Sweet Potatoes vs. White Potatoes: How Do They Compare?

Potatoes often get a bad rap. But when prepared properly, most spuds are considered highly nutritious.

“In general, potatoes are packed with fiber, and white potatoes have more potassium than a banana,” says Courtney Darsa, RD, who is based in New York City. “Just like any food, potatoes can have a healthy place in your diet.”

• Calories: 92
• Protein: 2.1 grams (g)
• Fat: 0.15 g
• Carbohydrates 21.1 g
• Fiber: 2.1 g
• Sugar: 1.53 g
• Potassium: 544 milligrams (mg)
• Vitamin C: 12.6 mg

• Calories: 90
• Protein: 2.01 g
• Fat: 0.15 g
• Carbohydrates: 20.7 g
• Fiber: 3.3 g
• Sugar: 6.48 g
• Potassium: 475 mg
• Vitamin C: 19.6 mg

While sweet potatoes have more natural sugar than white, “they both have the same number of grams of total carbohydrates, so they will be metabolized the same way,” says Antonucci.

“I’m a certified diabetes educator, and people with diabetes can and should eat (unadulterated) potatoes,” says Antonucci. The only thing to keep in mind is portion sizes and how those affect the potato’s carbohydrate content.

Both sweet and white potatoes can be worked into an effective weight-loss diet. Baked, roasted, and boiled potatoes with little added salt, sugar, or other toppings are nutritious. They can provide a significant amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

“While it is easy to overeat chips and fries, people do not gain a ton of weight by eating regular potatoes,” says Antonucci. That’s mainly because regular potatoes are self-limiting, she adds. It’s really hard to sit down to a pile of plain potatoes and eat too many of them, as you’ll fill up and stop.

Here are some examples of nutritious ways to enjoy sweet and white potatoes with dinner or even as a nutritious snack:

• Bake a sweet potato for dinner alongside sauteed broccoli drizzled with olive oil and a piece of baked salmon.
• Cut potatoes into strips and bake them in the oven to make “fries.”
• Chop up white potatoes to add to a soup. Or puree and stir them into a soup to make it “creamy.”
• Drizzle a potato with olive oil, wrap it in foil, and grill it.
• Toss pieces of roasted potato into an omelette or frittata.
• Mash sweet potatoes and add them to your Greek yogurt bowl with some nut butter.

Darsa says that when it comes to potato toppings, keep serving sizes in mind. She recommends 2 tablespoons (tbsp) of sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, or a pat of butter on a baked potato. Or dip roasted potatoes into 2 tbsp of ketchup. She says that while butter and sour cream aren’t the most nutritious options, they’re okay as long as you stick to the recommended serving sizes.

• Both sweet and white potatoes can be part of a well-balanced, nutritious diet.
• White potatoes have more calories, protein, and potassium than sweet potatoes, while sweet potatoes have more fiber and vitamin C.
• The recommended potato serving size for people with diabetes and those trying to lose weight is one fist.
• Fried potato–based food products with added fat and salt can contribute to weight gain. Boiled, baked, and roasted potatoes with little added salt and fat can be part of an effective weight-loss diet.