Sweet Potatoes Vs White Potatoes

Sweet and white potatoes 

Sweet and white potatoes are both tuberous root vegetables , but they differ in appearance and taste. They come from different plant families, offer different nutrients and blood sugar levels differently. The potato cakes and  normal are both considered root vegetables but are only distantly from the same family: the sweet potato, also known by the term yam, comes from the morning glory family . The edible part of these plants are tubers growing on the roots.

Both varieties originated in regions of Central and South America, but are now grown and consumed around the world. Sweet potatoes typically have brown skin and orange flesh, but are also available in purple, yellow, and red varieties. Regular potatoes come in shades of brown, yellow and red and have white, yellow or purple flesh. 

In supermarkets there are more and more sweet potatoes or American potatoes, which have a different shape and color from those we are used to, but above all they have different nutritional characteristics. If you have never bought them because they look like something exotic, know that you can use the same cooking methods in the oven, steam, boiled or fried to cook them. After you have read below it is very likely that you will buy them to enjoy all the benefits of this product that can also grow in our area and can be grown at home.

Normal and sweet potatoes: nutritional values

A normal potato, of medium size, including the skin weight about 150 g and provides about 115 Kcal, 26g of carbohydrates, only 0.1 gram of fat and almost 3 gram of protein. Potatoes also contains vitamin B6, iron, niacin and are excellent source of vitamin C.

A sweet potato of the same size provides similarly to the classic potato about 130 calories and 0.1 grams of fat and about 2.5 g of protein and 30 g of carbo(of which 6 g of sugar)

Potatoes: varieties in comparison

While normal and sweet potatoes are comparable in terms of calories, proteins and carbohydrates, white potatoes provide more potassium, while sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A lot . Both types of potatoes also contain other beneficial plant compounds. The sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants that help fight cell damage in the body caused by free radicals . The normal potatoes contain compounds called glycoalkaloids, which have been shown to have anticancer effects.

Sweet potatoes contain a lot of starch, so it is recommended to use it as a coating agent for various diseases of the digestive tract. Sweet potatoes can also be consumed by people with diabetes mellitus, as it blocks the rapid entry of glucose into the bloodstream.

People who play sports need to add a root crop to their diet, since this product contains complex carbohydrates. Studies show that sweet potatoes can help bodybuilders reduce muscle aches and cramps.

Varieties of dessert root vegetables:

There are several varieties of dessert root vegetables:

Beauregard: It is unpretentious to care for, rather sweet, contains a large amount of glucose and provitamin A. Tubers are characterized by a copper color with a bright orange pulp inside.

Burgundy: It has a rich aroma and a lot of sucrose. The rind of the tuber is crimson, and the flesh is characterized by a bright orange color, which does not change under the influence of heat treatment.

Garnet: This variety is characterized by an average productivity. The tuber is covered with a red skin, and the flesh is orange inside.

Georgia Red: It is unpretentious to the conditions of planting in open ground and in maintenance, therefore it does not require a lot of heat and sunlight. In its raw form, this root vegetable resembles a regular potato. It becomes sweet only after boiling.

Kumara Red: Needs constant lighting and high temperature. Its tubers are not very sweet, round, yellow inside. If this sweet potato variety is eaten raw, its flesh tastes tart.

O.Henry: This variety is resistant to various pests and diseases. The tuber is cream colored, and the flesh is yellow, sweet and dry.

Victory 100: After planting, it ripens very quickly, unlike other varieties of sweet potatoes. The pulp of the tuber tastes like a banana and a nut. However, in order to have this taste, the sweet potato must lie a little longer after harvesting, otherwise it will be tasteless.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of sweet potatoes are very diverse. So, thanks to the fiber content, sweet potatoes help prevent constipation and also absorb excess acid.

The vegetable helps cleanse the blood from cholesterol, and also normalizes blood pressure, improves blood circulation and makes the walls of blood vessels more elastic and thicker.

It will be useful for people who smoke to add sweet potatoes to their menu, since their body lacks vitamin A, which can cause the development of various diseases. Regular consumption of the root vegetable helps to cope with this problem.

Can you eat the peel of potatoes?

Absolutely yes,  the peel is edible both for sweet and white potatoes. And it is also rich in nutrients (fiber, vitamins, minerals) so it is absolutely advisable to consume it!

However that the potato is not old and the skin is not shriveled and sprouted.

In summary white potatoes have more starch and glucose, which is more available in the body and more easily absorbed for post-workout muscle recovery. Sweet potatoes have more fructose, but lower glycemic index, a better micronutrient content and extremely low presence of anti-nutrients.