Are sweet potatoes healthy? Health benefits of sweet potato and how it compares to regular potatoes

Most of us in Europe view potatoes as a staple and can’t imagine not eating them, but important as they are, they’re not thought of as a superfood.

Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are considered more nutritious than regular potatoes, but usually have to travel from afar.

So here’s a look at how both types of potato fit in a vegan diet, and what health benefits they have to offer.

What are sweet potatoes?

Sweet potatoes are a root vegetable, which originally come from Central and South America and, although they’re still grown there, the US, China, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Indonesia, Vietnam and India are the biggest producers.

Requiring a warm climate, they are easy to cultivate in these countries. Sweet potatoes are also grown in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece, but none of them are big producers so the ones we buy are usually American or Chinese.

Are sweet potatoes healthy?

One medium, baked sweet potato weighing about 150 grams offers about 135 calories, five grams of fibre, 11 grams of starch and 10 grams of sugar. That means it gives you some fast energy from the sugars and the rest is released gradually from starch, slowed down by the fibre. And long-lasting energy is just what we all need.

This medium size potato also delivers three grams of plant-based protein and covers between 10-20 per cent of your daily B group vitamin needs, except for vitamin B12 (there’s none in sweet potatoes).

It provides so much beta-carotene that it almost fully covers your daily vitamin A needs (your body makes vitamin A from beta-carotene). A sweet potato also supplies about 50 per cent of your daily vitamin C requirement!

As if that wasn’t enough, the same serving size contributes to your calcium intake (slightly) and your magnesium, potassium and manganese intake (greatly).

These minerals are important for correct functioning of your nerves and muscles, for healthy kidneys, strong bones, and to aid the immune system¹.

Are sweet potatoes a superfood?

Sweet potatoes have a strong reputation as a healthy option, and are often thought of as a superfood due to their high levels of vitamins and antioxidants.

The most common variety of sweet potatoes is the orange-fleshed one, but there are others, including white and purple.

White has the least antioxidants, orange has a lot and purple sweet potatoes have the most.

Antioxidants are the powerful compounds found in fruit and veg that help protect our cells and tissues from damage and can also be anti-inflammatory.

Some test tube studies suggest that sweet potato antioxidants may have anti-cancer properties², but there isn’t enough data to be sure. Even if sweet potatoes won’t make you cancer-proof, they will certainly boost your health in many other ways.

One of the antioxidants is beta-carotene and apart from being converted into vitamin A, which is crucial for healthy vision, it can also help to prevent macular degeneration³ – an age-related eye condition. Orange sweet potatoes have the most beta-carotene.

What is the difference between sweet potatoes and regular potatoes?

Despite its name, sweet potato is not related to the common potato nor is it related to yams. It belongs to a different family entirely and is a root – a nutritious storage root – as opposed to being a tuber like the common potato.

While regular potatoes are widely regarded as one of the most common foods, it’s actually a Peruvian import and it wasn’t Sir Francis Drake who brought them to the UK.

Potatoes were first cultivated by the Inca in Peru several thousand years ago and were a local staple until the 16th century when European invaders got their hands on them and transplanted them to Europe.

Potatoes weren’t widely accepted though and were viewed as a ‘poor-man’s food’ but over time, their popularity skyrocketed.

Are sweet potatoes healthier than regular potatoes?

While sweet potatoes are often perceived as the healthier option, the humble white potato is actually comparable in calories, fibre, and protein content, and provides some different nutritional benefits.

One medium baked potato with skin on, weighing about 170 grams, supplies 160 calories, four grams of fibre, 30 grams of starch and two grams of simple sugars.

Most of the potato’s calories come from starch, a complex carbohydrate that your body breaks down into sugar molecules. That’s why many people avoid potatoes, thinking that they will make them gain weight.

The truth is that if you overdo it with potatoes, you can certainly gain weight as they provide a plentiful sugar supply.

A moderate portion with a protein and vegetable-rich meal, on the other hand, is fine as these additional meal components slow the breakdown of potato starch and its energy is gradually released.

But the humble potato offers more than just starch and provides over four grams of protein, a good dose of the B group vitamins and even contains 12 per cent of the recommended daily folate intake, which is vital for brain and nerve function, cell reproduction and red blood cell formation.

You may be surprised to know that one medium potato covers around 28 per cent of your vitamin C needs. Yes, even a boiled or baked one!

Potatoes are also surprising in the mineral department. One medium potato supplies around 10 per cent of your iron, copper and magnesium needs while covering a quarter of your potassium requirement!

These important minerals are needed for oxygen transport around the body and for healthy bones, kidneys and heart. That’s not bad for the humble old white potato.

What’s the healthiest way to prepare potatoes?

Many potato nutrients are in the skin so if you peel them, you lose out. Boiling or baking unpeeled potatoes helps them to retain most nutrients. However, always wash them and get rid of dark or green spots!

Frying potatoes hugely increases their calories because of all the fat they soak up, so boiling or baking are both healthier.

Is it ok to eat potatoes every day?

Let’s face it, most of us are big potato fans, and we’d happily include potatoes in every meal if we could.

Environmentally speaking, it’s preferable to eat local produce, so depending where in the world you’re located, you may want to rely more on one type of potato than the other.

When it comes to the question “are sweet potatoes healthy?”, the answer is yes, in moderation – and so are regular potatoes!

Both regular and sweet potatoes have their good and bad points, so one isn’t necessarily better than the other.

Generally, if we choose healthier potato meals, such as baked or boiled potatoes and sweet potatoes over crisps and chips, we can continue to enjoy them guilt-free. Hurrah for potatoes!

Looking for a food that’s even more super? Discover the benefits of algae in a vegan diet

Featured photo © zeleno via Getty Images

References:

1. Weyh C, Krüger K, Peeling P, Castell L. The Role of Minerals in the Optimal Functioning of the Immune System. Nutrients. 2022 [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8840645/]
2. Sugata M, Lin CY, Shih YC. Anti-Inflammatory and Anticancer Activities of Taiwanese Purple-Fleshed Sweet Potatoes (Ipomoea batatas L. Lam) Extracts. Biomed Res Int. 2015 [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4609785/]
3. Christen WG, Manson JE, Glynn RJ, Gaziano JM, Chew EY, Buring JE, Hennekens CH. Beta carotene supplementation and age-related maculopathy in a randomized trial of US physicians. Arch Ophthalmol. 2007 [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1821351/]