Stop cutting out white potatoes — they're as healthy as sweet ones, dietitians say
- Many people think sweet potatoes are healthier than white potatoes, but this is incorrect, according to dietitians.
- Both forms of potato have practically the same calories, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and fiber content, registered dietitian nutritionist Shana Spence told Insider.
- Sweet potatoes are slightly higher in vitamins A and C, but white ones have more potassium, registered consultant dietitian Ro Huntriss confirmed.
- Both foods are nutritious, and cutting out white potatoes if you enjoy them is actually unhealthy, registered dietitian Eling Tsai MPH RD told Insider.
When trying to improve one's diet, many people think they need to cut out potatoes.
White potatoes, some of us have been led to believe, are fattening carb-bombs that should be shunned at all costs, especially if you're trying to lose weight.
Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are halo superfoods that will turn you into a beacon of health, we're often told. A burger is transformed into a low-cal meal by the addition of sweet potato rather than regular fries on the side, right?
Well, not quite. Not at all, in fact.
Three dietitians explained to Insider how the nutritional profiles of sweet and white potatoes are very similar, and they're calling for people to stop demonizing the latter.
The calorie difference between sweet and white potatoes is negligible
If you want to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit.
Given there's only a tiny calorie difference between white and sweet potatoes, which one you choose won't really play any role in your weight loss progress.
While 100g of sweet potato contains around 98 calories, 100g of white baking potato contains roughly 107 calories, according to the nutritional profiles on UK grocery store Tesco's website — other listings suggest different figures, but whichever measurement you use, the figures are always similar.
They have roughly the same macronutrient profiles and fiber content
If you're into your fitness and nutrition, you might be interested in tracking your macros (the three macronutrients are protein, fat, and carbs). And guess what? There's a negligible difference between the potatoes on that front too.
Sweet potatoes contain roughly 1.2g protein, 21.3g carbs, and 0.3g fat per 100g, and white potatoes contain 2.5g protein, 22.6g carbs, and 0.5g fat per 100g.
Fiber is also commonly tracked when people are looking to improve their diet and digestion, but again, the numbers are largely the same.
Registered dietitian Eling Tsai MPH RD told Insider: "They have comparable amounts of fiber — the average sweet potato only has roughly 1g more fiber than the average white potato."
And registered dietitian nutritionist Shana Spence MS, RDN, CDN agreed: "Both are pretty comparable as far as calories, carbs, fat, magnesium, and fiber."
Spence recommends leaving the skin on whichever potato you choose to ensure you get all that fiber.
White and sweet potatoes have differing micronutrient profiles
Where the two forms of potato do differ somewhat, however, is in their micronutrient breakdowns, meaning vitamins and minerals.
"The main differences between white and sweet potatoes are the vitamins and minerals," Spence said.
"People are under the impression that sweet potatoes are healthier because they are orange. We have heard that 'white foods' are bad which is not true."
The vibrant orange hue of a sweet potato is due to it being higher in vitamin A, and they also have more vitamin C, Spence, Tsai, and registered consultant dietitian Ro Huntriss confirmed to Insider.
White potatoes, however, are slightly higher in potassium.
"Both white potatoes and sweet potatoes are nutritious foods," added Huntriss.
"They both provide us with energy, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but their nutrient profiles vary."
Sweet potatoes are lower GI and count as one of your five a day
You may have been told that sweet potatoes will keep you fuller for longer than white potatoes, and there is some truth to this because they typically have a lower glycemic index (GI).
This means that their glucose (energy) is released more slowly than that of white potatoes, according to Huntriss.
It's worth noting, however, that the glycemic index of a food also depends on how it's cooked.
"The other notable difference is that sweet potatoes are counted towards your five-a-day [portions of fruit and vegetables] whereas white potatoes are considered a starchy food, but remember that starchy carbohydrates are still a valuable food group," Huntriss added.
Stop thinking of 'good' vs 'bad' foods
Ultimately, all three dietitians believe it's important we stop demonizing white potatoes — both forms are nutritious, and it's certainly not a case of a "good" and "bad" type.
"They are both healthy choices in their own right, and can both play a part in a well-balanced diet," Huntriss said.
Of course, when it comes to weight management, how you cook your potato will drastically change the calorie count: fries or buttery mash will both be higher in calories than simply boiled spuds or a baked potato.
But that doesn't mean they're "bad."
"Neither a baked potato nor sweet potato fries should be labeled as a 'bad' food," said Huntriss.
"They can both be consumed as part of a well-balanced diet. Considerations to take include portion size and cooking methods, as these factors will contribute to their overall nutritional provision."
Placing a ban on white potatoes is unhealthy
In fact, if you actively enjoy white potatoes, preventing yourself from eating them is unhealthy from a behavioral point of view as it's a sign of an unhealthy relationship with food.
"In their raw form, sweet potatoes and white potatoes don't differ that significantly when it comes to nutrition, and so it'd be misguided to think that always eating sweet potatoes (in whatever form) over white potatoes is a form of eating healthfully," said Tsai.
She said that labeling food as "good" or "bad" can strengthen disordered eating patterns or food-related anxiety.
"Instead, let your hunger and fullness levels and personal preferences at any given moment guide how you want to eat," Tsai advised.
"Drop the 'good' and 'bad' labels, and think in terms of fullness and satisfaction.
"The more we neutralize and normalize all foods, the less likely we are to partake in cycles of restricting and then overeating specific foods.
"I would argue that this cycle is what is actually harmful — not eating white carbohydrates as part of a balanced diet."
Eat whichever potato you enjoy
Ultimately, you should eat whichever form of potato you enjoy and fancy on any given day. And do away with any negative feelings that may come with your choice.
"I want people not to be scared of eating foods they enjoy in general," said Spence.
"If you prefer regular french fries to sweet potato fries, eat the regular ones. The vitamins and minerals will be different but you can get those in other foods."
Spence, like Tsai and Huntriss, is anti the "good" vs "bad" school of thought around food, explaining that "white foods don't equal unhealthy," it's simply that "different foods will give us different attributes."
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