoes is mainly focused in the USA as the primary source of producers. In fact, by data, the estimated consumption of sweet potatoes for capita in 2020 was 6.7 pounds.

If you are approaching the sweet potato for the first time, I can imagine that you’d be curious to know if you can eat sweet potato with skin or not, and how to prepare it properly. This is what we are going to see in the next part of the article.

Can you eat sweet potato skin? Yes, consuming sweet potato skin is entirely safe to do as the primary nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and vitamin A, C, and E are present in the majority quantity on the skin of the sweet potatoes.

If that is not enough, no worries; in the next part of the article, we will see many other exciting things that you have to know about the use of the sweet potato skin and its consumption.

Can You Eat Sweet Potato Skin

What are the benefits of eating sweet potato skin?

Most of the benefits associated with the consumption of sweet potato are related to the consumption of its skin.

The skin is the primary source of nutrients for sweet potatoes, so you should always consider consuming it.

One of the main advantages is fiber intake; eating potato skin will increase the intake quantity of fiber. Most of the research that has been done has shown that the peel of the vegetables is the primary source of all the nutrients present on fruits and vegetables.

In simple word: the consumption of sweet potato skin will increase the quantity of fiber and antioxidants intake per sweet potato.

Is sweet potato skin hard to digest?

Although sweet potato skins are entirely safe to eat, for some people may cause difficulty during digestion.

The main reason some people may find it hard to digest it is found inside the cellulose of the skin, better known as insoluble dietary fiber. Anyway, although our stomach may find it hard to digest, cellulose plays an essential role in our digestive tract.

If, for some reason, a time ago, when you ate potato skin gave you some problem during digestion, you can try to cook them differently.

The most straightforward way to cook them is by baking them and adding oil and salt. By simply backing them, you should not encounter difficulty during digestion.

Opposite discussion, when you fry them. In that case, the root cause may not be the skin of the sweet potato itself, but the fried oil.

Is it better to leave the skin on sweet potatoes?

Leaving or not, the sweet potato’s skin will depend upon your preference.

If we take the point of view of the taste, the skin of the sweet potatoes will give more crunchiness, and the overall taste will be better. While on the other hand, for some of you may cause some digestive problems.

Regarding nutrition, letting the skin on the sweet potatoes will result in more assumptions of nutrients and antioxidants.

See also: Can Diabetics Eat Sweet Potatoes?

Can I eat potato skins on a low-carb diet?

Following a particular diet, especially for a long time, is a complex challenge, and if everything is going well, one thing that we want to avoid, is surely the one to lose all the effort by simply eating something not related to our diet.

If you are following a low-carb diet, the assumption of carbs during your day is stringent, and choosing the right food is part of your responsibility, but is it the case for the potato skin? 

The number of carbs contained in a potato skin is 4.7g, and in general, if your doctor has signed in your plan sweet potato, you can quietly consume it with all the skin without worrying about peeling it.

How to cook sweet potato skin

If the first part of the article has convinced you to eat potato skin, and it is the first time you are trying to prepare it, now will look at the primary method of preparation of sweet potato skin to give you a good start point.

Some of the most common methods used for cooking the potato skin are baking, boiling, stuffing, mashed with flesh, and in cases, you may also find them in desserts.

See also : Can You Eat Red Potato Skin?

Conclusion

During this article, we saw that it is entirely safe to eat sweet potato skin, and if you want to take the maximum from the nutrient present on the sweet potato, you have to start consuming sweet potato skin.