The Beauty Diet Read Online Free PDF

also is important to good vision and eye health, cell division and differentiation, normal functioning of your immune system, and healthy bones, teeth, skin, hair, and fingernails (see Chapter 7 ). Additionally, one cup of canned sweet potato (which weighs more than a cup of uncooked) has 63 milligrams of the wondrous water-soluble antioxidant vitamin C (see Chapter 1 ).
    Mighty minerals. Sweet potatoes help keep your bones strong and teeth sparkling with 40 milligrams of calcium per cup (more on calcium in Chapter 6 ). They are also a good source of magnesium (see Chapter 6 ), which plays a critical role in hundreds of chemical reactions in the body, as well as a source of manganese, a trace mineral that helps keep bones strong and blood glucose levels normal. Sweet potatoes also have a significant amount of potassium, which is vital for the sodium/potassium balance in the body (more on potassium a little later). I often recommend potassium-rich foods for those retaining water due to excess consumption of sodium-rich foods.
    Fiber. It's more exciting than you think. Fiber helps you stay slim, helps control the level of cholesterol in your blood, and helps prevent problems from developing in your intestinal tract. One cooked sweet potato contains 4 grams of dietary fiber.
    If you have limited your sweet potato consumption to once a year on Thanksgiving, use my Beauty Diet to add its orange goodness to your meals every week! Sweet potatoes can be dressed up or down, roasted or mashed, even cooked fast in the microwave oven if you're in a hurry. As a fabulous alternative to fatty French fries, try my tempting Grilled Sweet Potato "Fries" (see Chapter 9 ).
Sweet Potato or Yam?
    Although their beauty nutrients are similar, true yams and sweet potatoes are not even botanically related. Yams are large and starchy and are grown in tropical and subtropical countries
Potassium's Role in Beauty
Adequate Intake (AI)
WOMEN
MEN
4,700 mg
4,700 mg
There is considerable evidence that a potassium-rich diet may help regulate blood pressure, maintain bone density, protect against kidney stones, and decrease the risk of stroke. Since potassium improves blood circulation, it helps to give your skin a refreshing boost of nutrients and oxygen.
10 Good Whole-Food Sources of Potassium
1. Sweet potato, 1 large baked
855 mg
2. Tomato paste, ¼ cup
664 mg
3. Beets, cooked, ½ cup
655 mg
4. Potato, 1 baked
610 mg
5. Yogurt, plain, nonfat, 8-oz. container
579 mg
6. Edamame, 1 cup
568 mg
7. Kiwifruit, 1 cup, peeled
552 mg
8. Cod, cooked, 3 oz.
439 mg
9. Banana, 1 medium
422 mg
10. Spinach, cooked, ½ cup
419 mg
    (nearly 100 percent comes from West Africa). Real yams can be found in the United States in international markets.
    Sweet potatoes have pointy ends and are widely available throughout the United States. They are so commonly mistaken for yams that you may notice the sign in the grocery store says "yams" and then, underneath, "sweet potatoes." However, sweet potatoes are sweeter than true yams and have more protein. The light variety has a thin skin and is roughly the same color on the outside as a baking potato. The dark or garnet variety has a thicker skin and is reddish brown in color on the outside and orange on the inside. If you had "candied yams" for Thanksgiving, chances are you were eating delicious sweet potatoes.
7. Spinach
    Spinach is a versatile, affordable, readily available, low-calorie leafy green vegetable that is loaded with beauty-enhancing nutrients. I included it in my Top 10 Beauty Foods because of its exceptional lutein content, which keeps our eyes healthy and bright. Spinach also contains a significant amount of beta-carotene, as well as vitamin C, several B vitamins, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, dietary fiber, and even omega-3 fatty acids, making it a wonderfully nutrient-dense vegetable. Following are some of the beneficial micro-nutrients in this super-food:
    Lutein and zeaxanthin. One cup of cooked frozen