Are Sweet Potatoes or Yams Good for Diabetes?

Sweet potatoes and yams are two different vegetables, but both ingredients are complex and nutrient-dense high-fiber starches of the kind routinely recommended for a diabetes-friendly diet.

These two root vegetables come from completely different tuberous root vegetable families, according to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Sweet potatoes and yams also taste different. Yams are starchier and less sweet, while sweet potatoes have that recognizable sweetness, according to Serious Eats.

Both ingredients have a solid amount of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, especially in contrast to highly processed refined starches like products made with white flour. Though these root veggies can make your blood sugar rise due to their carbohydrate content, they may be good options for your long-term diabetes health.

Are Sweet Potatoes Good for People With Diabetes?

Sweet potatoes are a good choice for a "starchy" carbohydrate that people with diabetes can enjoy, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

There are many varieties of sweet potatoes available. Most U.S. grocery stores will carry sweet potatoes with white or orange flesh that can be used for baking or cooking, but you’ll also find red and purple varieties. Confusingly, some of these, particularly red garnet sweet potatoes, might be sold as “yams,” according to Serious Eats.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 1 cup of raw cubed sweet potato has:

• 114 calories
• 2.1g protein
• 0.1g fat
• 27g carbohydrates
• 4g fiber
• 6g sugar

While carbohydrate-dense foods can quickly increase your blood sugar levels, sweet potatoes also have protein and fiber — both of which may help combat blood sugar spikes experienced after eating carbohydrate-dense foods, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center. While people with diabetes are sometimes told to limit how many carby foods they eat, experts agree that if you’re going to choose a starchy ingredient for your meal, nutrient-dense options like sweet potatoes are a great place to start.

Sweet potatoes are also extremely rich in vitamin A, and a good source of vitamins B6, manganese, and potassium.

Are Yams Good for People With Diabetes?

True yams are imported from tropical regions such as the Caribbean, Latin America, or Africa and are less common at grocery stores in the United States. These veggies generally have brown skin and white flesh, and they’re not as sweet as sweet potatoes.

Yams can also be part of a diabetes-friendly diet. According to the USDA, 1 cup of raw cubed yams has:

• 177 calories
• 2.3g protein
• 0.3g fat
• 42g carbohydrates
• 6g fiber
• 0.8g sugar

With 42 grams of carbohydrates per cup, this is a high-carb ingredient. Nevertheless, 6 of those grams come from fiber and only 0.8 grams come from sugar.

Compared with sweet potatoes, yams contain even more potassium and manganese, which helps build bones and support the immune system, according to Harvard University’s The Nutrition Source.

Do Yams and Sweet Potatoes Spike Blood Sugar?

Both yams and sweet potatoes have the potential to increase your blood sugar levels in the short term, due to their carbohydrate content. If you have diabetes and track your blood sugar after every meal, it’s possible that you’ll need to take insulin or to plan a walk or exercise session after eating to keep your glucose levels in range, according to DiaTribe.

Nevertheless, most nutrition sources believe that complex carbohydrates like these are overall very healthy for people who are concerned about their blood sugar. Both varieties have relatively little sugar and are good sources of fiber, which is good for long-term health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

When eating starchy ingredients, it’s important to keep your portion sizes in mind, too. "Too much of any type of carbohydrate can lead to unwanted blood sugar spikes," says Blake Metcalf, RD, a registered dietitian and an assistant professor at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education.

Carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and yams should take up only about a quarter of your plate, according to the Diabetes Plate promoted by the ADA. Most of your plate should be devoted to non-starchy vegetables like lettuce or broccoli.

How you prepare these starchy vegetables also makes a difference when it comes to watching your blood sugar. If you’re cooking sweet potatoes in a casserole with added sugars, syrup and marshmallows, for example, you’re adding a lot of extra sugar, which makes your recipe considerably less diabetes-friendly.