Good morning friends.

Today I would like to share one of the greatest discoveries I have made in recent years! :-)

It is so great infact, that I cannot believe it has taken me 5 trips to Japan, and many years to encounter such a healthy, delicious and low priced delicacy!!!!

Yes this is what you are thinking!

The humble 'sweet potato' that we all know, love and have eaten for many years.

So what is the incredible discovery?! 

BAKED sweet potatoes! 

Whilst I have baked them at home in the UK thousands of times, we recently came across the yakiimo stand in a supermarket a couple of months back when buying food for a mountain hike. It was a cold December day, and the feeling of reaching the top of a 950 metre mountain in the rain, was made 100 times better after sitting down and looking at the view whilst eating a warm potato!

Since this day it has become our tradition to climb a mountain together and eat a yakiimo each at the summit most weeks. It feels like such an indulgent treat, although after speaking with some locals and conducting my own research online I found out that it is simply a potato which is cooked in an incredibly clever method!

The type of potato is ESSENTIAL, and the method of cooking it over a dry heat for a prolonged time using coals enables the sugars to release and disperse throughout the inside of it.

We are now constantly on the lookout for yakiimo stands in supermarkets, or trailers when walking outside.

As a qualfied Nutrition Consultant in the UK, I am often surprised when I hear people question why I eat sweet potatoes and suggesting that they are an unhealthy food! This is completely uninformed, and whilst many are indulging in genetically modified meat products, pastries and cakes, the humble sweet potato remains there to be devoured by those willing to benefit from its wonder! :-)

In Okinawa I became obsessed with beni-imo (purple sweet potatoes) and ate them most days due to their incredible health benefits and amazing but unique taste - but here I want to discuss the amazing health benefits of the normal variety of sweet potato.

HEALTH BENEFITS

- An excellent source of vitamin C improving skin, recovery, energy levels and more!

- A source of vitamin D, aiding in building strong and healthy bones

- They contain iron which supports the immune system

- A great source of magnesium which is necessary for heart and blood vessel function, as well as helping us to RELAX!

- A Source of potassium and other vital electrolytes which are lost through sweat

- A Low GI (glyceamic index) food, meaning that you do not get the blood sugar spike associated with refined foods such as white bread or rice, sugary sweets and cakes.

- They contain a HUGE amount of antioxidants which can prevent degredation and aging related diseases

- High in vitamin B6 which can alleviate the risk of degenerative diseases and heart problems!

There is even a positive correlation with preventing cancer and excess aging in a recent large scale study!

There are many other benefits which I have not listed here, but when a food is this healthy, tasty and cheap - why not starting adding them to your diet TODAY.

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I am a highly experienced professional English teacher, Yoga Instructor, Tai Chi teacher, Nutrition Consultant and Personal Trainer from London, UK. I recently left London to work and travel around Japan on a Working Holiday Visa with my best friend and longtime girlfriend Ashley (who is also a teacher on Cafetalk : https://cafetalk.com/tutors/profile/?id=54542&lang=en ). We love sharing adventures travelling, teaching, exploring and understanding new cultures. We hope to speak with you soon!

If you would like to follow my travels on instagram, and see where we are in the world you can do so here:

Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule a lesson at a time in which my schedule is not open. I will always do my best to accomodate every student.