Interesting discussion on white potatoes versus sweet potatoes

Sabine_Stroehm

While I limit my heavily refined carbs, I've never been one to fret over tubers, vegetables, and what not with respect to so called "starchy carbs". This is an interesting discussion on that exact subject.

Interesting in and of itself, and interesting in light of the new (and improved) U.S. guidelines for ADDED sugars and the like.

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/regular-vs-sweet-potatoes

rosebarnalice

Interesting article. I simply prefer sweet potatoes to "white" potatoes more often than not (plain, thank you--not violated with sugar, marshmallows or butter!) And with the skin on so I can enjoy its flavor and texture. If I do go for "whites" I like to pick out fingerlings or smaller varieties that have a higher skin to flesh ratio.

ahoy_m8

Thanks for posting

lemmie177

Enjoyed that article. Thanks for sharing!

I've been patiently waiting for the purple-fleshed sweet potatoes to come back to my veggie market. I was so in love with them, I started researching how to grow a crop for myself. Unfortunately, they have some long, involved curing process that I can't manage. So dreams dashed.
Otherwise, I mostly eat garnet yams (which are actually sweet potatoes). Good nighttime snack mixed with almond butter. I was surprised by how much the GI/GL differed between boiled and roasted!

lemurcat12

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

While I limit my heavily refined carbs, I've never been one to fret over tubers, vegetables, and what not with respect to so called "starchy carbs". This is an interesting discussion on that exact subject.

Interesting in and of itself, and interesting in light of the new (and improved) U.S. guidelines for ADDED sugars and the like.

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/regular-vs-sweet-potatoes

Basically what I think.

I always wonder if some of the sweet potatoes vs. white (or red or purple) are actually driven by the false idea that they are different versions of the same plant. I recall one of the most "really, people think that?" moments I've had on MFP being when someone posted about refined white foods, like white sugar (not like brown sugar isn't refined, but I digress), white flour, and white potatoes. I wondered if she really thought white potatoes were some refined version of some other plant.

But perhaps I am reading too much into it, as you also get your kale vs. spinach, what's better!? questions, which are equally annoying. Or wild rice vs. quinoa?!

Anyway, I love them both, eat them both about equally often (I never liked sweet until I realized as an adult they could just be roasted without adding more sweet stuff), and actually prefer potatoes just roasted skin on with olive oil and salt and maybe some dill or rosemary or garlic, but actually probably would take the red/white ones if forced to choose. Luckily I am not, though! In fact, at this time of year (as I mentioned in another thread) I am drowning in both due to my CSA.

lemurcat12

Just like potatoes vs. sweet potatoes, I love potatoes, sweet potatoes, AND butternut squash (acorn is better than butternut, IMO, however). No need to choose, but I agree if you want to cut calories winter squash is a nice switch for the starch course.

I really need to make and freeze some squash soup.

elaineamj

Just saw this - squash is lower cal than potatoes? Time to switch up a lot of my recipes!

tomteboda

A fairly helpful and informative article, thanks for sharing.

girlviernes

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

While I limit my heavily refined carbs, I've never been one to fret over tubers, vegetables, and what not with respect to so called "starchy carbs". This is an interesting discussion on that exact subject.

Interesting in and of itself, and interesting in light of the new (and improved) U.S. guidelines for ADDED sugars and the like.

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/regular-vs-sweet-potatoes

Basically what I think.

I always wonder if some of the sweet potatoes vs. white (or red or purple) are actually driven by the false idea that they are different versions of the same plant. I recall one of the most "really, people think that?" moments I've had on MFP being when someone posted about refined white foods, like white sugar (not like brown sugar isn't refined, but I digress), white flour, and white potatoes. I wondered if she really thought white potatoes were some refined version of some other plant.

But perhaps I am reading too much into it, as you also get your kale vs. spinach, what's better!? questions, which are equally annoying. Or wild rice vs. quinoa?!

Anyway, I love them both, eat them both about equally often (I never liked sweet until I realized as an adult they could just be roasted without adding more sweet stuff), and actually prefer potatoes just roasted skin on with olive oil and salt and maybe some dill or rosemary or garlic, but actually probably would take the red/white ones if forced to choose. Luckily I am not, though! In fact, at this time of year (as I mentioned in another thread) I am drowning in both due to my CSA.

I'll take your overflow :P

Whitezombiegirl

Dont really like sweet potatoes unless roasted with sage and eaten with feta cheese. Dont really like parsnips, beetroot, swede or turnip either- but will eat it. Or cauliflower- bleugh.

Not a fan of spuds really- a cripsy baked one with salted butter once a year maybe. Potatoes tend to give me stomach cramps. No frys for me.

Love steamed kale and my spinach raw. I dont eat rice and quinoa is gross. Hate pasta and noodles too! Courgetti for the win!

Yi5hedr3

Sweet potatoes are fine - just keep under your low-carb limit.

bjade18

lemmie177 wrote: »

Enjoyed that article. Thanks for sharing!

I've been patiently waiting for the purple-fleshed sweet potatoes to come back to my veggie market. I was so in love with them, I started researching how to grow a crop for myself. Unfortunately, they have some long, involved curing process that I can't manage. So dreams dashed.
Otherwise, I mostly eat garnet yams (which are actually sweet potatoes). Good nighttime snack mixed with almond butter. I was surprised by how much the GI/GL differed between boiled and roasted!

Omg I love purple fleshed sweet potatoes! I just found them the other day and they are amazing. I roasted some in coconut oil and the flavour is sweet but not too sweet. So awesome!!

Hornsby

I'm in to say I love all potatoes, but sweet potatoes are my favorite. White potatoes seem to satiate me more though.

EvgeniZyntx

Excellent article - "Both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes are healthy, awesome, and delicious heritage foods.
You can eat and enjoy both, regardless of your goals."

Always agreed with that.

melonaulait

White potatoes are the staple food of my country, so I've always wondered why some people find them unhealthy... But I guess if you see them as "simple carbs" you may try to avoid them. Personally I love them. I even love plain boiled ones. Sweet potatoes are harder to come by and much more expensive.

Sabine_Stroehm

melonaulait wrote: »

White potatoes are the staple food of my country, so I've always wondered why some people find them unhealthy... But I guess if you see them as "simple carbs" you may try to avoid them. Personally I love them. I even love plain boiled ones. Sweet potatoes are harder to come by and much more expensive.

I do think somewhere along the way someone decided (wrongly) that they were simple carbs.
I also think MANY who went the low carb or low glycemic way (early on) did so without DOING THEIR RESEARCH, and just went with "no white foods", which is, of course, an absurd oversimplification, and application.