Sweet vs 'ordinary' potatoes

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meerkat70
meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Received wisdom on mfp is that sweet potatoes are 'better' than ordinary potatoes. Given that potatoes are lower in calories, lower in carbs, higher in iron, and equivalent in protein, I have to question why sweet potatoes are regarded as 'better'?


Sweet potato - Cooked, baked in skin, without salt (Sweetpotato), 200 g
Cals180
Carbs 41
Protein 4
Fiber 7
Calcium 8
Iron 8

Potato - Flesh and skin 200 g
Cals 154
Carbs 35
Protein 4
Fiber 4
Calcium 2
Iron 9

Replies

  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
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    Sweet potatoes are much higher in calcium, vitamin A, vitamin E, and beta carotene, and lower on the glycemic index, than regular potatoes.

    sources:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potato
    http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/glycemicfoodchart.htm
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    Yes. So they have some advantages. But so do regular potatoes - including the differences I described above. I don't get how that makes it 'better'.

    Potatoes are loaded with vitamin C, for instance.
  • SRH7
    SRH7 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    I still think it comes down to that old bottom line... it isn't potatoes that are the problem but what you put on them. Nothing fills me up faster for longer than a baked potato, small amount of butter and some veggie chilli.

    But if you choose to load them with mayo-laden coleslaw and cheese, then of course you will put weight on.

    And 'normal' spuds are infinitely cheaper than sweet potatoes!
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    I like sweet potatoes well enough, it just puzzles me that they're viewed as good to the humble old potato's bad.

    And yeah I think you're right about the topics. I normally have either cottage cheese or creme fraiche on mine and those just make a very yummy and reasonably healthy lunchtime choice.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I love them both, but people are brainwashed into thinking any white food is bad.

    I don't see enough of a difference to buy whole wheat pasta over regular, either.
  • skywa
    skywa Posts: 901 Member
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    i lk my potatoes normal. sweet potatoes taste weird to me. idc what anybody says about vitamins n stuff. ima eat potatoes, cause they're delicious.
  • PrincessLou71186
    PrincessLou71186 Posts: 747 Member
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    I prefer sweet potato fries to regular fries but thats as far as it goes.

    As far as I am concerned, sweet potatoes are just another form of vegetable.
  • sblair77
    sblair77 Posts: 355 Member
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    I found this for you

    Myth : "Sweet potatoes are better for you than white potatoes."

    The origin: Because most Americans eat the highly processed version of the white potato—for instance, french fries and potato chips—consumption of this root vegetable has been linked to obesity and an increased diabetes risk. Meanwhile, sweet potatoes, which are typically eaten whole, have been celebrated for being rich in nutrients and also having a lower glycemic index than their white brethren.

    What science really shows: White potatoes and sweet potatoes have complementary nutritional differences; one isn't necessarily better than the other. For instance, sweet potatoes have more fiber and vitamin A, but white potatoes are higher in essential minerals, such as iron, magnesium, and potassium. As for the glycemic index, sweet potatoes are lower on the scale, but baked white potatoes typically aren't eaten without cheese, sour cream, or butter. These toppings all contain fat, which lowers the glycemic index of a meal.

    The bottom line: The form in which you consume a potato—for instance, a whole baked potato versus a processed potato that's used to make chips—is more important than the type of spud.
  • sherrywtrmn
    sherrywtrmn Posts: 26 Member
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    Well for me it's because I am allergic to white potatoes but not to sweet potatoes :P but I also believe that it mostly comes down to how they are cooked and what is put on top of them.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Eat either one. They're both delicious and nutritious.
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
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    It has to do with the GI (Glycemic Index), and how quickly the food breaks down and releases glucose into your bloodstream (low is "good")

    Sweet Potato = 54
    Baked Potato = 85

    In the end it is all about moderation (and I actually love Sweet Potatoes) ;-)
  • 99cherrypie99
    99cherrypie99 Posts: 205 Member
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    Sweet potatoes are also a complex carb which keeps you fuller longer.
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
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    love sweet potatoes (the pale colored ones, not a huge fan of the dark orange "traditional" yam like ones. But also, white potatoes often don't agree with me so it's kind of easy to stick to the ones that I like and like me.
  • hkulbacki
    hkulbacki Posts: 187 Member
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    My favorite are purple potatoes. They taste the same are regular old white potatoes to me, but I just love their dark purple peels and lavendar to dark purple insides... And no they aren't dyed to make them that color. I think I need to try growing my own this summer. They're just fun to make/eat.
  • bcampbell54
    bcampbell54 Posts: 932 Member
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    Sweet potatoes are also a complex carb which keeps you fuller longer.
    As are all potatoes..
  • 99cherrypie99
    99cherrypie99 Posts: 205 Member
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    Yes - and no.

    http://www.foodreference.com/html/sweet-pot-nutrition.html
  • issyfit
    issyfit Posts: 1,077 Member
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    On the South Beach plan we are allowed limited quantities of sweet potatoes but no white potatoes. Sweet potatoes have almost twice as much fiber and digest more slowly and thus don't raise your blood sugar as much as white potatoes.
  • jennsteff
    jennsteff Posts: 6
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    Hi! There is always a big debate around this - I found this on livestrong.com which lately has seemed to come up in every internet search I do. :) I did a raw diet a few years ago and the sweet potato was a mainstay of it, juiced, cooked (oddly) etc. I know the biggest callout is the glycemic index,which means it spikes your blood sugar less, and you have less of a sugar high to chase. I do opt for them over white, however if you're trying to lose weight you're likely not eating truckloads of potatoes anyhow, so it probably isnt' the end of the world either way :) In any case, this is interesting to read! They are very unbiased and just lay out the facts, which I love.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/509327-sweet-potatoes-compared-to-regular-potatoes/

    p.s. I do make sweet potato fries often, they rule!

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