This is a good choice of vegetable to add to stews or you can roast the sweet potatoes in the oven. Sweet potatoes are a lower-calorie, high-fiber alternative to starchy potatoes, making them a favorite healthier alternative. One of the most popular varieties of sweet potatoes that is grown in the US is the Beauregard variety. The glycemic index (GI) measures how various foods can increase or decrease your blood sugar level. From the findings of the study, researchers concluded that purple sweet potato antioxidants boosted DNA synthesis and maintained cell survival and division. Finish with a drizzle of tahini, or like me the dried crumbly bits at the bottom of the jar. Satiety value is greater. The flesh of these tubers is very smooth and baked Porto Rican sweet potatoes make a tasty buttery mash. This variety is also called the soft sweet potato and has reddish-brown skin with bright, orange flesh. Because of their denseness, these sweet potatoes take longer than some other varieties to cook, but the wait is well worth it. The skin is often purple or red with a textured, semi-rough feel and some shallow eyes. This color usually intensifies after cooking. To settle the debate at least in regard to which potato is the healthier option we turn to registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD. Garnets are oblong tubers that have dark-orange to red skin with deep orange-colored flesh. Traditionally, Korean sweet potatoes are roasted or steamed and served as a snack. The O'Henry sweet potato is white on the inside like a regular potato, with thin, pale, reddish or tan skin. Incidentally, yams and sweet potatoes are different. I've long believed that the sweet potato is a perfect foodit's filling, flavorful, easy to make, and, according to the internet, relatively nutritious. Perhaps unsurprisingly, boiled sweet potatoes contain more than 14 times the amount of sugar of regular boiled potatoes (11.6g compared to 0.8g per 100g). Adirondack Blue Potato Flesh Color: Dark purple flesh. Their skins can be various shades of brown, yellow, orange, red or purple. Lets answer, is Spanish mackerel the same as Atlantic mackerel? This is definitely the faster method of cooking them. Both typically have brownish skin; though, that can vary depending on the variety. Fiber rich diets have been linked to regular bowel movements and a lower risk of colon cancer 8. Sweet potato Firm sweet potato with golden skin and lighter flesh. Purple Sweet Potato vs Sweet Potato: Whats The Difference? When roasted, their exterior crisps up while the interior remains creamy. And aside from being healthy, theyre inexpensive and versatile in meals.. Carotenoids may be beneficial in enhancing your immune system and contribute to eye health. Hannah sweet potatoes are perfect mashed as a side. Please help! However, it still has a sweet nutty taste that is common to all types of sweet potato. Purple sweet potatoes store bought can last for about two weeks if properly stored. Serving Size: 1 medium potato Calories: 177 Fat: 0.26g Carbohydrates: 42g (6g fiber) Protein: 2.29g Vitamin A: 4%* Vitamin C: 43%* Calcium: 3%* Iron: 5%* Potassium: 1224mg (35%*) Vitamin B6: 22%* Manganese: 30%* Jewel Sweet Potatoes SKIN - Orange/copper. So, sweet potatoes are a completely different type of vegetable from potatoes. The dense flesh holds up well during cooking and its sweet orange flesh makes delicious sweet potato wedges. The majority of the sugar in sweet potatoes is from sucrose . Melatonin is known to promote relaxation and sleep and is helpful as a sleep-aid medication. Everyone loves the sweet, caramelized flavor of a sweet potato, and its health benefits make this spud a spectacular addition to your diet. Purple sweet potatoes have a beige outer skin with a purple flesh inside. Potatoes and sweet potatoes are different. SKIN Deep purple. That is, in order to keep the same nutritional value I had in sweet potato, I should eat about ~24 gram of whole wheat pasta (17g crabs, 2.88 protein and 84 calories). Lutein and zeaxanthin may be helpful in improving pigment density in your macula and neutralizing damaging free radicals. It's also because white potatoes are, well, white. Garnet sweet potatoes aren't necessarily sweet, but they're full of nutrients. The more potassium, the more sodium your body will lose. Sweet potatoes contain Potato Vs Sweet Potato - Carbs Content When comparing strictly on carb content, both potatoes and sweet potatoes both have the exact same amount of carbs at 21g. So does that mean you should skip white potatoes? All the varieties described below are technically sweet potatoes, though theyre often called yams. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. KETO RECIPES CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnAGH-jp4YXl30rir1BPrxA/Is bread or potato worse for your health? But back then, the sweet potato was also white or yellow in color. Coho Salmon vs King: Whats The Difference? That's thanks to early 20th-century Southern farmers, who began using "yam" to refer to the newer, orange-fleshed varieties of sweet potatoes they were cultivating, as a way to differentiate their product from the white-fleshed sweet potatoes Americans were already familiar with. 7. These sweet potatoes are much denser than most of the orange varieties, and starchier, too. I roast them in a scorching-hot oventhough science (and our culinary team) advises against thisuntil the skin turns to a crinkly leather and the interior is a gooey, steaming mess of bubbling sugars and chewy flesh. If you have any questions about this article dont hesitate to email us. Ube yams (Dioscorea alata) shouldnt be confused with sweet potatoes because they are from the family Dioscoreaceae. There is also an Oriental/Japanese variety with a dark purple skin and white flesh . Their flesh is slightly stringier and more juicy than some other varieties when cooked, so they're good for mashing and incorporating into baked goods and desserts. The sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas) is an underground tuber. A Matter of Nutrition: Sweet Potato vs Potato. Serotonin is a brain neurotransmitter that helps regulates mood and sleep, among other things. The primary difference between oat bran and oatmeal is how each is made. Color: Light orange skins, orange flesh.Flavor: Lightly sweet.Texture: Moist, watery.Best uses: Boiling, baking, in casseroles. Sweet potatoes are sweeter and moister than the drier purple. Oatmeal, Read More Oatmeal Vs. Oat Bran: A ComparisonContinue, Bluegill and redear sunfish are very similar. Fiber remains in the digestive tract and provides gut related health benefits. In addition to being sweet and flavorful, they retain their lovely orange hue even after baking. They're naturally sweet and nutty with a more robust flavor than traditional sweet potatoes. On the other hand, purple potatoes are richer in anthocyanins. Seek the advice of a medical professional for proper application of ANY material on this site to your specific situation. First of all, jewel sweet potatoes are a particular variety that is prized for its delicate flavor and beautiful appearance. They have tapered ends, a slight curve to the overall shape and are small to medium in size. Color: Dark orange-red skins, bright orange flesh.Flavor: Sweet.Texture: Moist.Best uses: Mashing, baking. Fat. However, many may not know there are multiple breeds of salmon with varying flavor and texture characteristics. All that nutrition with no real toxicity makes these colorful root veggies a delicious addition to any Paleo meal. However, it is not related to the potato plant Solanum tuberosum as their composition of simple sugars and complex starches is pretty different. I lived on this island off the Southern coast of China for 3 months, and I survived in large part on sweet potatoes (in addition to salted duck eggs, roasted duck, and fresh fish!). If youre substituting regular sweet for purple in a recipe, remember to shorten the cooking time. All nutrition data based on baked sweet potato with skin and baked white potato with skin. Generally more round (fatter) than the Stokes purple variety, which are more elongated. Find out how purple yams compared in my article here. Vigorous vines, normal leaf, golden orange skin, creamy yellow flesh, above average yield. Sweet potato is a major staple crop that is grown in many parts of the world, and there are many different sweet potato viruses that can cause disease and reduce crop yields. In a separate bowl, mix topping ingredients together and top sweet potatoes. If you are interested in integrating more protein into your diet, you should probably consider traditional potatoes instead of sweet potatoes. (6). Appearance wise, they look the most like yams. Thousands of different varieties exist today. While not inherently bad in any way, the sweet potato seems to overpower the spices. Covingtons pair well with savory herbs like cilantro, parsley or rosemary, warming spices such as cinnamon, cumin and curry powder, and staples like garlic, ginger and onions. However, white, cream, yellow, and deep purple are also other colors of sweet potatoes. TASTE Not very sweet, and pretty dry inside. The Carolina Ruby sweet potato is a cultivar that was developed using Beauregards. (1). If you are looking for one of the sweetest types of potato, then this Hernandez variety is one of the best. This compound is tryptophan; the USDA reports that sweet potatoes contain 46 milligrams or 16 percent of your DV per serving. So, when I spotted these 5 varieties of sweet potatoes in Whole Foods the other day, I decided to document them with photographs and notes! Use them both. You will learn about the color of their skin, flesh, and how they taste. Cutting up potatoes and sweet potatoes helps preserve their starchiness, while cooking them whole results in more sugariness. Data from five long-running cohort studies including over 1 million participants found that the beta-carotene found in sweet potatoes was associated with a 15-percent reduced risk of ALS. The flesh varies, too, and can be creamy white,. Their skins can be various shades of brown, yellow, orange, red or purple. A study published in Food & Nutrition Research in June 2015 examined the association between purple sweet potato anthocyanins and growth of human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. "Macronutrient-wise, both potatoes clock in at very similar values. The popular Hannah batata (sweet potato) has light tan skin and yellow flesh. Hannahs are dense, firm, and creamy, and much less prone to becoming waterlogged than orange sweet potatoes. Japanese sweet potatoes, or satsumaimo in Japanese, are a sweet, starchy root vegetable with reddish-purple skin and pale yellow to white flesh. Get fresh recipes, cooking tips, deal alerts, and more! Sweet potatoes are said to have about 86 calories per 100 g and roughly 100 calories per dish. Covingtons have a moist and creamy texture with a malty sweet flavor when cooked. Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuber vegetables. The purple color comes from pigments called anthocyanins which are powerful antioxidants. As mentioned earlier, anthocyanins are the pigments that give red, purple, and blue fruits, plants and vegetables their rich coloring and provide anti-inflammatory benefits. So if youre looking to keep your diet low in carbs, you might want to look for other alternatives lower on the glycemic index. There have been entire years during which I've religiously baked two sweet potatoes every night, eating one piping-hot from the oven, and putting the other in the fridge overnight. Related article: Ultimate Guide to Different Kinds of Potatoes, Different Types of Grapefruit From Around the World (With Pictures and Names), Types of Olives: 28 Tasty Varieties of Olives You Should Try, Types of Cabbage: Delicious Cabbage Varieties (Including Pictures and Names). One medium, 5-inch sweet potato, cooked, provides 23.6 grams or 8 percent of your daily value (DV) for carbs, according to the USDA. The flesh is vibrant purple that has a dry starchy texture. Sweet potatoes are a type of root vegetable that look and taste different from regular potatoes. Policy. Purple and regular sweet potatoes are both stored in a cool, dry, ventilated container. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Can purple sweet potatoes and sweet potatoes be stored together? Yukon Gold, white potatoes, and purple . Yam Soft sweet potato with a copper skin and deep orange flesh. White potatoes score the highest at 75. Since pistachios and almonds provide many nutrients some of my clients wonder if one is better. Both typically have brownish skin; though, that can vary depending on the variety. Rest assured, either variety is a good choice nutritionally - so say goodbye to sweet potato favouritism and hello to all kinds of taters. Policy. Although most types of sweet potatoes have a similar vitamin and mineral content, an outstanding difference is their phytonutrient profile. If you eat too many of these tasty veggies you might notice your skin and nails looking a little orange! Braising these taters, or cooking them low and slow, gives them a silky texture. The traditional sweet potato and the purple sweet potato are two of the most common. Though I think of these as very sweet, their flavor is actually more subdued and subtle than other breeds. King and Coho salmon are both great for high-quality meals, but its important to understand their differences. One of the ways that Korean sweet potatoes differ from American varieties is that their flesh is denser and they taste sweeter. Jewel sweet potatoes can be cooked in a few different ways. Sweet potatoes have more tapered ends while yams have rounded ends. However, they should be avoided by people who have kidney stones. Purple potato may be more difficult to find in traditional supermarkets. To conduct some original research, I polled readers, clients and members of food groups. So, how should you cook potatoes or sweet potatoes to get the most benefit? Sometimes called the Yellow Hannah or Sweet Hannah, this variety of sweet potato has lightly colored tan skin. Any diet, health, or nutritional program you undertake should be discussed with your doctor or other licensed medical professional. Purple ones are drier, therefore, they will need longer cooking times than orange ones. According to Harvard University, vitamin A is a great source to stimulate healthy white blood cells 7. As a Certified Health Coach many of my clients ask me about fish including mackerel. Sweet, white. When cooked, Envy sweet potatoes have a mildly sweet taste and moist flesh. They can both be baked, roasted, mashed or grilled. The articles rely on scientific studies, medical associations and professional experience. It helps the body get rid of excess sodium reducing fluid build-up. Adirondack Blue Potato Skin Color: Dark purple skin. In 100g of my whole wheat pasta there are 72g carbs, 12g protein and 350 calories. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Popular varieties of soft sweet potatoes are the Jewel Yam and Garnet Yam. The identifying feature of the Carolina Ruby is the deep reddish-purple smooth skin that covers bright orange flesh. Be careful with the toppings you add afterward, though and make sure to eat the skin. Unlike most other sweet potatoes, this Japanese variety has drier flesh. Some important nutrients that sweet potatoes contain include vitamin A and C, potassium, B vitamins, manganese, magnesium and copper. All types of sweet potatoes offer nutrient-dense benefits to your health. So, for example, a baked sweet potato actually has a higher GI than a boiled white potato. They also provide some calcium, iron, magnesium, and folate. This is the only true yam on our list and it has thicker skin than sweet potatoes. Read More Atlantic Mackerel vs Spanish Mackerel Are They The Same?Continue, The difference between types of oats is not always immediately apparent. Instead, you'll find plenty of sweet potato varieties mislabeled as yams. Sweet potatoes originated in North America, first joining market shelves alongside the white potato as far back as the late 1600s. Orange sweet potatoes have purple or copper skin and orange flesh, and many consider them to be the most traditional. Sometimes, this sweet potato cultivar is sold as garnet yams in the U.S. Farmers pulled more than 370 million metric tons of potatoes out of the ground in 2019. These Hawaiian sweet potatoes have a delicate sweet taste and smooth texture. Furthermore, sweet potatoes are a natural sweetness. One popular type of heirloom sweet potato is Envy. This heritage sweet potato variety has light orange skin and flesh of a similar color. Lets Compare. Bush Porto Rico sweet potatoes are a popular type of sweet root vegetable that is also used to create many cultivars. They both provide a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrient profile. Although they are sometimes mistaken for yams, they are more firm on the inside and have a slightly sweet taste. Like other sweet potatoes, purple sweet potatoes are root vegetables and are members of the Ipomoea genus. FLESH Whitish flesh that turns golden when baked. In addition, Ill examine their benefits and if one is easier to store than the other. These potatoes have golden skin and bright orange-pinkish flesh, making them a popular choice for holiday dishes. Connor's reaction was scarcely more helpful than my husband's: "Good!" The conclusion: I had high hopes for the sweet potato pie, but the winner in the root vegetable custard pie head to head competition was clear: pumpkin pie still reigns supreme. There are two nutrients the body converts into vitamin A. Theyre both lower-calorie, low-fat foods that are rich in: Heres a side-by-side nutritional comparison. Mix well with a fork. In the south, they're often favored for side dishes and desserts. The quantity needed in recipes doesnt change when substituting one potato for the other. Regular potatoes have white or yellow flesh inside, while sweet potatoes are known for having orange innards. In addition to coaching clients about them, Ive purchased, researched and consumed both prior to, during and after writing this article. I first visited the Shoprite supermarket and these are the prices I found: I also checked Walmart and only found the regular: I then checked a specialty store (Friedas) and found the following prices: Sweet potatoes are generally available year-round, but purple sweet potatoes like the Okinawans are usually available between late summer through late spring. Conclusions, published in Preventive Nutrition and Food Science in June 2016, reported that all colors of potatoes were similar in polyphenol content, but the purple-fleshed potato had the highest content of anthocyanin antioxidants, while white-fleshed sweet potatoes had the lowest amount. Another group suggested that sweet potatoes are a vitamin A 'superfood', putting them way ahead of their white potato competitors. this post of 66 Paleo sweet potato recipes here. Sugar: A 100-gram serving of baked sweet potato contains 6.5 grams of sugar and a 100-gram serving of baked white potato contains 1.4 grams of sugar, making white potato the winner by a small margin. The Japanese satsuma-imo is my absolute favorite sweet potato. In addition, no statement on this website has been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and any product mentioned or described on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Chan: "The Nutrition Source: Sweet Potatoes", Journal of Medicinal Food: "Sweet Potato (Ipomoea Batatas [L.] Lam)--A Valuable Medicinal Food: A Review", MyFoodData: "Nutrition Facts for Sweet Potatoes", Harvard T.H. Purple sweet potatoes cost $2 more per pound than sweet potatoes. For fries, purple potatoes have the advantage. Eat Better Get Fit Manage Weight Live Well More Challenges Topics A-Z . Phytonutrients protect plants from germs, fungi, bugs, and other threats and can also help prevent disease and keep your body working correctly. For these reasons, Garnet is best used for baking recipes, such as sweet potato pie or a casserole. "Both terms are correct though. Fact 2: Sweet potato And Oatmeal Nutrition Difference Over the course of my years of near-religious sweet potato consumption, I've bought pretty much every shape and shade of sweet potato on grocery store shelves. Regular potatoes have white or yellow flesh inside, while sweet potatoes are known for having orange innards. Many people regard the flavor of Covingtons as the best among all the sweet potato varieties available. Jewel potatoes are one of the most popular orange varieties of sweet potato used for baking and making casseroles. For a delicious meal, pick these potatoes sweet in flavor. Is it correct? If you purchase anything through a link on this website, you should assume that we have an affiliate relationship with the company providing the product or service that you purchase, and that we will be paid in some way. Christy Wilhel. The Best Way to Cook Whole Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes 101: All You Need to Know About Common Spuds, Trevisano Radicchio Salad With Satsumas, Pistachios, and Calabrian Chile Vinaigrette, Austrian-Style Potato Salad (Erdpfelsalat) Recipe, Thanksgiving Stuffed Roast Pumpkins Recipe, Roasted Frozen Sweet Potatoes With Whipped Crme Frache and Granola, Roasted Pumpkin Soup With Brown Butter and Thyme Recipe, The Serious Eats Guide to Shopping for Asian Noodles, In Season: Sweet Potatoes, For Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, or Dessert, A Beginner's Guide to Olives: 14 Varieties Worth Seeking Out. They provide a higher level of anthocyanin antioxidants than orange or white flesh sweet potatoes. The reason why these white-fleshed OHenry sweet potatoes are so popular is that they are almost as sweet as the orange varieties. They contain 4 mg of sugar per one serving size of 110 grams. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine sweet potatoes, eggs, milk, sugar (if using), vanilla, salt, and melted butter. Compared to yams, sweet potatoes are shorter. Hernandez sweet potatoes have red skin, an oval to oblong shape that tapers at one end, and moist orange flesh. It's rich in an antioxidant called beta carotene, which is very effective at raising blood levels of vitamin A, particularly in. SKIN Orange/copper. flesh: These types of sweet potatoes normally have rose or reddish colored skin. Potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum) are in the Solanaceae family, related to tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant along with deadly nightshade. With only 103 calories in a whole, cooked sweet potato, there is no fat or cholesterol unless you smother your potato with butter or sour cream. Another type of sweet potato not to be confused with regular potatoes is the OHenry cultivar. I grew up with vegetarian parents, so I can comfortably go decent stretches of time without meat. Therefore, you may be changing the recipe slightly to make the dish a bit sweeter. One large baked sweet potato provides about 3.6 grams of protein. Color: Purplish-red skins, deep orange flesh.Flavor: Sweet.Texture: Slightly stringy, juicy when cooked.Best uses: Mashing and in baked goods and desserts (candied yams, biscuits). In addition, no statement on this website has been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and any product mentioned or described on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Their moist flesh is good for baking, mashing, or frying. Consuming one regular sweet potato provides 730% of the daily value for vitamin A. As the middle-of-the-road potato, all-purpose potatoes usually suffice as a substitute for any starchy or waxy potato recipe. Yams are tubers from from the Dioscoreaceae family, and are related to lilies and grasses. Vitamins and Minerals Sweet potatoes are especially high in vitamin A and potassium. Cook them until you can stick a fork into them easily (this takes approximately 30-60min). Some of the publications of DOST are spelled "sweet potato" and "sweetpotato." One Facebook user explained that both spelling styles are correct. If you have a local farm or roadside stand close by, buy them there. There are a few things you should consider before substituting these vegetables in recipes. Purple ones are denser requiring longer cooking times. Summary of differences between Red potato and Sweet potato Red potato has less Vitamin A RAE, Manganese, Vitamin C, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Fiber, and Vitamin B2 than Sweet potato. When cooked, Hannah sweet potatoes have a light yellow color. If youre looking for ideas for healthier potato or sweet potato dishes, here are a few to try: Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. While most sweet potato varieties are delicious and incredibly versatile, knowing what type you're dealing with can help you choose a cooking method and sweet potato recipe that may be better suited for that spud. These include: All purples can be easily made and still retain their rich purple color even when cooked. For this reason many people wonder if theyre the same or differences. What are White Sweet Potatoes? They need to be baked for approximately 90 to 120 minutes at 350 degrees. This is due to their drier and denser flesh. Looking at pictures of the Jersey sweet potato you can see that it is similar in color to regular potatoes. Poke a few holes into each potato with a fork or knife, place in microwaveable dish, and microwave on high for 5-10 minutes. Sweet potatoes have a medium-to-high GI, around 60, and yams have a lower GI at about 50. In addition, Sweet Potatoes can be served as an ingredient for salads, pies, cookies, cakes, puddings, and custards. Neither one of them is a bad choice, says Czerwony.But if you have to pick just one, sweet potatoes hold a slight edge, says Czerwony. You can purchase them all year round, and the most common types in the U.S. are the: These three are the most common and usually have orange, rose, or reddish-colored skin. An amino acid in sweet potato may be beneficial for helping you relax. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F. Real yams are native to Asia and Africa, and have scaly brown skin surrounding very starchy white flesh. One medium, 5-inch sweet potato, cooked, provides 23.6 grams or 8 percent of your daily value (DV) for carbs, according to the USDA. These are often grown in lesser quantities and popular with home gardeners. Sweet potatoes contain more calories, carbohydrates and fat than regular boiled potato, but the regular potato had more protein. Click To Download Your Paleo Diet Food List. Most notably, Beta Carotene, which is easily absorbed by the body. Types of Plums: Black, Red, and More Varieties (With Pictures) - Including Plumcots, Apriums, and Pl Types of Sweet Potatoes: Japanese, Hannah, Jersey and More, Ultimate Guide to Different Kinds of Potatoes. Tryptophan is the precursor of serotonin and melatonin. Want more Paleo sweet potato recipes? The Japanese sweet potato is perfect for braising, boiling or stir-frying. The mix-up between yams and sweet potatoes originated from the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The two most common white-fleshed sweet potatoes are Boniato, also called batata, or Cuban sweet potato, and the Japanese sweet potato, also called the satsuma-imo. They should be kept out of the refrigerator in a dark place away from heat. There are two main common variations of purple sweet potato. How to Cook Purple Yams: Baked, Boiled or Roasted, Sweet Potatoes Have Almost No Drawbacks, Unless You Have a History of Kidney Stones, 8 Warning Signs of Depression You Shouldn't Ignore, Harvard T.H. FLESH Orange. Takeaway Sweet potatoes are not necessarily "healthier" than white potatoes, but one can argue that they are more nutrient-dense. Jewels have light orange skin, and are less intensely sweet than Beauregards, but can be used in many of the same recipes. But while they contain significantly more vitamin A, regular potatoes contain slightly more vitamin C. NUTRITION Data from Whole Foods. Peeling off the skin reveals creamy white-colored flesh that has a mildly sweet flavor. Please note though, the type of vitamin A is betacarotene, and only a small percentage is actually converted to retinol, the usable form of vitamin A. These sweet potatoes don't boast the most complex flavor, but they make up for it with plenty of sweetness. So, when looking at all three types of potatoes, gram for gram, white potatoes will cause a sharper spike in blood sugar when eaten. Beauregards will break down slightly when cooked, and when roasted, while they'll still hold their shape, they don't maintain the same chewy bite that other varieties do. These varieties have light purple or reddish skins and sweet white flesh. While both potatoes are rich in vitamin C, copper, vitamin B6, fiber, and potassium, potatoes are ahead in manganese, and sweet potatoes are ahead in iron.