The nutrient value of sweet potatoes depends on how they are processed and cooked. For instance, the nutrient value differs for sweet potatoes baked in the skin and peeled, boiled without the skin, candied or canned. In addition to containing vitamins, sweet potatoes provide a rich supply of minerals and fiber.
One sweet potato baked in the skin and peeled provides 115 calories, 2 g protein and a trace of fat. It has no cholesterol, 28 g carbohydrates, 32 mg calcium, 63 mg phosphorus, 0.5 mg iron, 397 mg potassium, 11 mg sodium, 33 mg zinc and 3 g dietary fiber, according to Kathleen Mahan and Sylvia Escott-Stump in "Krause's Food, Nutrition, & Diet Therapy."
Vitamin A
A peeled, baked sweet potato contains 24,880 IU, or international units -- or 2488 RE, or retinol equivalents -- of vitamin A, according to Mahan and Escott-Stump. Vitamin A's major roles include promoting vision, participating in protein synthesis, supporting reproduction and growth and enhancing immunity. Sweet potatoes are among the highest vegetable sources of vitamin A, next to pumpkin and carrots.
Thiamin
Thiamin assists in energy metabolism. A peeled, baked sweet potato provides 0.08 mg of thiamin. Nerves and muscles also depend on thiamin, which occupies a site on the membranes of nerve cells. Cooking can destroy thiamin; thiamin leaches into the water when foods are boiled or blanched.
Riboflavin
Riboflavin serves as a coenzyme in many metabolic reactions, especially in the release of energy and nutrients to all cells in the body. A peeled, baked sweet potato contains 0.14 mg of riboflavin. Ultraviolet light and irradiation destroy riboflavin, but cooking does not destroy it.
Niacin
A sweet potato that is peeled and baked contains 0.7 mg of niacin. Two coenzyme forms of niacin participate in many metabolic reactions and play a central role in the metabolism of glucose, fat and alcohol. Niacin is fairly heat resistant, so it can withstand long cooking times; however, it will leach into cooking water.
Vitamin C
Sweet potatoes are a rich vegetable source of vitamin C, along with potatoes and broccoli. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, serves as a cofactor in collagen formation and synthesis of hormones such as thyroxin, which regulates the metabolic rate. A peeled, baked sweet potato contains 28 mg of vitamin C. This vitamin also serves as a powerful antioxidant to defend against free-radical damage to the body's tissues.
Folic Acid
Folic acid, or folate, in a coenzyme form helps synthesize DNA for all rapidly growing cells. Folate plays a key role in the formation of the neural tube in the early weeks of pregnancy. Folate also defends against heart disease and may help protect against some cancers, according to Eleanor Whitney and Sharon Rolfes in "Understanding Nutrition." A peeled, baked sweet potato contains 26 mcg of folic acid.
References
- CDC: Vegetable of the Month: Sweet Potatoes
- "Krause's Food, Nutrition, & Diet Therapy, 10th Edition"; Kathleen Mahan and Sylvia Escott-Stump; 2000
- "Understanding Nutrition, Ninth Edition"; Eleanor Noss Whitney and Sharon Rady Rolfes; 2002
- USDA: Healthy Meals: Sweet Potatoes Fact Sheet
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