Is Sweet Potato Healthier Than Potato?

Short answer: They're closer than their reputations. A baked sweet potato has a little more fiber (3.3 vs 2.2 g per 100 g) and lots of beta-carotene, but also more sugar; a regular baked potato has fewer sugars and slightly more protein. Both are good — the frying and toppings decide.

Nutrition side by side

Rounded averages from food composition tables (USDA FoodData Central and others) for the foods as eaten; brands and recipes vary.

Which wins, and when

• More fiber: Sweet potato — 1.1 g more per 100 g than potato.
• Less sugar: Potato — 5.3 g less per 100 g than sweet potato.

In short: for fewer calories or less saturated fat, look at the “less” lines; for staying full longer, protein and fiber matter most. Goals like lower sugar, more protein or more omega-3 can be set in the diary, and swaps there are ranked for that goal.

Blood sugar angle

Sweet potato has 17 g of carbohydrate per 100 g (6.5 g sugars, 3.3 g fiber); Potato has 21 g (1.2 g sugars, 2.2 g fiber). As a rule of thumb, more fiber and protein alongside the carbs means a gentler rise in blood sugar, while sugary drinks and refined starches hit faster. Glycemic index values vary by variety, ripeness and cooking, so treat any single number with caution — and eat either with vegetables and some protein.

Portion tips

• Sweet Potato: a typical serving (one, 150 g) is 135 kcal — about 44 min of easy walking for a 70 kg (154 lb) person.
• Potato: a typical serving (serving, 180 g) is 167 kcal — about 55 min of easy walking.

Portion size usually moves the numbers more than the choice between two similar foods: a heaping serving of the “healthier” one can easily outweigh a modest serving of the other.

Log it and see your day

In Calories Not Count every food gets a Nutri-Score grade, a sugar–salt–fat–fiber traffic light, fair same-calorie swaps and the minutes of movement it costs for your weight and your activities — no scale needed.