The long-held belief that sweet potatoes are a healthier alternative to regular spuds has been challenged by nutritionist Raquel Papu.
With a substantial Instagram following of 32,000, Papu frequently offers her expertise on diet and health. In a recent post, she addressed the misconception that sweet potatoes trump regular ones in terms of health benefits.
Her post showed her savouring a bowl of sweet potato, with the text: “Remembering all the times I chose sweet potatoes over regular potatoes because I thought regular ones were more ‘fattening’.” In her caption, she pondered why sweet potatoes had become so fashionable, while their ordinary counterparts were often ignored, despite both being stellar choices.
She compared the nutritional content of a medium-sized sweet potato (130g) with that of a white potato (130g), revealing that although sweet potatoes have a bit more fibre, their overall nutritional makeup is nearly the same. Papu highlighted that both varieties of potatoes rank highly on the satiety index, meaning they’re great at keeping hunger at bay when included as part of your carb intake.
She wrapped up her message by saying: “Regular potatoes just got caught up in diet culture myths, but they’re just as amazing as sweet potatoes.”
The Instagram post has already racked up over 4,000 likes and sparked a lively discussion among followers, reports Bristol Live. One user enthused: “I personally love regular potatoes but sweet potatoes are tasty too!”
Another chimed in with: “Anything potatoes for me.” A third commentoer shared their own experience: “I remember I did the same thing.”
According to Healthline, both potato types have nutritional benefits, explaining: “Sweet potatoes are often touted as being healthier than white potatoes, but in reality, both types can be highly nutritious.”
“While regular and sweet potatoes are comparable in their calorie, protein, and carb content, white potatoes provide more potassium, whereas sweet potatoes are incredibly high in vitamin A.” Moreover, the health website points out that each potato variety boasts its own set of beneficial plant compounds.
Sweet potatoes come packed with antioxidants, while regular potatoes contain glycoalkaloids, which have demonstrated anti-cancer properties in laboratory studies.