How big is your sweet potato?

[GoJo09]

I'm wondering whether I'm eating enough carbs, etc, as I honestly have no idea what people mean when they say "I have one sweet potato a day" - what size is that?? Fist size? Foot size? Size of a small child??

 

The SP I bought last week were McMassive - 2 of them were over a kg; but in the past I've bought ones that were much smaller than a banana, so clearly there's a lot of possible variation.

 

I've been having approx. 4 x 1 inch cubes with 2 or 3 of my meals each day (I chop them up before cooking and just have a big container in the fridge all week), but I don't know if that's enough - last week my giant tuber lasted the whole week (I suspect my flatmate has been eating it this week as it's going down fast).

 

For context, I'm training for a half marathon, although I've been sick this past week so haven't done a lot beyond a 12km run on Saturday.

[melbournegirl]

Hi gojo, your carb requirements do depend on your activity level but also on your genetic makeup and metabolism. Some people can eat no starchy veg or fruit at all and feel just fine. Others cant train, or feel tired, irritable or severely depressed without sweet potato every meal. Starchy veg like carrot, beetroot, parsnip, pumpkin, green beans also have an impact.

Your body will tell you if you're not having enough most likely.

[Tom Denham]

My idea of a serving at a meal would be in the neighborhood of between one and two cups of mashed sweet potato. Now I bake all my sweet potatoes and eat them cold from the skin. I don't actually measure them, but I tend to buy sweet potatoes that would yield about 2 cups mashed and sometimes 3 cups. I eat whole sweet potatoes at a time and don't worry if I eat 3 cups worth at a meal. It is not important to divide them up to provide an even amount at each meal. Getting about the right amount over a day or two works fine for me. 

[Peg541]

Isn't it feasible to monitor your level of satisfaction during the meal. Stop at a point and determine if you need more. Good eating practice anyway. Still it's good to know what The powers that be consider a portion and work from there.

[pjena]

I typically have a hunk of sw pot with breakfast that is maybe 2x2x2 inches.  Usually, that's 1/2 a sw pot.  Sometimes, it's a whole sw pot if they're tiny.  Once, I cut a massive one into 5 chunks.  That rough size, though, helps my eggs/kale breakfast hold me over until lunch. 

[GoJo09]

Thanks everyone - it's been really hard to judge energy levels given I'm in the "need a nap" stage, plus I've been sick this past week. I think I might be ok with what I'm eating, though (managed to equal my 5km PB from pre-Whole 30 this morning, so clearly not lacking too much energy!)

 

 

Isn't it feasible to monitor your level of satisfaction during the meal. Stop at a point and determine if you need more. Good eating practice anyway. Still it's good to know what The powers that be consider a portion and work from there.

 

Peg, I can (and do) monitor my overall fullness during the meal, but that isn't informing me if I've specifically had enough carbs - unfortunately that isn't noticeable until later.

[EatTrainClean]

GoJo -

 

Given that you're training for a 1/2 marathon, you may want to err on the larger side.

 

Many people go too low carb and have problems, especially in regards to their thyroid or things such as hair loss.

 

Sweet potatoes themselves are hard to overeat. Sweet potato fries however, are another story!

 

-Casey

[GoJo09]

If I were going too low carb, it's certainly not intentionally! But sweet potatoes are really the only carby vege I'm having at the moment, aside from carrot. Need to get in theo habit of buying parsnips at the supermarket too. I'm not a massive pumpkin eater but we have some in the fridge I should cook up. And maybe a bit more fruit too.

Re sweet potato fries: just had them at a restaurant at dinner and now my stomach is going crazy! Must have had some kind of coating although I couldn't taste anything. And yes, way to tempting to keep eating them!

[Noelle]

I wonder this too, when I see people log "one whole sweet potato." I just bought a bunch of sweet potatoes are are about the size of my forearm. And I'm not a tiny girl!

 

I'll probably eat anywhere between 1/3 to a whole one of these monsters a day, depending on what else is on the menu—and I'm not training for anything.

[Guest]

I eat a lot of sweet potatoes, around 2/3 a day (but these are the supermarket ones which are fairly small), but this is because I get incredibly irritable without starchy vegetables. I try to substitute them for something else for my dinner though, so as not to affect my sleep.

[PamH]

I'm wondering whether I'm eating enough carbs, etc, as I honestly have no idea what people mean when they say "I have one sweet potato a day" - what size is that?? Fist size? Foot size? Size of a small child??

 

The SP I bought last week were McMassive - 2 of them were over a kg; but in the past I've bought ones that were much smaller than a banana, so clearly there's a lot of possible variation.

 

I've been having approx. 4 x 1 inch cubes with 2 or 3 of my meals each day (I chop them up before cooking and just have a big container in the fridge all week), but I don't know if that's enough - last week my giant tuber lasted the whole week (I suspect my flatmate has been eating it this week as it's going down fast).

 

For context, I'm training for a half marathon, although I've been sick this past week so haven't done a lot beyond a 12km run on Saturday.

My eyes and brain always go for the sweet potato that is foot size, and I eat it all at once.  Probably way too big.  I think I remember hearing if you are looking for weight loss you should stick to ½c serving?  Your activity level requires much, much more than the average person.  If this is your main source of carbs I say increase it.

 

I didn't bother reading what other people said before I replied, so sorry if this is a boring repeat.  

 

Feel better!

[PamH]

If I were going too low carb, it's certainly not intentionally! But sweet potatoes are really the only carby vege I'm having at the moment, aside from carrot. Need to get in theo habit of buying parsnips at the supermarket too. I'm not a massive pumpkin eater but we have some in the fridge I should cook up. And maybe a bit more fruit too.

Re sweet potato fries: just had them at a restaurant at dinner and now my stomach is going crazy! Must have had some kind of coating although I couldn't taste anything. And yes, way to tempting to keep eating them!

If they were truly fried sweet potatoes (sometimes they are baked), then the oil used to fry them is probably what is bothering you.  I am the same way with onion rings.  I make them at home and bake them... no problem.  I eat them at a restaurant where they are deep fried... hello bathroom!  They may have been shaken in a flour to keep them from sticking together, too, but being fried is enough to bug many stomaches on Whole30

[GoJo09]

They were definitely fried. Gurgly stomach didn't last long thankfully, and they were delicious at the time!