Whoever does the PR for sweet potatoes deserves a pay raise. Over the past few decades, these bright orange tubers have eclipsed their white potato friends as a “health food,” joining the ranks of chicken breast, broccoli, and brown rice on superfood lists and the menus of “health-conscious” chains like Sweetgreen.
But are sweet potatoes really that much healthier than regular potatoes? Beneath their brilliant color and all that good publicity, do they actually live up to the hype? To get to the bottom of these questions, we consulted two nutritionists and dug into the USDA’s nutritional analysis. Here’s everything you need to know.
Sweet Potatoes: Beyond the Peel
Sweet potatoes are unquestionably good for us. According to Kim Yawitz, RD, owner of Two Six Fitness in St. Louis, MO, they are “incredibly rich in antioxidants” as well as a “great source of vitamin A and vitamin C.”
In fact, a 3.5-ounce serving of sweet potato boasts over 100 percent of our daily recommended Vitamin A intake. That’s a huge benefit because “diets rich in…Vitamin A can also protect against macular degeneration,” Yawitz says, keeping our eyesight strong later in life.
