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The Battle of Potatoes: Sweet vs. White

Thanksgiving is the perfect time of year to enjoy a comfort-food classic… potatoes!  Potatoes (white that is) are one of the most prevalent vegetables eaten by Americans; usually in the form of french fries or potato chips.

We often hear that sweet potatoes are a better choice compared to white, but ever wonder what the nutritional or health differences are between a sweet potato and a white potato?  Let’s break it down by comparing a medium sized sweet potato and white potato each baked without salt and eating both flesh and skin…

Sweet Potato                            White Potato
Calories 103 Calories 161
Vitamin A  21909 IU Vitamin A 17 IU
Potassium 542 mg Potassium 926 mg
Vitamin C  22.3 mg Vitamin C 16.6 mg
Iron .79 mg Iron  1.87 mg
Magnesium 31 mg Magnesium 48 mg
Fiber 3.8 gm Fiber 3.8 gm

Sweet Potatoes:

The sweet potato not only has more vitamin A/Beta-carotene, an important antioxidant giving this veggie its orange glow, but it also has less calories and a lower glycemic index which means it has a slower rate of sugar absorption.

Yams? Well they are not the same as sweet potatoes. They are actually very different from a sweet potato and often you can see this by its color. The garnet yam for example, has a purple skin and a light yellow flesh. Yams are high in the heart-healthy nutrients B6 and potassium. Yams, like sweet potatoes are also a good source of fiber that helps to slow digestion and helps to keep you fuller longer.

White Potatoes:

When eaten in the form of a baked, medium sized potato including the skin and without added salt, butter, sour cream or bacon is actually a healthier choice than you may assume.  It has the same amount of fiber as a sweet potato with skin and even more magnesium, iron, and potassium, an electrolyte linked to helping lower blood pressure.

Keep in mind that to be a healthy choice your potato doesn’t have to be plain!  Try topping it with a small amount of olive oil and your favorite veggies and spices like broccoli and black pepper or chili powder, onion and jalapeno.

Check out these delicious potato recipes:

Enjoy them as a salad..
Sweet and Salty Roasted Veggie Salad

A soup…
Savory Sweet Potato Soup
Saffron Sweet Potato & Rainbow Quinoa Soup

A snack…
Yam “fries”
Sweet Potato and Carrot “fries”
Purple potatoes

A smoothie…
Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie

Or a Juice!
Trick or Treat Juice
Carrot Cake Juice
Sweet Potato and Peach Pie Juice