Sweet potatoes are high in carbs. They contain between 17 and 57 g of carbs per 100 g, depending on the recipe and the cultivar!
Are sweet potatoes high in carbs?
Sweet potatoes consist mainly of carbs. They’re low in protein and contain negligible amounts of fat. For instance, boiled sweet potatoes have 17.7 g of carbs, 1.37 g of protein and only 0.14 g of fat per 100 g.[1]
In fact, a medium boiled sweet potato has 26.7 g of carbs, while a cup of mashed sweet potato (328 g) contains about 58 g of carbs.
Baked sweet potatoes are higher in carbs, as compared to boiled sweet potatoes. Boiled sweet potatoes have 20.7 g of carbs per 100 g. Actually, they contain 17% more carbs!
Other sweet potato recipes contain significantly more carbs, though. French fried sweet potatoes contain 35.6 g of carbs per 100 g, or 101% more carbs than boiled sweet potatoes!
Sweet potato chips contain even more carbs, though. They contain 56.8 g of carbs per 100 g, or 220% more carbs than boiled sweet potatoes. They’re pretty high in calories and fat as well.
So, cooking method affects carbohydrate content of food because it affects water content. Less water means more carbs and calories! Boiled sweet potatoes have the most water (80%), while potato chips have the least amount of water (less than 5%).
What types of carbs are in sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes contain high amounts of starch, sugars, and fiber!
In fact, starch is approximately 39% of carbs of sweet potatoes, sugars are 43%, and fiber is 18%.
Moreover, the main sugar type of sweet potato is maltose. Sucrose is the second-highest sugar type. Sweet potatoes contain smaller amounts of glucose and fructose.
Are sweet potatoes keto-friendly?
People who follow a ketogenic diet should typically consume no more than 50 g of carbs a day. They can further limit carbohydrate consumption to 20 g a day.[2]
So, sweet potatoes aren’t keto-friendly. A serving of boiled sweet potato contains more than 50% of the maximum allowed intake of carbs! Therefore, people on keto could consume only small portions of sweet potatoes, along with other foods high in protein and fat.
As a rule of thumb, fruits and starchy vegetables are off limits on a ketogenic diet.
People on keto could consume vegetables low in carbs, such as peppers, broccoli, cabbage, and spinach. These vegetables are particularly high in vitamin C. A crucial vitamin for health, which isn’t naturally present in animal-based products.
Furthermore, people on keto could eat moderate amounts of fruits low in carbs, such as avocados, strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, and lemons. They’re relative low in carbs and sugars, while they’re packed in vitamins and health-promoting antioxidant compounds.
Can people with diabetes eat sweet potatoes?
People with diabetes can consume sweet potatoes in moderation. Sweet potatoes won’t spike blood sugar. They have a medium Glycemic Load between 9 and 18, depending on the cultivar and the cooking method.[3,4,5]
Boiled and baked sweet potatoes are the best options for people with diabetes. They have the least carbs.
Should we eat sweet potatoes regularly?
Sweet potatoes are among the healthiest foods you can eat. Above all, they’re particularly high in vitamin A. Also, they contain decent amounts of vitamin C and potassium.
