How Many Calories in a Large Baked Sweet Potato? Nutrition Facts

Understanding Sweet Potato Nutrition

With their vibrant orange flesh and sweet taste, sweet potatoes have become an increasingly popular alternative to regular white potatoes. But when it comes to calories and nutrition, how exactly do sweet potatoes compare?

Sweet Potato or Yams?

Before diving into the nutritional stats, it's important to understand the difference between a sweet potato and a yam. Although the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they actually refer to two different vegetables:

• Sweet potatoes have thin, smooth skin and flesh that ranges from white to vibrant orange. They are tuberous roots in the morning glory plant family.
• Yams have thick, rough, dark brown skin and starchy white or purple flesh. They are also tubers, but are part of a different plant family.

In the United States, the moist, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are most commonly found in grocery stores. So for the purposes of this article, "sweet potato" refers to the orange-fleshed sweet potato tubers.

Sweet Potato vs. White Potato Nutrition

When comparing nutrients, sweet potatoes and white potatoes have a similar nutritional profile. They both offer carbs, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium and manganese.

However, there are some key differences that set them apart:

More Vitamin A

One sweet potato provides more than 100% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin A. White potatoes have no vitamin A.

More Potassium

Sweet potatoes offer about 542 milligrams of potassium per medium potato with skin. White potatoes have about 611 milligrams per medium potato with skin.

More Fiber

A medium sweet potato with skin has about 4 grams of fiber. White potatoes with skin provide 3 grams of fiber.

Fewer Carbs and Calories

There are about 21 net carbs and 90 calories found in an average medium sweet potato. White potatoes have about 26 grams of net carbs and 161 calories per average medium potato.

Calories in a Large Baked Sweet Potato

The specific calorie and carb count can vary slightly depending on the exact size of the sweet potato. However, according to the USDA, one large baked sweet potato without skin contains approximately:

• 167 calories
• 39.8 grams of carbs
• 4.8 grams of fiber
• 34.2 grams of net carbs (Total carbs minus fiber)

For comparison, one large white potato that is baked without skin has about 318 calories, 73 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fiber and 68 grams of net carbs (1).

Calories Can Vary by Cooking Method

How you prepare your sweet potato also impacts the calorie count:

• Sweet potatoes baked in their skin have slightly more calories and carbs since the skin stays on.
• Mashed or pureed sweet potatoes also retain more nutrients and calories vs peeled, sliced sweet potatoes boiled in water.
• Dehydrated sweet potato chips can have fewer calories than the whole baked potato, but they lose nutrients during processing.

Health Benefits

Both sweet and white potatoes provide lots of healthy nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Here is how they benefit your health:

Improve Blood Sugar Regulation

Despite having natural sugars, sweet and white potatoes have a low glycemic index which helps regulate blood sugar levels (2).

Support Gut Health

The fiber, nutrients and phytochemicals in sweet and white potatoes promotes the good bacteria in your digestive system (3).

Reduce Inflammation

Anti-inflammatory compounds found in both types of potatoes may help decrease inflammation and oxidative stress in the body (4).

Protect Against Chronic Disease

Nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin B6 and potassium have been linked with a decreased risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes (5, 6, 7).

Weight Loss

Both sweet and white potatoes can be part of a weight loss diet. However, they may impact weight differently:

Sweet Potatoes May Aid Weight Loss

Despite having natural sugars, sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index than white potatoes. Fewer spikes in blood sugar levels helps control appetite and cravings (8).

The fiber and nutrients in sweet potatoes can also increase feelings of fullness and satisfaction after eating (9).

White Potatoes May Promote Weight Gain

Some studies have associated white potato consumption with weight gain over time, especially when eaten in the form of french fries or potato chips (10).

Working white potatoes into meals in moderation, as well as proper portion sizes can help offset those concerns.

Managing Diabetes

For people with diabetes, monitoring carbohydrate intake and blood sugar levels is important. Here is how sweet potatoes and white potatoes compare for managing diabetes:

Sweet Potatoes Have a Lower Glycemic Index

Despite having natural sugars, sweet potatoes don't spike blood sugar levels as high as white potatoes do after they are eaten (2).

Better for Short Term Blood Sugar Control

Some research found that eating sweet potatoes helped reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes compared to eating white potatoes (11).

May Help Long Term Blood Sugar Control

A few studies observe that cultures who eat more white potatoes as a staple tend to have higher rates of type 2 diabetes. However, associations don't equal causation (12).

For most healthy people, both sweet and white potatoes can be part of a diabetes friendly diet when portion sizes and frequency is controlled.

Are Sweet Potatoes Healthier Than White Potatoes?

Sweet potatoes and white potatoes share similar health benefits and nutrients. Sweet potatoes have a few edges nutritionally with more vitamin A, more fiber and fewer carbs and calories than white potatoes per serving.

However, both can be nourishing additions to an overall healthy diet. Sweet potatoes offer great flavor and versatility as fries, mash, baked goods or skillet dishes.

White potatoes are cherished comfort foods that still provide good-for-you nutrients like vitamin C, potassium and fiber, especially when the skin is consumed too.

Incorporating both sweet and white potatoes as sides can add more variety to meals for balanced nutrition.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.