Carbs are an essential macronutrient that the fitness world loves to hate. However, taking stock of which carbs to eat and when to eat them can make a huge difference in how well you burn body fat and whether you’ll have the energy to accomplish all your fitness and nutrition goals.

Not all carbs are created equal, though, or are ideal in every setting, but sweet potatoes are queen in any clean eater’s kitchen. Thanks to their high fiber content, they won’t spike your blood sugar like a white potato will, yet they’ll hit the spot when you’re craving starchy carbs. Michael Morelli, author of The Sweet Potato Diet, has developed a carb-cycling plan that uses our favorite clean-eating tuber in infinite ways to help you lose weight faster than you thought possible. Since we know how hard it can be to keep your diet fresh from day to day, we tapped him for five mouthwatering ways to eat this carotene-rich veggie for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dig in!

Recipes excerpted from The Sweet Potato Diet: The Super Carb-Cycling Program to Lose Up to 12 Pounds in 2 Weeks by Michael Morelli. Copyright © 2017. Available from Da Capo Lifelong Books, an imprint of Perseus Books, LLC, a subsidiary of Hachette Book Group Inc.

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Carbs

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Carbs

Do you know everything else carbs can do to your body?

Read article