Sweet or White Potatoes

Let's get to the bottom of this never-ending debate.

Not long ago crazy nutrition enthusiasts decided to figure out whether white or sweet potatoes were considered “healthier.”

One group compared the glycemic index and load of sweet potatoes vs. potatoes. They suggested that since white potatoes tend to be higher, they should be avoided.

Another group suggested that sweet potatoes are a vitamin A ‘superfood’, putting them way ahead of their white potato competitors.

What happened next? Well, the carbophobes had their own take: All potatoes should be avoided because they’re too high in carbs and all those carbs will mess with your insulin regulation and cause fat gain.

Nonsense, all of it.

Both white and sweet potatoes, when eaten as part of a balanced and intentional diet, provide an array of nutrients AND contribute to satiety.

But doesn’t Glycemic Index matter?

Your blood sugar response is dependent on a multitude of things:

-Time of day -Genetics -Gut Bacteria -Medications -Sleep quantity/quality -How much protein, fat, carbs you eat -Physical Activity

Potatoes have starch, isn’t that bad for me?

On the contrary potatoes contain benefit resistant starch, which like fiber doesn’t digest at all. These get fermented in the gut to help you absorb nutrients, stay fuller longer, decrease inflammation, and prevent absorption of toxins.

How many carbs should I have?

Start with a baseline of 1 to 2 cupped handfuls of starchy carbs per meal.

This can be potatoes or sweet potatoes, but also a host of other delicious and nutritious choices: beans and lentils, fruit, whole minimally processed grains, etc.

And if there’s marshmallows under the sweet potatoes I think we will all be just fine.

Lastly, I encourage you to challenge the next individual who says that they’ve researched. Cause if the “research” is coming from a Netflix documentary, a YouTube channel, a podcast, your fit friendly celebrity, or Google it’s NOT research.

Conduct your own form of research to determine if a study is well conducted, designed, and has a conclusion of merit. Published and peer reviewed data exists on Pubmed.gov

Sorry feelings aren’t facts