Back in the early 2000s, a survey was taken from Georgia’s centenarians (no, not half-man/half-horse creatures. Centenarians are folks who live to be 100). An informal/non-scientific survey, but it was used to gather information and perhaps find a common lifestyle attribute to explain their long lives. From this diverse group of Georgia folks, they could only find ONE thing in common. All claimed to eat a significant amount of sweet potatoes!
Here’s where we should discuss “correlational data.” A correlation is when things occur at the same time, but HAVE NO BEARING ON THE OTHER. It’s coincidence. One doesn’t have anything to do with the other. The classic example is the murder rate in the US goes up whenever ice cream sales in the nation increase. That is statistically TRUE! However, they have nothing to do with each other. Perhaps ice cream sales increase in the summer, which is during better weather, more people are outside interacting, fights occur, murders happen? Who knows? The point is, there are a ba-jillion other factors that can account for this in God’s wonderfully complex world.
Same for this correlation. Are sweet potatoes magical, life-elongating pills? No, but it WAS a neat correlational finding. Let’s explore our friend.
Sweet potatoes are starchy, sweet-tasting, root vegetables that are only distantly related to the regular potato (and are NOT the same thing as yams. Don’t make that rookie culinary mistake!) They are lower in calories and carbs compared to regular potatoes and are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. In fact, one sweet potato has OVER 100% of the body’s daily need for vitamin A, known to boost immunity and give you healthy skin and vision. But wait, there’s more! These little power foods are also rich in vitamin C, B6, potassium and magnesium. They also contain about 4 grams of fiber, which helps maintain a healthy weight and lowers your risk for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.
BUT, like everything in God’s world, everything in moderation. They ain’t little cans of Slim Fast. But they are a good alternative when trying to eat healthier. And of course, it has to be said: it’s not the food that’s so bad for you…it’s what we put ON it that wrecks us. Butter? Brown sugar? Yeah, you know what those can do to your swimwear shopping choices. So, if you’ve been reading this whole time and picturing dripping butter and pitching mound-sized mountains of brown sugar, dude, just go get a cheeseburger. That’s what a half-horse/half-man would do, I bet.
Yours in Health and Christ, Dr. Kirk
