Member Article

Sweet vs Regular Potatoes - Which is best?

Sweet potatoes seem to steal the lime light over the regular potatoes, especially in the press with them being hailed as a ‘superfood’ (£and we all know what that means now too!). The regular potato seems to get a lot of stick and is often demonised by the dreaded diet culture and put in the ‘carbs are bad’ category. So does this mean sweet potatoes are healthier for us than the regular spud? Not so fast…

Potatoes play an important role in our diets. They provide us with energy, fiber (most of which is in the skin), B vitamins, vitamin C, and potassium… lots of goodness! Regular and sweet potatoes currently fall within the ‘starchy’ section of the £Eatwell Guide meaning they are not classed as 1 of our 5 a day, although this topic is still up for debate between nutritionists. Some believe they should be classed as one of our 5 a day and that they should be classed as starchy vegetable, likes carrots and parsnips.

Sweet potatoes and regular potatoes are very similar when it comes to their mineral and vitamin content. Whilst the sweet potato is an fantastic source of vitamin A, the white potato (providing they haven’t been stored too long) are a great source of vitamin C. Both also contain a great mix of phytonutrients (the name for thousands of natural chemicals found in plants which could help prevent disease). In addition, some research tell us that both types of potatoes contain hormone precursors which can help make us feel happier, calmer and sleepy.

In essence, both types of potatoes are a full of great nutrients providing they are not stored for a long time, nor have a lots of extra fat or salt added to them. They are also a valuable energy source and have a high satiety, meaning they make you feel fuller for longer. So it’s not that one is more superior than the other but more that they are slightly different in their nutritional make up and both can be enjoyed as part of a healthy, balanced diet. So let’s stop knocking the regular potato!

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ailsa Brogan-Hewitt .