Potatoes of all kinds have been part of the human diet for at least 4,000 years. They are available year-round, inexpensive, nutritious and versatile. It's only been in recent decades that fried potatoes and instant potato preparations have been linked with the Western diet and its negative health effects. Potatoes aren't bad on their own; negative health effects come from unhealthy preparations of them. Both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes are nutritious, but sweet potatoes have added nutritional benefits.
Potato Nutrition
Regular potatoes and sweet potatoes are chock full of vitamins and minerals. They both contain vitamins B6 and C as well as copper, iron and potassium. They both provide almost 40 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C protects cells from oxidation, helps wounds to heal and is used to produce the skin protein collagen. Both types of potatoes and sweet potatoes are also loaded with potassium, which is involved in bone strength and heart health. Potassium can help lower blood pressure, and you get more potassium from a sweet potato than you do from a banana.
Carotenoids
Sweet potatoes beat out white potatoes when it comes to antioxidants. Carotenoids are the antioxidants that give the sweet potato its color. They are involved in the body's insulin response. Beta-carotene is a sweet potato carotenoid that is converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A enhances immune function and helps maintain eye and skin health. Beta-carotene can reduce breast cancer risk and may be involved in protection from prostate cancer.
Lutein is another carotenoid in sweet potatoes that is thought to protect the eyes from macular degeneration. Purple varieties of sweet potatoes contain anthocyanins, a pigment that is a powerful antioxidant and may help prevent numerous health conditions and diseases.
Vitamin B5
Sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid, which is essential for life. It is involved in many chemical reactions, from those that convert food into energy to the synthesis of essential fats, hormones and neurotransmitters. Vitamin B5 is needed in the liver to break down drugs and toxins.
Fiber and Weight Control
Regular potatoes and sweet potatoes are fat-free and packed with fiber, but sweet potatoes have more fiber than white potatoes. Fiber helps the digestive tract stay in good working order and may help reduce the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. The soluble fiber in sweet potatoes can help lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Sweet potatoes are also rich in chlorogenic acid, which may be involved in decreasing insulin resistance.
A medium sweet potato has only 100 calories. Bake sweet potatoes plain rather than adding brown sugar, and go easy on the butter. Frying potatoes doubles their caloric count.
References
- Macular Degeneration Association: Sweet Potatoes vs. White Potatoes for Macular Degeneration; October 2010
- MyFamilyDoctor: Sweet Potatoes: Nutrition, Storage, Easy and Healthy Recipes; Tina Ruggerio, RD; 2011
- Colorado State University Cooperative Extension: Nutrition Column - Potatoes - Choose White, Red, Orange or Blue; Pat Kendall, Ph.D., R.D; September 2005
- Linus Pauling Institute: Pantothenic Acid; Jane Higdon, Ph.D; May 2004
- Readers Digest: The Health Properties of Sweet Potatoes; 2011
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