how many calories are in a large grilled sweet potato

Sweet potatoes contain important vitamins like beta carotene, vitamin C, and potassium. They also contain fiber and can support a nutrient-rich diet.

It’s rich in an antioxidant called beta carotene, which is very effective at raising blood levels of vitamin A, particularly in children (1, 2, 3, 4).

Sweet potatoes are nutritious, high in fiber, very filling, and delicious. They can be eaten boiled, baked, steamed, or fried.

Sweet potatoes are usually orange but also found in other colors, such as white, red, pink, violet, yellow, and purple.

In some parts of North America, sweet potatoes are called yams. However, this is a misnomer since yams are a different species.

The nutrition facts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of raw sweet potatoes are (5):

A medium-sized sweet potato (boiled without the skin) contains 27 grams of carbs. The main components are starches, which make up 53% of the carb content.

Simple sugars, such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, and maltose, comprise 32% of the carb content (2).

Sweet potatoes have a medium to high glycemic index (GI), varying from 44–96. The GI is a measure of how fast your blood sugar levels rise after a meal (6).

Given the relatively high GI of sweet potatoes, large amounts in a single meal may be unsuitable for people with type 2 diabetes. Notably, boiling seems to be associated with lower GI values than baking, frying, or roasting (7).

Starches are often split into three categories based on how well they’re digested. The starch proportions in sweet potatoes are as follows (8, 9, 10, 11):

Cooked sweet potatoes are relatively high in fiber, with a medium-sized sweet potato containing 3.8 grams.

The fibers are both soluble (15–23%) in the form of pectin, and insoluble (77–85%) in the form of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin (12, 13, 14).

Soluble fibers, such as pectin, may increase fullness, decrease food intake, and reduce blood sugar spikes by slowing your digestion of sugars and starches (15, 16).

A high intake of insoluble fibers has been associated with health benefits, such as a reduced risk of diabetes and improved gut health (17, 18, 19, 20, 21).

Sweet potatoes contain sporamins, unique proteins that account for more than 80% of their total protein content (14).

The sporamins are produced to facilitate healing whenever the plant is subjected to physical damage. Recent research suggests that they may have antioxidant properties (22).

Despite being relatively low in protein, sweet potatoes are an important source of this macronutrient in many developing countries (14, 23).

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta carotene, vitamin C, and potassium. The most abundant vitamins and minerals in this vegetable are (24, 25, 26, 27, 28):

Like other whole plant foods, sweet potatoes contain a number of plant compounds that may affect your health. These include (12, 31, 32):

Notably, the antioxidant activity of sweet potatoes increases with the color intensity of their flesh. Deep-hued varieties, such as purple, deep orange, and red sweet potatoes, score the highest (1, 29, 30).

The absorption of vitamin C and some antioxidants increases in sweet potatoes after cooking, while levels of other plant compounds may decrease slightly (33, 34, 35, 36).

Many people substitute regular potatoes for sweet potatoes, believing sweet potatoes to be the healthier choice.

The two species contain similar amounts of water, carbs, fat, and protein (5).

Notably, sweet potatoes sometimes have a lower GI and boast higher amounts of both sugar and fiber.

Both are good sources of vitamin C and potassium, but sweet potatoes also provide excellent amounts of beta carotene, which your body can transform into vitamin A.

Regular potatoes may be more filling but may also harbor glycoalkaloids, compounds that can be harmful in large amounts (37, 38).

Because of their fiber and vitamin contents, sweet potatoes are often considered the healthier choice between the two.

Improved blood sugar regulation

Imbalance in blood sugar levels and insulin secretion are the main characteristics of type 2 diabetes.

Caiapo, a type of sweet potato with white skin and flesh, may improve symptoms in people with type 2 diabetes.

This sweet potato may not only decrease fasting blood glucose and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels but also increase insulin sensitivity (43, 44, 45).

However, the current data doesn’t justify the use of sweet potatoes in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Further human research is needed (46).

Prevention of vitamin A deficiency

As vitamin A plays an important role in your body, deficiency in this essential nutrient is a major public health issue in many developing countries (40).

Deficiency can cause both temporary and permanent damage to your eyes and even lead to blindness. It can also suppress immune function and increase mortality, especially among children and pregnant and lactating women (14, 40).

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of highly absorbable beta carotene, which your body can convert into vitamin A.

The intensity of the yellow or orange color of the sweet potato is directly linked to its beta carotene content (41).

Orange sweet potatoes have been shown to increase blood levels of vitamin A more than other beta carotene sources, as they contain a highly absorbable variety of this nutrient (42).

This makes eating sweet potatoes an excellent strategy against vitamin A deficiency in developing countries.

Best Grilled Sweet Potatoes! (WARNING: Highly Addictive)

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