Delaney Nothaft| Special to USA TODAY
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Sweet potatoes are a versatile vegetable. (Yes, they are a vegetable. A starchy vegetable, but still a vegetable.) They are great in pies and sides alike, and similar to regular potatoes, they can be prepared in myriad ways. Try them fried or baked, mashed or hashed – they're almost always good. But what kind of nutritional value do they bring? Like many foods, it depends on how they are prepared.
We spoke with Barbara Olendzki, an associate professor of population and quantitative health sciences at UMass Chan Medical School, to find out everything you need to know about sweet potatoes.
Are sweet potatoes 'good' or 'bad' carbs?
Sweet potatoes contain the “good” kind of carbs – often called “complex carbohydrates.” Complex carbohydrates are considered healthier than simple carbohydrates. They take longer to digest and create more lasting energy. They also won’t create sudden blood sugar spikes (like simple sugars can) that can temporarily give you energy but leave you feeling fatigued after a short period of time.
Not all carbs are the same. Everything you need to know about complex carbohydrates.
What nutritional value do sweet potatoes bring?
Olendzki says the biggest thing sweet potatoes bring to the table is carotenoids, which are helpful for our eye health.
She also explains that there are things you can do to optimize the health benefits of sweet potatoes, “Combine them with a good fat (like a vinaigrette) or add more fiber (ground flaxseed, for example) to help delay uptake of the carbohydrate into glucose in the body.”
Olendzki breaks down the nutrition for us, “For one medium sweet potato with Newman’s Balsamic Vinaigrette (1 Tablespoon) on top, you have 189 calories, 6g fat, 32 grams of carbohydrate, 3 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and even have 1 mg of iron. Not bad, huh?”
Are sweet potatoes any healthier than regular potatoes?
Olendzki says yes. “They are better than white potatoes,” she explains.That's because they have lower glycemic uptake, more fiber and more carotenoids that are good for the eyes and inflammation.
For even more nutritional value, Olendzki has a tip. “Leave the skin on! It's so tasty and that is where lots of nutrients and fiber reside,” she emphasizes.
Are sweet potatoes healthy for weight loss?
Like most diets, it depends on what other foods you are eating, your activity level and if you have any underlying health conditions. If you have diabetes, you may need to exercise caution when it comes to sweet potatoes because they do have a lot of carbohydrates.
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It also depends on how the sweet potatoes are prepared – if you fry them, that can add harmful fats. Same thing if you add lots of butter or marshmallows. But as part of a well-balanced diet, sweet potatoes contain important vitamins and the “good” kind of carbohydrates.
