Of all the essential carbs, potatoes might just be the most impressive. Not only are they delicious, but they’re also wonderfully versatile: You can eat them baked, fried, boiled, mashed, roasted, or pureed; you can season them with everything from butter to spices to cheese. They are also diverse—there are literally thousands of varieties.
All types of potatoes are also, of course, immensely nutritious. They’re filled with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and immune-strengthening properties. “The reality is that regular and sweet potatoes are remarkably similar nutritionally. The only nutrient sweet potatoes are significantly higher in is vitamin A,” explains Bonnie Johnson, a registered dietitian who leads the nutrition programs at Potatoes USA.
Sweet potatoes vs. regular potatoes
While all types of potatoes are definitely nutritious—you can’t make a wrong choice!—sweet potatoes do have an abundance of cancer-fighting beta carotene and vitamin A. They may also have a lower glycemic index (GI) than ordinary potatoes, which means they release sugars more slowly into the bloodstream, helping the body to avoid glycemic spikes and crashes.
However, it is important to note that how a sweet potato is prepared can significantly impact the glycemic index (GI). “An examination of various GIs derived from studies on sweet potatoes indicates a GI that is similar to, and in some cases exceeds, that of regular potato varieties. For example, a baked skin-on Clarendon sweet potato has a GI of 83, and a baked, skin-on Yukon Gold potato has a GI of 81,” Johnson notes.
As we all know, glucose response is complicated—it varies from person to person and even within a single food. “For example, a study of 1,002 people found a 68% variation in their glucose response to identical test meals,” Johnson notes, adding that this variation is influenced by several factors, with the second-highest impact coming from genetics. “Also, GI has several limitations, including the fact that it’s calculated based on foods eaten in isolation, which is not how people eat in the real world. Practical approaches for blood sugar management include emphasizing whole foods, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, pairing carbs with protein and good fat, increasing fiber, and limiting added sugar.”
