Recipe: Sweet-Potato Yogurt Bowl
Dairy may be a diabetes deterrent.
For several popular diets, dairy is a big no-go. But there is some evidence to suggest that it might be an ally in the battle against diabetes—making the sweet-potato yogurt bowl recipe below a health win.
As reported in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which included research from the Nurses’ Health Studies, American and Spanish adults with a higher total dairy intake had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Data was captured using a food frequency questionnaire and, more precisely, by measuring dairy-derived metabolites in the body.
The why is unknown, but it might be that the nutritional matrix found in dairy can confer some protection against the disease or that those who consume more dairy also make other dietary choices that lend them a better diet quality overall. And we don’t know if some dairy like yogurt is more protective than other forms, but we can assume that higher-sugar options like chocolate milk and fruit-flavored yogurt aren’t going to be as effective.
This bowl of cozy sweet-potato sauce and yogurt swirled together—and strewn with granola, nuts, seeds and/or berries—is a nutritious and delicious way to enjoy breakfast or post-workout nourishment.
Sweet-Potato Yogurt Bowl
- 2 C sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed, cooked
- 1 C milk or unsweetened dairy-free milk of choice
- 2 T maple syrup
- 1 t cinnamon
- 1 t ginger powder
- 1/8 t salt
- 4 C plain Greek yogurt
- Granola, nuts, seeds and/or berries (for topping)
Place sweet potatoes, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a blender container and blend until smooth. (Blend in additional milk if needed for a smoother texture.) For each serving, place 1 cup yogurt in a serving bowl and swirl in the desired amount of sweet potato sauce. Add toppings. Makes four servings.
Ingredient Breakdown
Sweet Potatoes
Here’s a surprise: Sweet potatoes are in the flowering family of morning glory vines and are not botanically related to regular potatoes–whose kin are tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. Both spuds are healthy and delicious!
Maple Syrup
While it’s high in sugar (50.2 grams per quarter cup) and calories (216 for that quarter cup), maple syrup contains a range of vitamins and minerals, particularly manganese and zinc.
Ginger Powder
In addition to spicy flavor, ginger packs powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is often used in herbal medicine to treat chronic pain and nausea of all kinds. including from pregnancy, motion sickness or infection.
Source: precisionnutrition.com
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.
