3-Day Sweet Potato Diet: Cooked Or Raw, This Low-Calorie High-Fiber Vegetable Is Sure To Fast-Track Your Weight Loss

The Best Weight Loss Method

Fitness coupled with a healthy lifestyle have become extremely popular nowadays. Millions of people spend a lot of time and effort trying to sculpt the body of their dreams. Some stick to expert-approved methods that lead to a gradual weight loss, while others experiment and try out every new diet that promises instant results with zero effort. If you are looking for a quick weight loss fix, then this 3-day sweet potato diet might be exactly what you’ve been looking for. 

If you are not interested in a rapid weight loss and want to reach a sustainable result, then the BetterMe app is exactly what you need! Calorie tracker, personalized weight loss meal plan, customized workout plan, and many other features are there to help you sculpt the body of your dreams.

The Concept of a 3-Day Sweet Potato Diet

As the name suggests, this nutritional plan focuses on the consumption of sweet potatoes with the goal of weight loss. There are different variations of this dietary plan, such as:

• Only sweet potatoes

This variation of a 3-day sweet potato diet involves having only sweet potatoes for each meal. You can consume mashed, boiled, or baked sweet potatoes. Unsweetened coffee, tea, and water are also allowed.

• VLCD

The very low-calorie sweet potato diet is slightly less restrictive than the previous one and allows you to have some vegetables and protein but limits your caloric intake. It requires you to consume only boiled eggs, blanched vegetables, and sweet potatoes daily.

• Sweet potatoes instead of all carbs

As may be clear from its name, this nutritional plan is based on the idea of replacing all carbs with sweet potatoes.

The original sweet potato diet is not the healthiest nutritional plan there is. It is not balanced and may lead to various nutrient deficiencies, yo-yo effect, and unsustainable results. Another possible drawback of this dietary plan is that overconsumption of sweet potatoes may turn your nails and skin a little orange.

This diet is not recommended for people who suffer from kidney stones, since the high oxalate levels of this food can add to the formation of calcium-oxalate kidney stones.

Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

Before giving this diet a try, you need to find out more about the food that this diet is focused around. In general, sweet potatoes can offer you the following benefits:

• May help control blood sugar levels
• May lower the risk of certain types of cancer 
• Promotes healthy digestion and bowel movements
• Improves immunity 
• Boosts eye health 
• Provides you with lots of nutrients 
• Prolongs the feeling of fullness 
• Low in calories

What Other Foods Are Allowed By The 3-Day Sweet Potato Diet?

Although sweet potatoes can provide you with a lot of benefits, having only this food for each meal won’t make it a balanced diet. So, here are the recommendations on what to consume to get all the vital nutrients from your diet while losing weight:

• Replace all refined and simple carbs with complex carbs from whole grains.
• Make sure to consume plenty of high-fiber foods, such as fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and legumes.
• Consume a proper amount of healthy fats found in fish, avocadoes, olives, olive oil, nuts, and seeds.

What to Avoid On This Diet?

It is only natural that to successfully slim down you are encouraged to eat more healthy foods and less unhealthy products. And the same goes for this diet. Here are the foods that should be avoided when following a 3-day sweet potato diet:

• Sugary drinks and beverages
• Alcohol
• Foods with added sugar
• Foods with refined carbs
• Greasy fried foods and foods rich in saturated fats

A Healthy 1-Day Sweet Potato Diet Meal Plan Sample

Following a sweet potato diet can be quite risky, since it may fail to provide you with a proper amount of vital nutrients and calories. However, you can create your own meal plan that would include this food and help you reach your desired weight. Here is a 1-day sample of such a healthy sweet potato diet:

Breakfast

2 medium-sized boiled eggs, 3 tbsp guacamole, 1 cup soy milk

Calories: 243. Fats: 14 g, Protein: 17 g, Carbs: 10 g

Lunch – Chicken stuffed sweet potato 

4 sweet potatoes, 3 medium chicken breasts, 2 tbsp avocado oil, 3/4 cup chicken broth, 8 ounces BBQ sauce, 1/2 cup red onion, 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste

These ingredients make 4 servings. Adjust them to suit your needs or make as is and freeze them.

Calories: 327.2. Fats: 7.6 g, Protein: 30.4 g, Carbs: 31.7 g

Snack – Yogurt and fruit

1 cup full-fat yogurt and 1 apple

Calories: 315. Fats: 11 g, Protein: 20 g, Carbs: 34 g

Dinner – Loaded sweet potato 

4 medium-sized sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt, 1 tsp taco seasoning, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 diced red bell pepper, 1/2 red onion, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, a pinch of salt, 1 and 1/3 cups canned black beans, 1/2 cup mild salsa, 1/2 cup reduced-fat cheese blend, 1/4 cup cilantro

Calories: 307. Fats: 5 g, Protein: 15 g, Carbs: 53 g

Total Intake for the Day: Calories: 1192.2. Fats: 37.6 g, Protein: 67.4 g, Carbs: 128.7 g

For more healthy meal plans, download the BetterMe app! It can also offer you a rich variety of healthy recipes with detailed cooking directions. You can read the terms of the subscription here.

Conclusion

The original 3-day sweet potato diet is not the best weight loss plan out there since it encourages daily consumption of the same food, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies. But if you make sure to consume all the vital nutrients from other foods along with sweet potatoes, and create a caloric deficit, you may be able to successfully slim down in a healthy way. Make sure that your diet includes plenty of protein, healthy fats, complex carbs, vitamins, minerals, and water. Try to keep away from refined carbs, sugars, saturated and trans fats. You should also stick to a regular workout plan to keep your body toned and add to your daily calorie expenditure. Remember, that before starting any diet, it is required to consult a health specialist.

DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any medical conditions. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!