Are sweet potatoes healthy? 6 benefits to know

The darling of the healthy carb world, sweet potatoes automatically get the green light from dietitians thanks to their amazing nutritional content. Sweet potatoes are full of important nutrients such as fiber, vitamin A and potassium. And they can help you maintain full-body health (as long as you don't always eat them topped with melted marshmallows).

Despite their impressive nutritional profile, certain groups of people should avoid eating them regularly. Here we explore the benefits and side effects of sweet potatoes and how to include them in a balanced diet. Read on, and for more, check out the verdict on whether white or sweet potatoes are healthier.

Sweet potato nutrition

The benefits of sweet potatoes

They are good for heart health

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of fiber and potassium, arguably two of the most important nutrients for heart health. One cup of baked sweet potatoes gives you about 24% of your daily value of fiber and 20% of your daily value of potassium.

Fiber helps heart health by preventing fat from being absorbed into your bloodstream, and therefore helps lower your LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, according to Harvard Health Publishing. At the same time, potassium helps lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessel walls so blood can flow better. Keeping your cholesterol and blood pressure in check can help lower your risk of heart disease, which happens to be the leading cause of death in the United States

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They protect your vision

Carrots may be known as the good-vision veggie, but that's because they're full of beta-carotene — the same plant pigment that gives sweet potatoes their bright hue. One cup of boiled sweet potatoes contains 213% of the daily value of beta-carotene, which helps maintain sharp vision.

The antioxidant beta-carotene has been shown to help prevent the development of eye disease by helping to eliminate free radicals to prevent damage to the retina, according to a 2020 study in Antioxidants. The liver converts some beta-carotene into vitamin A, a nutrient necessary for normal vision, according to National Institutes of Health.

Remember to pair your sweet potato with a small amount of healthy fat, like grass-fed butter, extra virgin olive oil, or avocado. Fat helps the body better absorb beta-carotene into vitamin A.

They can help manage blood sugar

Sweet potatoes contain a mixture of different plant compounds that can help keep blood sugar levels in check.

First, the sweet taters are high in fiber, with 4 grams per 1 cup diced. “Fiber slows down digestion for a steady release of sugar into the bloodstream [and helps avoid] high blood sugar spikes,” says Sarah Alsing, MS, RDlicensed dietitian and owner of Beautifully fueled.

Sweet potatoes contain compounds called flavonoids and polyphenols. According to a study from 2021 i International Journal of Molecular Sciencesthese can help promote glucose absorption and improve insulin secretion, helping to keep blood sugar in a healthy range.

Foods that have a low glycemic index, or GI, are less likely to cause large blood sugar spikes and crashes. Depending on how they are prepared, sweet potatoes can be low glycemic. Boiling sweet potatoes gives them a low to medium GI, and the longer you cook, the lower the GI, according to a 2011 study in Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism. On the other hand, roasted, baked and fried sweet potatoes have a high GI.

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They can help support immunity

As winter rolls around, you may want to add more sweet potatoes to your diet.

One baked sweet potato contains 156% of the daily value of vitamin A, a nutrient essential for a healthy immune system. “Vitamin A boosts your body's immune response and is being studied for potential use as a treatment of infectious diseases“, says Alsing.

According to the National Library of Medicine, vitamin A deficiency can lead to a weakened immune system and a greater risk of contracting infectious diseases. Eating sweet potatoes regularly can help you meet your vitamin A needs and keep your immune system strong.

They can support a healthy gut

Fiber is essential for good gut health, and sweet potatoes are a delicious way to get your daily dose.

Our gastrointestinal tract does not digest fiber – instead, it passes through and ferments in the large intestine. This process produces healthy bacteria (probiotics) and other metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids, or SCFAs, according to a 2022 study in Microorganisms. Probiotics and SCFAs help promote a diverse and healthy gut microbiome by helping to keep the gut barrier strong.

Eating more fiber can help keep your bowel movements regular. If you struggle with constipation, try adding more high-fiber foods like sweet potatoes to your diet.

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They are versatile and fit into many diets

Sweet potatoes are a nutritious source of carbohydrates, and they can fit into most meal plans, such as Mediterranean, gluten-free, and plant-based. “Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite carb sources for meals because there are so many ways to prepare them, and they're high in fiber,” says Alsing.

You can't go wrong with classic roasted sweet potatoes tossed in olive oil and garlic powder. When you're craving something sweet, Alsing suggests roasting sweet potatoes with cinnamon and cayenne pepper.

Alsing recommends turning to your microwave for a quick, easy meal packed with fiber and protein. “When I want to make a quick meal, my method is to make a baked sweet potato in the microwave because it takes about five minutes. Then I top it with ground turkey, black beans, salsa and avocado,” she says. (Try to do Quick Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with her recipe.)

Potential side effects of eating too many sweet potatoes

They can turn your skin orange

As bizarre as it may sound, eating too much beta-carotene from foods like sweet potatoes and carrots can turn your skin orange. This condition, called carotenoderma, is harmless and not very common. You'd have to eat a lot of sweet potatoes over a long period of time to catch that Oompa-Loompa glow.

“You'd have to eat about 3 cups of diced sweet potatoes or one and a half medium-sized sweet potatoes every day for several months to get carotenoderma,” says Alsing.

They are high in oxalates

People with calcium oxalate stones, the most common type of kidney stone, should skip large servings of sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes are very high in oxalates, with 54 milligrams per 1/2 cup serving. People who need to follow a low-oxalate diet, such as those with kidney stones, should limit their intake to 50-100 milligrams of oxalates per day, Alsing says.

But if you're not at increased risk for kidney stones, you can—and should—enjoy foods high in oxalates, like sweet potatoes, because they're very nutritious.

To reduce the risk of calcium oxalate stones, drink plenty of water and eat enough calcium, which you can get from dairy products. “Drinking enough fluids is the best way to prevent kidney stones because it thins your urine and prevents chemicals from building up and forming stones,” says Alsing. “Eating enough calcium is important because calcium binds to oxalates in the digestive system, so they will be excreted when you go to the toilet rather than moving to your kidneys.”

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