Sweet Potatoes Vs. White Potatoes: How Do They Compare?

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SEE MORESweet Potatoes vs. White Potatoes: How Do They Compare?

Adobe Stock (2)ByJessica MigalaUpdated on October 30, 2025Medically Reviewed byKara Andrew, RDN, LDNON THIS PAGE

• Nutrition
• Diabetes
• Weight Loss
• How to Eat

ON THIS PAGE

• Nutrition
• Diabetes
• Weight Loss
• How to Eat

Potatoes often get a bad rap. But when prepared properly, most spuds are considered highly nutritious.

“In general, potatoes are packed with fiber, and white potatoes have more potassium than a banana,” says Courtney Darsa, RD, who is based in New York City. “Just like any food, potatoes can have a healthy place in your diet.”

What really sets white and sweet potatoes apart is their beta-carotene content. Beta-carotene is the antioxidant pigment that colors sweet potatoes a beautiful orange, says Darsa.

[1]

 Studies have found that diets rich in beta-carotene are linked with lower risks of illnesses like cancer, heart disease, eye illnesses, and other inflammatory health conditions.

[2]

Sweet Potato vs. White Potato Calories and Nutrition

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) FoodData Central, a 3.5-ounce (oz) serving of white potatoes contains the following:

[3]

• Calories: 92
• Protein: 2.1 grams (g)
• Fat: 0.15 g
• Carbohydrates 21.1 g
• Fiber: 2.1 g
• Sugar: 1.53 g
• Potassium: 544 milligrams (mg)
• Vitamin C: 12.6 mg

The same serving of sweet potatoes has the following nutritional content, according to the USDA:

[4]

• Calories: 90
• Protein: 2.01 g
• Fat: 0.15 g
• Carbohydrates: 20.7 g
• Fiber: 3.3 g
• Sugar: 6.48 g
• Potassium: 475 mg
• Vitamin C: 19.6 mg

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Overall, white potatoes have more calories and slightly more protein, plus a few more grams of potassium — an essential mineral for heart and blood vessel health.

[5]

However, if you’re on a potassium-restricted diet because of kidney disease, check with your doctor to see if white potatoes are okay to eat.

[6]

Sweet potatoes have more fiber than white potatoes, which is helpful for proper digestion and a feeling of fullness.

[7]

Both white and sweet potatoes are good sources of vitamin C. Eating them could help you get more of this essential vitamin if you don’t eat much fruit, says Lauren Antonucci, RDN, who works in New York City. Vitamin C helps your body make collagen (a protein found in connective tissue) and form blood vessels.

[8]

While sweet potatoes have more natural sugar than white, “they both have the same number of grams of total carbohydrates, so they will be metabolized the same way,” says Antonucci.

Can You Eat Potatoes if You Have Diabetes?

“I’m a certified diabetes educator, and people with diabetes can and should eat (unadulterated) potatoes,” says Antonucci. The only thing to keep in mind is portion sizes and how those affect the potato’s carbohydrate content.

A larger potato, for example, will likely have more carbs. That means it could spike your blood sugar if you have diabetes. Keeping track of your daily carbohydrate intake, however, can help you balance your blood sugar levels.

[9]

To help watch your potato portion sizes, try to eat a serving no larger than the size of your fist. If you can’t find a potato that small, split a larger one in half.

[10]

Sweet Potato vs. White Potato for Weight Loss

Both sweet and white potatoes can be worked into an effective weight-loss diet. Baked, roasted, and boiled potatoes with little added salt, sugar, or other toppings are nutritious. They can provide a significant amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Studies have found that diets rich in potatoes and legumes, specifically, are linked with reduced insulin resistance and with weight loss in people who have impaired blood-sugar control.

[11]

 Other research has shown that despite the Western world’s perception of potatoes being a weight-promoting food, potatoes are often part of well-balanced, nutritious diets around the globe.

[12]

If you’re trying to lose weight, though, it’s a good idea to cut back on eating potato–based food products that are fried or that contain added salt or fat. These can increase the caloric content of the potato, which, in excess, may contribute to weight gain.

[13]

“While it is easy to overeat chips and fries, people do not gain a ton of weight by eating regular potatoes,” says Antonucci. That’s mainly because regular potatoes are self-limiting, she adds. It’s really hard to sit down to a pile of plain potatoes and eat too many of them, as you’ll fill up and stop.

Healthy Homemade French Fries

Everyday Health staff nutritionist Kelly Kennedy, RDN, shows you how to make french fries two ways.

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Nutritious Ways to Eat Potatoes

The best way to eat sweet and white potatoes is to pair them with a lean protein or healthy fat. This can help you avoid a blood sugar spike if you have diabetes, and can keep you fuller for longer periods of time, says Darsa.

[14]

Here are some examples of nutritious ways to enjoy sweet and white potatoes with dinner or even as a nutritious snack:

• Bake a sweet potato for dinner alongside sauteed broccoli drizzled with olive oil and a piece of baked salmon.
• Cut potatoes into strips and bake them in the oven to make “fries.”
• Chop up white potatoes to add to a soup. Or puree and stir them into a soup to make it “creamy.”
• Drizzle a potato with olive oil, wrap it in foil, and grill it.
• Toss pieces of roasted potato into an omelette or frittata.
• Mash sweet potatoes and add them to your Greek yogurt bowl with some nut butter.

Darsa says that when it comes to potato toppings, keep serving sizes in mind. She recommends 2 tablespoons (tbsp) of sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, or a pat of butter on a baked potato. Or dip roasted potatoes into 2 tbsp of ketchup. She says that while butter and sour cream aren’t the most nutritious options, they’re okay as long as you stick to the recommended serving sizes.

The Take Away

• Both sweet and white potatoes can be part of a well-balanced, nutritious diet.
• White potatoes have more calories, protein, and potassium than sweet potatoes, while sweet potatoes have more fiber and vitamin C.
• The recommended potato serving size for people with diabetes and those trying to lose weight is one fist.
• Fried potato–based food products with added fat and salt can contribute to weight gain. Boiled, baked, and roasted potatoes with little added salt and fat can be part of an effective weight-loss diet.

EDITORIAL SOURCESEveryday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.SourcesResources

1. Beta-Carotene. University of Rochester Medical Center.
2. Tufail T et al. Nutritional Benefits of Lycopene and Beta-Carotene: A Comprehensive Overview. Food Science and Nutrition. October 16, 2024.
3. Potatoes, White, Flesh and Skin, Baked. U.S. Department of Agriculture FoodData Central. April 1, 2019.
4. Sweet Potato, Cooked, Baked in Skin, Flesh, Without Salt. U.S. Department of Agriculture FoodData Central. April 1, 2019.
5. Salt: Effects of Sodium and Potassium. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). January 31, 2024.
6. Potassium in Your CKD Diet. National Kidney Foundation. May 5, 2023.
7. Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet. Mayo Clinic. December 11, 2024.
8. Vitamin C. Mayo Clinic. August 14, 2025.
9. Carb Counting and Diabetes. American Diabetes Association.
10. What Is a Serving? American Heart Association. March 26, 2024.
11. Rebello CJ et al. Low-Energy Dense Potato- and Bean-Based Diets Reduce Body Weight and Insulin Resistance: A Randomized, Feeding, Equivalence Trial. Journal of Medicinal Food. December 12, 2022.
12. Fleming SA et al. Perspective: Potatoes, Quality Carbohydrates, and Dietary Patterns. Advances in Nutrition. October 30, 2023.
13. Aljuraiban GS et al. Potato consumption, by preparation method and meal quality, with blood pressure and body mass index: the INTERMAP Study. Clinical Nutrition. January 22, 2020.
14. Basturk B et al. Evaluation of the Effect of Macronutrients Combination on Blood Sugar Levels in Healthy Individuals. Iranian Journal of Public Health. February 2021.

Meet Our ExpertsSee Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network

Kara Andrew, RDN, LDN

Medical Reviewer

Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Kara Andrew, RDN, LDN, is the director of health promotion for Memorial Hospital in Carthage, Illinois. She is also licensed as an exercise physiologist and certified in lifestyle medicine by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Her experience includes corporate wellness, teaching for the American College of Sports Medicine, sports nutrition, weight management, integrative medicine, oncology support, and dialysis.

She earned her master's in exercise and nutrition science at Lipscomb University.

Andrew has served as a president and board member of the Nashville Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She was recently elected a co-chair of the fitness and medicine group in the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

See full bio

Jessica Migala

Author

Jessica Migala is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. She has written extensively about vision care, diabetes, dermatology, gastrointestinal health, cardiovascular health, cancer, pregnancy, and gynecology. She was previously an assistant editor at Prevention where she wrote monthly science-based beauty news items and feature stories.

She has contributed to more than 40 print and digital publications, including Cosmopolitan, O:The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Women’s Health, Fitness, Family Circle, Health, Prevention, Self, VICE, and more. Migala lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young boys, rescue beagle, and 15 fish. When not reporting, she likes running, bike rides, and a glass of wine (in moderation, of course).

See full bioSee Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network

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