7 Favorite Foods You Can Make Healthier Using Sweet Potatoes

Pinch of Yum

‘Tis the season for sweet potatoes. Not only are they versatile and delicious, they are also one of the healthiest foods around. They’re loaded with vitamins and minerals, including important antioxidants, and they’re also high in fiber. They can help improve your skin, fight off cancer and even improve your blood sugar.

Next time you’re making your favorite dishes, try these simple ways to incorporate sweet potatoes and inject some extra nutrition into each meal. Here are seven foods that get healthier—and even tastier, with the simple addition of sweet potatoes.

1. Brownies

Because sweet potatoes are, of course, sweet, they make a great base for some gooey brownies. Their starchiness is perfect for baking, and they go surprisingly well with chocolate.

cd026e49f4085ea709e26ab061d08d4c0a51d95466d386dc2fpimgpsh_fullsize_distr
Deliciously Ella

Recipe: Deliciously Ella

2. Nachos

Instead of using chips, use sweet potatoes as the base of this classic dish. Sweet potatoes sliced thinly and baked make a great substitute for tortilla chips, and then you can just top your loaded nachos with whatever ingredients you would usually use.

loaded-sweet-potato-nachos-7
Two Peas and Their Pod

Recipe: Two Peas and Their Pod

3. Noodles

Make your favorite noodle dish using sweet potatoes, whether it’s Pad Thai, fettuccine Alfredo or any other pasta dish. Just get your hands on a spiralizer, and you’ll have a oodles of sweet potato noodles to help kick your refined carbohydrate habit.

sweet-potato-noodles-with-cashew-sauce-3-600x900
Pinch of Yum

Recipe: Pinch of Yum

4. Toast

If you’re gluten-free or just looking for a healthier version of bread, you can use a sweet potato to make your morning toast. All you have to do is thinly slice the sweet potato vertically and pop it in your toaster just like a normal piece of bread. Then add your favorite toppings, and you’ve got an extremely nutritious breakfast or snack.

sweet-potato-toast-7
Family Food On The Table

Recipe: Family Food on the Table

5. Fries

One of the simplest swaps is turning regular French fries into sweet potato fries. Even if you don’t have a fryer, you can bake your sweet potatoes in the oven for a crisp, seemingly indulgent—but actually healthy—snack.

paleo-sweet-potato-fries-2
My Natural Family

Recipe: My Natural Family

6. Pancakes

Instead of using flour in pancakes, make your breakfast healthier by using sweet potatoes instead. Baked sweet potatoes make a great replacement, and they yield fluffy and flavorful pancakes that will provide you with your morning boost of energy.

sweet-potato-pancakes-8
B Sugar Mma

Recipe: B Sugar Mama

7. Ice Cream

Nix all that dairy and sugar by making your own ice cream at home using sweet potatoes. Mix mashed sweet potatoes with some coconut milk and some of your other favorite ice cream flavors, and you’ve got a dairy-free dessert that’s still creamy, but much more nutritious.

peanutbuttericecream-1-of-1
The Vegan 8

Recipe: The Vegan 8

Food, Health
, , , ,

Related posts

Mini pancake muffins on table
Pancake muffins are a fun, easy way to serve pancakes on busy mornings
I tried the viral TikTok pancake hack—here's my honest opinion
Cornbread pancakes are a surprisingly light take on the classic
Sweet potato sliced on grill
Sweet potatoes are so nutritious you'll want to add them to every meal

About the Author
Carina Wolff
Carina is a health and wellness journalist based in Los Angeles. When she’s not writing, doing yoga, or exploring mountains and beaches, she spends her time cooking and creating recipes for her healthy food blog, Kale Me Maybe. Carina is also an ongoing writer for Bustle, Reader's Digest, FabFitFun, and more.

From our partners