-ATHLETE HEALTH TK

September SWEETPOTATO SNACK ATTACK

Korean Candied Sweetpotatoes

TALKING POINTS y Snacks are a staple of the American diet. Snacking contributes to approximately 20% of Americans total calorie intake. Most Americans consume 1 - 3 snacks per day. Strategically selecting nutrient rich vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy at snack time can help improve diet quality. 1 y American snack for a variety of reasons however, snacks chosen are often easy to eat products that have a poor nutrient profile. They are typically are low in vitamins, minerals and fiber. 1 y Taste is the most fundamental factor driving snack selection. However, other factors influence snack choice as well including convenience, hunger, health, and weight control. 1 y Because most athletes need more calories than their sedentary counterparts, snacks can provide an important opportunity to boost calorie and nutrient intake at the same time. Although sweetpotatoes are known for their fiber and beta carotene, they also provide a wide array of minerals including manganese, magnesium, copper, potassiumandironaswellasC,EandBvitamins.Plus, sweetpotatoes contain a number of antioxidants including carotenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids and coumarins. 2 y Sweetpotatoes make a very easy snack because they can be prepared so many different ways. Some stores sell sweetpotato chunks so there is no need for cutting. In the absence of pre-cut sweetpotatoes, veggie cutters and mandolins are easy to use and can slice, dice, cube and more! y Cook and cube sweetpotatoes or cook and mash sweetpotatoes, cool them and store them in freezer safe containers for a quick and easy use later in shakes, smoothies, smoothie bowls, soups and more. Sweetpotatoes can also be blanched and frozen for later use. Blanching is a process where cut vegetables are put in boiling water for a short period of time and then immediately plunged into an ice bath. Blanched and frozen sweetpotatoes work well in recipes that call for cooked sweet- potatoes. They could be roasted or pan sautéed after taking them out of the freezer.

SOCIAL POSTS Nutrient-packed sweetpotatoes make an excellent snack. They can be cooked ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for a few days or cooled and frozen for later use. They can also be made into a variety of recipes that are frozen for later use. For instance, this Instant Pot Pumpkin Sweetpotato Soup is a hearty, nourishing recipe that improves hydration and good nutrition. You don’t have to sacrifice taste for a good nutrition. Sweetpotatoes are natures sweet snack that can be used in many different recipes from muffins and smoothies to sweetpotato bites and balls y Bites and balls have been popularized because they are easy to grab and eat. Some athletes even eat them in the dugout during softball and baseball games or at half time in football and soccer. No Bake Sweetpotato Pie Bites and Sweetpotato Cookie Dough Bites are athlete favorites. y Sweetpotato muffins are an excellent snack that provides energy, great taste and nutrition. They can also be cooled and frozen for a quick microwavable snack later on. These Gluten Free Sweetpotato Apple Crisp Muffins are a great recipe for all of those Fall apples! y When in the mood for something sweet, sweet- potatoes deliver. They can be incorporated into a variety of typical dessert-like snack foods including popsicles and ice cream. This No Churn Chocolate Sweetpotato Ice Cream lends some good nutrition to a more typical American dessert or snack, ice cream! #healthysnacks #sweetpotatosnacks #ncsweetpotatoes NEWSLETTER COPY Snacks are important way to not only get calories but also improve nutrient intake. Consuming fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy for snacks delivers vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber as well as important plant-based compounds including antioxidants. Sweetpotatoes are an easy delicious food to incorporate into a wide variety of snacks from sweetpotato bites to nutrient-rich cookies, mashed sweetpotato dishes, roasted sweetpotatoes and soups. Sweetpotatoes can be used for both savory and sweet snacks.

Ingredients

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2 medium-sized sweetpotatoes

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp honey ( To make this recipe vegan, swap honey for maple syrup )

1 tbsp corn syrup Canola oil as needed

Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Directions

1. Cook sweetpotatoes by frying, roasting or sautéing with the canola oil until they’re cooked through and crispy. 2. In a sauté pan, heat brown sugar, honey and corn syrup. Stir until sugar has melted and mixture is bubbly. 3. Gently mix in the sweetpotatoes and stir to coat. 4. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top before serving hot.

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