It’s just been revealed that popular actress and game show host Kristen Bell uses a carb to
keep her weight in check.
And the carb she uses to maintain weight is none other than the sweet potato.

Ms. Bell, is like singing star Patti LaBelle, in that, she too, uses the sweet potato not only
for weight control, but for a number of other benefits as well.

Those benefits:
Helps regulate blood sugar levels
Helps prevent thinning of the hair
Helps protect the skin from the Sun’s harmful rays, (natural sunscreen)
Keep throats healthy, protects the delicate tissues in the throat
Helps shield you from colds and flu (Increase your body’s production
of virus-destroying white blood cells
Helps keep skin youthful, taut, and wrinkle-free (Ms. LaBelle is a few years from age 80).

And if you’re still not convinced that the sweet potato, (a carb) is effective at helping
you control and even lose weight, here’s some evidence from researchers.

Sweet potatoes deliver a truckload of carb-blocking fiber and are loaded with antioxidants
proven to help raise fat-burning hormones.
Sweet potatoes trigger fast weight loss and keep feelings of carb deprivation at bay.
Plus, they suppress appetite and keep you feeling full for hours, (helping you avoid
snacking later on).

So, if you’re ready to add more sweet potatoes to your daily menus and you love
sweet treats, here are 2 recipes using the sweet potato.

First up,
The Infamous “Patti LaBelle Sweet-Potato Pie!”
Before making the filling, you may want to buy an already-prepared pie crust.
Or you may want to make your own crust, but aren’t sure how, head online to
Youtube.com and type how to make a pie crust in the search bar.

The Filling:
Before preparing the filling, turn the oven on to 375*F.
2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes, (boil or bake about 5 or 6 medium potatoes)
1/2 cup of butter, (unsalted and melted)
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of evaporated milk
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. of ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. of ground ginger
1 tsp. of cinnamon
1/4 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. of vanilla
To make:
Get out the mixer and mix the sweet potatoes with the melted butter.
Add the sugar, milk, eggs and spices and beat slowly just until the sugar
is dissolved. Pour this into the pie (or 2 pie shells) and place on a baking
sheet and bake for 15 mins. Reduce the oven to 350*F and bake the
pie for another 30 minutes. To test it, shake the cookie sheet and if the
pie doesn’t jiggle, it’s done. Once done, remove from the oven and let
cool completely. You can eat it that day or refrigerate it and eat it the next day.

The Whipped Cream:
You may prefer not to add whipped cream or maybe you’d like a
scoop of Ice cream, but for those who like whipped cream and
want to make their own, here’s a recipe from Ms. LaBelle.
Freeze a medium bowl until chilled, about 3 to 5 mins.
Add 1 cup of heavy cream, 2 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar and 1 tsp. of vanilla
extract, using a mixer, blend these three ingredients on high speed until
cream forms stiff peaks.
The cream can be covered and refrigerated for 1 or 2 days. If it separates ,
whisk until thickened. Serve this- 1 heaping Tbs. on top of a slice of sweet potato
pie.

The Second Sweet Treat-
Sweet Potato Brownies!
For all of the brownie lovers out there who feel guilty after eating, regular brownies,
don’t beat yourself up, just add some sweet potatoes to the mix and release the guilt.
Ingredients:
1 cup of mashed sweet potatoes (bake or boil about 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes)
2 eggs
1/2 cup of honey
1/4 cup of coconut oil
1 tsp. of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of coconut flour
1/3 cup of top quality cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. of baking powder
1/4 tsp. of salt
1/2 cup of organic dark chocolate chips
To make:
Turn the oven to 350*F.
Lightly coat a 9″X9″ baking dish with coconut oil or Pam cooking spray.
Mix the potatoes, eggs, honey, oil and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl.
Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and choc. chips
Mix gently, (making sure not to overmix) pour into greased pan and
bake for 15 to 20 mins. Stick a toothpick into the center and if it comes out
clean, the brownies are done.
Eat one or two small squares at a time.

There you have it, some interesting facts and 2 recipes for those who are looking
for something sweet, tasty and good-for you to help control weight.

And here’s another important tip to make the sweet potato even more of a fat -fighter,
cook the sweet potatoes, let them cool and refrigerate them for a day.
Doing this allows the sweet potato to become more of a resistant starch.
A type of starch that swells in your stomach, making it harder to eat more.
And one last tip: Head to Amazon.com/the kindle store, and look for a book called
The Sweet Potato Diet, by Michael Morrelli, for more info on how sweet potatoes
help you lose and maintain weight.

Good Luck, Good Eating and Good Health!

Sources:
* The Mayo Clinic
* Patti LaBelle, Singer and Pie maker
* Actress Kristen Bell
* British Researchers
* Vegetarian TImes, Magazine
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