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Spud Wars: Is Potato Or Sweet Potato Healthier?

You say potato, I say sweet potato.
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So, for a good while there we all believed sweet potato was the savior that had come to save our carb loving, but also fitness loving, lives.

Recently this has been questioned again as to whether or not sweet potato is really that good for you, and whether we should be welcoming back the white potato.

Lets have a look at it.

Which contains less carbs?

Sweet potato contains less carbs than your normal potato and has slightly lower calories, too. This is widely why they soared to such popular heights. They also contain more vitamin A (400 percent of your intake in fact!), more vitamin C and have manganese in them, which is good for both wound healing and metabolism.

Boom, gold medal goes to the sweet potato.

But, white potatoes still contain vitamins A, C, B6, potassium, magnesium and iron, all of which are great for you. That higher starchy carb factor and the high glycemic index (making your blood sugar spike, and contributing to fat storage) is what's giving the humble spud a bad rap and making it harder for your body to process them.

Which has the lower GI?

The interesting thing is, the GI (glycemic index) changes depending on how the food is prepared. Boiling creates a lower GI, baking makes it higher. Chopping up potatoes creates more starchiness. So, in effect, a whole boiled white potato could have a lower GI than baked chopped up sweet potatoes.

Overall, the sweet potato is still typically coming out on top when it comes to the numbers, but if you're over sweet potatoes... red or purple potatoes have more natural antioxidants than your regular white ones, plus are more versatile than a sweet potato.

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So which should I choose: potato or sweet potato?

Really, it comes down to how you're eating either choice. Are they boiled or oven-baked alongside a lean chicken breast or steak? Or are they battered and fried next to a burger and dripping in sauce? If they are the latter that's cool, too, but let's remember that our bodies need good fuel and we need to make sure that we're giving our bodies exactly what it needs.

All in all, potatoes are your friend. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! Fries before guys, or whatever that saying is.

Potato recipe

Here is a delicious recipe for a potato salad.

INGREDIENTS:

6 Large white Potatoes

1/2 Red Onion

1/2 Parsley Bunch

1/2 Large red capsicum

2 Tbsp White vinegar

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Sprinkle of salt

(Dressing is to taste, so if you want more vinegar or salt, add some more.)

DIRECTIONS:

Peel potatoes and cut into small cubes.

Add the potatoes into a saucepan in COLD water and boil for 30 minutes or until soft (be sure to check regularly, you don't want to overcook them).

Chop onion, parsley and capsicum into tiny pieces

Place potatoes into a bowl and add capsicum, parsley and onion.

Add olive oil, vinegar and salt.

EAT!

Leah Itsines

Leah Itsines is an Aussie food blogger with a mission to help men, women and children all over the world change their view on food and health while providing healthy, homemade and easy meals.

Visit her on Facebook, Instragram or YouTube.

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