Which Sweet Potato Is the Healthiest?

Everyone loves the sweet, caramelized flavor of a sweet potato, and its health benefits make this spud a spectacular addition to your diet. Behind their colorful interior, all sweet potatoes are chock-full of nutrients, but they differ in their antioxidant content, depending on the type.

Because they are all relatively comparable in nutrition, the best sweet potato to choose really comes down to your personal preference for taste, texture and how you want to use them in your favorite recipe.

Common Sweet Potatoes

• Orange or red skin with orange flesh: These types of sweet potatoes normally have rose or reddish colored skin. These are the most common sweet potatoes grown in the U.S. They have a slightly sweet taste and are fairly firm inside. These are the potatoes that you may mistake for yams at your grocery store.

• White or cream flesh: This type of sweet potato often has yellow, golden brown, or purple skin. The flesh is dryer in texture and tastes starchier than other types.

• Purple flesh: These potatoes have a purple-colored skin and include the Okinawan sweet potato. Okinawans are a locally grown staple of Hawaii and are quickly gaining in popularity in the U.S. because of their unique color. Purple sweet potatoes have a creamy texture and delicate, sweeter taste than their orange-fleshed cousins.

Sweet Potato Nutrition

All varieties of sweet potatoes are a healthy source of complex carbohydrates which provide your body with energy needed for the proper functioning of cells, including your brain. One serving of orange flesh sweet potato provides 17.3 grams of carbohydrates, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

With only 79 calories in a 100 gram serving of sweet potato, according to the USDA food data, there is no fat or cholesterol — unless you smother your potato with butter or sour cream. Better to flavor it with fresh herbs or low-fat yogurt.

Sweet potatoes contain potassium, vitamin A, and some B vitamins. They are a good source of fiber and relatively low in calories. Half of a large sweet potato has just 81 calories, according to Mayo Clinic.

The Difference Depends on Color

Although most types of sweet potatoes have a similar vitamin and mineral content, an outstanding difference is their phytonutrient profile. All contain antioxidants, but the color of the flesh of a sweet potato determines the source and amount. Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are rich in carotenoids. In contrast, sweet potatoes with purple-colored flesh are rich in anthocyanins, the compound that gives them their rich, vibrant color.

Carotenoids are yellow and orange pigments, synthesized by many plants, which function as a source of vitamin A (retinol) in your body. The most common carotenoids are beta carotenes, lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Carotenoids may be beneficial in enhancing your immune system and contribute to eye health.

Anthocyanins are flavonoids naturally found in red, purple and blue fruits and berries. Anthocyanins are known for their antioxidant activity and ability to scavenge free radicals, and they offer protection against age-related degenerative diseases and other chronic disorders, according to an overview published in 2020 in the Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany.

Good for Your Eyes

If you’re concerned about maintaining good vision, it's good to know that a sweet potato contains an abundance of an important nutrient — beta-carotene or vitamin A — known for its role in eye health. The vitamin A in sweet potatoes can help prevent dry eyes, night blindness and reduce the risk of eye infections, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Along with beta-carotene, the orange flesh of sweet potatoes indicates a high concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoid antioxidants that are beneficial to eye health, states the International Journal Papier Advance and Scientific Review.

Help Ease Anxiety and Depression

If you are among the many people who suffer from stress, anxiety or depression, eating sweet potatoes may help, due to their high magnesium content. Sweet potatoes are rich in magnesium, which has been shown to help lower anxiety levels, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Among its many benefits, magnesium helps relieve tension and can help even out cortisol levels and stress hormones in the body, according to Cleveland Clinic. While sweet potatoes aren’t meant to replace traditional treatment for mental health conditions, adding them to your diet may reduce your symptoms of anxiety over time.

The Takeaway

• While sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients, they differ in their specific antioxidant content, depending on the type.
• Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are rich in carotenoids, while sweet potatoes with purple-colored flesh are rich in anthocyanins.
• Because the different varieties of sweet potatoes are relatively comparable in nutrition, the best sweet potato to choose ultimately comes down to your personal preference.