Sweet potatoes are widely consumed by gym-goers and those who practice physical activity due to their supply of energy to the body, as their main source of nutrients is carbohydrates.
However, sweet potatoes alone do not make you fat or lose weight. This will depend on the diet as a whole and the level of physical activity. To lose weight, you need to have a negative energy balance, that is, you need to burn more calories than you consume. To gain weight or gain muscle mass, you need to ingest more calories than you burn.
Like all foods, sweet potatoes should be consumed in moderation, according to individual goals and energy and nutrient needs. To do this, it is important to seek out a nutritionist to create a dietary plan that helps you achieve results more efficiently.
How to use sweet potatoes to gain muscle mass
As a source of carbohydrates, consuming sweet potatoes improves training performance and therefore helps to gain muscle mass. But it is important to know that this process depends not only on exercise, but also on the balance of protein and carbohydrate intake.
In general, it is important to consume foods with carbohydrates and proteins at a frequency of 3 to 6 meals per day. The ideal proportion of these nutrients is 4:1, that is, you need to ingest 4 times the amount in grams of carbohydrates in relation to protein when the objective is to build muscle mass.
To do this, if 200 grams of sweet potatoes are consumed, it means that 40 grams of carbohydrates are being ingested, therefore, it is recommended to consume 10 grams of protein in the same meal, which can be obtained, for example, with 2 eggs.
See 7 essential tips to gain muscle mass faster.
How to use sweet potatoes to lose weight
Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber, which increases the feeling of satiety and therefore can also be used for those who want to lose weight. To do this, sweet potatoes must be consumed with the skin, as it is the part of the food richest in fiber.
Another option is to include sweet potatoes in your meal along with other foods rich in fiber, such as vegetables and fruits, as this increases the volume of the meal and reduces calorie intake, making it a good strategy for those who want to lose weight.
Furthermore, the way the potatoes are prepared is fundamental, as it directly influences the amount of calories. Therefore, preparing boiled or roasted sweet potatoes will provide greater weight loss benefits than fried sweet potatoes, since the oils used for frying are highly caloric.
In general, there is no standard amount of sweet potatoes that should be consumed to lose weight, as this varies from person to person and according to their level of physical activity, weight and height.
Benefits of sweet potatoes
As long as it is consumed in moderation, sweet potatoes can be used to gain muscle mass or lose weight, as it has numerous benefits for health and immunity, due to its composition of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C and potassium. Take a closer look at the health benefits of sweet potatoes.
