Is it better to eat sweet potatoes or potatoes for weight loss

During weight loss, sweet potatoes and potatoes are both high-quality staple food choices, with similar calories but different nutritional focuses. Sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene. Potatoes have a higher potassium content and a stronger sense of satiety. Specific choices should be based on blood sugar response, cooking methods, and personal constitution.

1. Calorie comparison:

Sweet potatoes contain about 86 calories per 100 grams, while potatoes contain about 77 calories. The actual difference is not significant. Both are low-fat and low carbohydrate ingredients, and replacing polished rice and white flour can reduce calorie intake by 30% -50%. It should be noted that the actual calorie content is affected by the variety and maturity, with purple sweet potatoes having slightly higher calorie content than ordinary sweet potatoes.

2. Blood sugar control:

Sweet potatoes have a glycemic index (GI) value of about 54-75, while potatoes have a GI value of 78-90. After cooling, an increase in resistant starch can reduce the GI value by 30%. People with diabetes are advised to choose cold potato or steamed sweet potato, which can delay the rise of blood sugar with protein food. The dietary fiber content of sweet potatoes is 3 grams per 100 grams, which is higher than that of potatoes at 2.2 grams per 100 grams.

3. Micro nutrition:

Sweet potatoes have a vitamin A content of 384% of their daily requirement, and orange meat varieties are richer in beta carotene. Potatoes have a high potassium content of 421 milligrams per 100 grams, which helps alleviate edema. Both contain vitamin C and B vitamins, but high-temperature cooking can damage some water-soluble vitamins.

4. Duration of satiety:

The satiety index (SI) value of potatoes is as high as 323, ranking first among all foods, thanks to its protein inhibitory effect on ghrelin. Sweet potatoes produce short chain fatty acids through intestinal fermentation due to their high soluble fiber content, which can provide a satiety signal for 4-5 hours.

3. Cooking effect:

Fried potato strips have a surge in calories to 313 kcal/100g, while baked sweet potatoes only increase calories by 10%. It is recommended to use steaming, microwave or air fryer for oil-free cooking. Eating with skin can preserve more dietary fiber. After potato germination, solanine increases dramatically, and mold growth in sweet potatoes can produce toxins such as sweet potato ketone. It is necessary to strictly remove the spoiled parts.

It is recommended to choose flexibly according to the dietary scenario: breakfast is suitable to be paired with eggs, sweet potatoes are consumed to supplement vitamin A, and after exercise, potatoes can be chosen to supplement potassium elements. Include both in a staple food rotation plan 3-4 times a week, with each rotation controlled at a weight of 150-200 grams. Pay attention to monitoring individual digestive reactions, as some individuals may experience bloating due to resistance to potato starch. Long term consumption alone may lead to nutritional imbalance. It is recommended to pair with whole grains such as quinoa and oats. Special populations such as those with excessive stomach acid should reduce their intake of sweet potatoes, while those with abnormal kidney function should control their consumption of potatoes.