Sweet potatoes vs other potatoes

violetta88
violetta88 Posts: 117 Member
edited December 26 in Food and Nutrition
This is probably my ignorance showing, I'm still learning about nutrition ...

I don't eat potatoes very often, but occassionally I'll have a jacket potato or some wedges or something. Some of my colleagues have been saying that sweet potatoes are better for you - anyone know if that's true? I have no objection to them, was just wondering if there was any basis to this?

Thanks in advance :wink:

Replies

  • YoYo1951
    YoYo1951 Posts: 370
    I have also heard that. Full on good stuff, just don't smother them with brown sugar
  • herangel3
    herangel3 Posts: 29 Member
    They have more nutrients and vitamins than regular potatoes. Its the color I guess.
  • Elizaj85
    Elizaj85 Posts: 158 Member
    First off I think (in my opinion) they taste a bit nicer, there lower calories then normal potatoes an besides simple starches, sweet potatoes have complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. Pink, yellow and green varieties are high in carotene :-) also I believe they also for a tubur vegetable have a high amount of iron in them which vitimin c helps to absorb in to the body! An with a few prawns stuck in the middle of one is blumin amazing!
  • newmooon56
    newmooon56 Posts: 347 Member
    plug a small sweet potato and a small white potato into the data base and I think youll have your answer. I never count sugars in veggies- so I ignore that part-
    I was shocked at high in calorie a white pot. is - and quite low on nutrients. Plus- your body likes the nutrient rich sweet pot way more- lots more for it to 'chew on' if you get my drift.

    I had a small white potato one night recently- I had worked out hard, had uber amts of calories to fool with- and enjoyed that potato with a tbsn of light sour cream.
    I then logged it and vowed to not eat another for a LONGGG time- way better ways to spend my calories. I love sweet pots and squash too much to care about the white potato but I also know that white foods are what many ppl are used to- its a habit I never got into. Back in the 70s my parents knew enough to serve brown rice, wheat breads and kept all white foods to a minimum (slightly ahead of their time- kinda hippies that lived close to the earth) I got lucky that way. Dropping white in favor of brown is hella hard for a lot of ppl I find. They really hate the taste of non white processed foods and they fight it. A shame- white is.
  • ockara
    ockara Posts: 33 Member
    Sweet potatos are amazing nutrient wise. A very good book to read is Sweet Potato Power.
  • ITS_MY_CHOICE
    ITS_MY_CHOICE Posts: 62 Member
    Purple sweet potato is yum. There is also a low carb white potato here in Australia called "carisma".
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Sweet potatos are amazing nutrient wise. A very good book to read is Sweet Potato Power.

    Good book :)

    Sweet potatos rock.
  • Tat2dDom624
    Tat2dDom624 Posts: 1,226 Member
    I LOVE sweet potatoes. I usually put cinnamon and some I Can't Believe It's not Butter on it and i'm good to go!
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
    Sweet potatos are amazing nutrient wise. A very good book to read is Sweet Potato Power.

    This is true!

    Quick note though - other potatoes aren't "bad" though. I see them labeled that way often. Other potatoes are also very nutrient rich. A variety is always good :) I eat em all!
  • dawson55510
    dawson55510 Posts: 197 Member
    They are sort of similar but sweet potato as above has better nutrients espicially vit c and vit a

    In a 100-gram portion, the white potato has 92 calories, 21 grams of carbs, 2.3 grams of dietary fiber, 2.3 g of protein and 17% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C. The same amount of sweet potato, on the other hand, has 90 calories, 21 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, 35% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C and 380% of the daily recommended value of vitamin A.
  • dawson55510
    dawson55510 Posts: 197 Member
    Sweet potatos are amazing nutrient wise. A very good book to read is Sweet Potato Power.

    This is true!

    Quick note though - other potatoes aren't "bad" though. I see them labeled that way often. Other potatoes are also very nutrient rich. A variety is always good :) I eat em all!


    Agreed
  • JSaltsea
    JSaltsea Posts: 23 Member
    Everything in moderation is acceptable, but sweet taters have a better nutritional value overall.
  • drusilla126
    drusilla126 Posts: 478 Member
    I once ate at a restaurant with a bunch of wrestlers and they almost all ordered sweet potatoes. Since I tried them I've been hooked. They're much tastier than regular potatoes so if they're better for you that's just a bonus far as I'm concerned.
  • divalivious
    divalivious Posts: 213 Member
    I will do my roasted potatoes recipe with sweet potatoes instead.

    Sweet potato cut into chunks, garlic peeled, onion diced,
    Toss into baking square, mix in a bit of olive oil and either got with fresh ground pepper or will use italian herbs
    Bake at 375 for 30 mins or till fork goes through with ease.

    Some times will toss a potato in there and do a mix but after reading this thread thinking of saying screw the potato and just sticking with the sweet one only. Interesting question to bring up and one never really thought of.
  • ockara
    ockara Posts: 33 Member
    Roasted sweet pot are my favorite. I peel them, slice them into thick rounds, toss in coconut oil, sprinkle with sea salt and cinnamon, toss them in the oven at 400 for 20-25 min, they are yummy!!!

    Last night I made sweet potato brownies for the fam, they were devoured! so good! heres the link

    http://paleomg.com/sweet-potato-brownies/
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    They are sort of similar but sweet potato as above has better nutrients espicially vit c and vit a

    In a 100-gram portion, the white potato has 92 calories, 21 grams of carbs, 2.3 grams of dietary fiber, 2.3 g of protein and 17% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C. The same amount of sweet potato, on the other hand, has 90 calories, 21 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, 35% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C and 380% of the daily recommended value of vitamin A.

    Good info :)

    So you could eat a white potato and a carrot to get you're vitamin A if you really wanted :tongue:

    I eat both but I prefer sweet potatoes just because they're tastier.
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