Can You Eat the Skin on Sweet Potatoes? Benefits and Safety Tips

Can You Eat the Skin on Sweet Potatoes?

Sweet potatoes are a tasty, versatile, and highly nutritious root vegetable. With their sweet flavor, starchy texture, and vibrant orange color, they make a delicious addition to both savory and sweet dishes. While the flesh of the sweet potato contains the majority of the nutrients, the skin also offers some benefits of its own.

The skin of a sweet potato contains high amounts of fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. Leaving the skin on when preparing sweet potatoes substantially boosts the fiber content, which can improve digestive health. The skin also provides extra nutrition like vitamin E, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, calcium, and iron.

Though most commonly orange, sweet potato skin can range in color from pale yellow to deep purple. The different colors come from various beneficial antioxidant plant pigments, like beta-carotene and anthocyanins. These antioxidants help fight free radicals and lower oxidative stress.

Benefits of Eating Sweet Potato Skin

Here are some of the top benefits of eating sweet potato skins:

• High in dietary fiber - Fiber aids digestion, prevents constipation, and may help lower cholesterol.
• Extra nutrients like iron, calcium, and vitamins - The skin contains higher amounts of certain nutrients than the flesh.
• Antioxidants like anthocyanins and beta-carotene - These can help reduce inflammation and promote health.
• Potassium for blood pressure and heart health - With over 250mg potassium per medium skin, the skin provides excellent amounts of this mineral.
• May help regulate blood sugar - Fiber-rich foods like sweet potato skins can help stabilize blood sugar spikes.
• Contains anti-cancer antioxidants - Compounds in the skin may help protect against cancer cell formation and growth.

Nutritional Profile of Sweet Potato Skin

Though the specific amounts can vary based on the size and type, approximately 100 grams of sweet potato skin contains:

• Calories: 94
• Carbs: 12g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugars: 4g
• Protein: 4g
• Fat: 1g
• Vitamin A: >100% DV
• Vitamin C: 20% DV
• Iron: 12% DV
• Potassium: 12% DV
• Calcium: 5% DV

Are Sweet Potato Skins Safe to Eat?

For the most part, sweet potato skins are perfectly safe and nutritious to eat. However, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding proper preparation and food safety:

Wash Properly Before Cooking

Like any vegetable, sweet potatoes should be washed well before eating to remove dirt, bacteria, or residues from handling and storage. Scrub under running water and use a produce brush if needed.

Avoid Skins with Bruises/Cuts

Any large bruises, blemishes, or cuts on the potato should be avoided. Remove damaged parts of the skin before cooking and eating. Cuts and bruises make the potato more susceptible to harboring bacteria.

Cook Thoroughly

Always cook sweet potatoes (with skins on) until completely tender throughout. Undercooked sweet potato skins can be difficult to digest. Steaming, boiling, roasting, or baking ensures safety and ideal texture.

Eat Promptly or Refrigerate

Cooked sweet potatoes and skins should be eaten promptly or refrigerated within 2 hours. Like any food, leaving them out too long at room temperature allows bacteria growth.

Avoid Spoiled Potatoes

Do not eat skins (or flesh) from sweet potatoes that are mushy, moldy, or foul smelling. Discard any potatoes that show signs of spoilage.

Consider Food Allergies

Some people may have sensitivities or allergies to compounds in sweet potato skins. Check with your doctor if concerned.

Do You Have to Peel Sweet Potatoes?

Sweet potatoes do not have to be peeled before eating. In fact, leaving the nutrient-packed skin on provides extra nutrition and fiber. However, there are a few reasons you may want to remove the sweet potato skin:

Texture Preference

Some people simply prefer the softer, silkier texture of peeled sweet potato flesh. The skins can have a slightly tougher, chewier texture when cooked.

Difficulty Digesting Skins

For those with digestive problems like IBS, the high fiber skins may be difficult to tolerate. Removing the skin makes them easier to digest.

Using in Smoothies

When making sweet potato smoothies or purees, peeling makes for a smoother end product without skin pieces.

Appearance/Presentation

The look of the dish may be a factor, as peeled sweet potatoes have a uniform orange color. Skins left on can disrupt color and appearance.

Taste Preferences

Some find the taste of skins to be bitter or unpleasant, so peeling provides a milder flavor.

Tips for Preparing and Cooking Sweet Potatoes with Skin On

Here are some tips for getting the best results cooking and eating sweet potatoes with the skins on:

Give them a Good Scrub

Use a vegetable brush under running water to thoroughly scrub the potato skins. This removes any dirt or residue.

Pierce with a Fork

Before roasting or baking, pierce the sweet potatoes a few times with a fork. This allows steam to escape and prevents them from bursting.

Cook Sufficiently

Make sure to cook the sweet potatoes until completely tender when eating the skins. They take longer to soften up than the flesh.

Try Boiling or Steaming

If the skins are tough after roasting or baking, try boiling or steaming. The moist heat helps break down the skins' fiber.

Finish Baking

After boiling or steaming them first, you can finish them off in the oven to crisp and caramelize the skins.

Add Flavorings

Spice blends, herbs, oils, and seasonings like cinnamon, paprika, and cumin complement sweet potato skins.

Watch the Temperature

Higher temperatures (above 375°F) can cause excessive drying. Lower temperatures around 325-350°F allow the interiors to cook before the skins over-crisp.

Store in a Cool Place

Let any leftover cooked sweet potatoes cool completely before refrigerating. The skins will retain more moisture in the fridge.

Do Sweet Potato Skins Change the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly certain foods raise blood sugar levels. Low GI foods cause a slower, more gradual blood sugar spike compared to high GI foods.

Sweet potatoes have a medium to high GI, resulting in a moderate blood sugar response. However, the fiber-rich skins can help lower the overall GI of the vegetable. The skins slow down digestion, which leads to a less dramatic insulin reaction.

Research shows mixed impacts on the GI with sweet potato skins. Some studies demonstrate a significant reduction in GI when the skin stays on. Yet other data finds minimal difference between peeled versus unpeeled.

While not conclusively proven to lower the GI, the skins certainly provide more overall nutrition. Enjoying sweet potatoes with the skins can be part of a low glycemic diet due to their fiber and antioxidant properties.

Are There Any Downsides to Eating Sweet Potato Skins?

For most people, sweet potato skins are perfectly safe and healthy to eat. However, some potential downsides include:

Digestive Issues

The high fiber content of the skins may irritate digestion in those prone to IBS or other intestinal problems. Some experience bloating, gas, or discomfort after eating the skin.

Textural Changes

Cooking sweet potatoes whole with the skin on can impact the texture. The flesh may end up drier and not as creamy.

Cooking Challenges

Getting the skins fully tender without overcooking the insides can be tricky. They also tend to crisp and char faster than the flesh when roasting.

Flavor Impacts

Some people feel that leaving the skins on overpowers the natural sweetness of the sweet potato flesh with a bitter taste.

Pesticide Potential

Since you eat the skins, choosing organic sweet potatoes can help avoid any pesticide residues.

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, whether to eat sweet potato skins comes down to your personal taste and health needs. For most people, leaving them on provides extra nutrition with minimal drawbacks outside of textural preferences.

By eating the skins, you gain much more dietary fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and overall nutrition. Choose organic when possible, scrub well, cook thoroughly, and consume either peeled or unpeeled to reap the many benefits of sweet potatoes.

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.