The Carbohydrate Values of Sweet Potatoes and White Potatoes

About Carbohydrates

If you eat a 2,000-calorie diet, you need 225 to 325 grams of carbohydrates per day to stay fueled. Your body breaks down the carbohydrates you eat into glucose, or blood sugar. Glucose is used to fuel your all your body's processes. There are three types of carbohydrates: sugars, starch and fiber. Sugars include table sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and the natural sugars found in fruit and milk. These simple carbohydrates can be easily converted into glucose by the body. Starch is a complex carbohydrate that needs to be broken down before use. Dietary fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate that controls cholesterol and promotes digestive health. For good health, you need 25 grams of fiber each day.

White Potatoes

Mashed, baked or broiled, this go-to side dish is packed with nutrients. One small white potato with skin contains 131 calories, 4 grams of fiber and 30 grams of carbohydrates. With only 1 gram of sugar per serving, most of the carbohydrates in white potatoes come from starch. These classic diet staples are also an excellent source of potassium, an essential mineral for blood pressure control. One large potato contains 1,553 milligrams of potassium, approximately 33 percent of your daily needs.

Sweet Potatoes

One large sweet potato with skin contains 112 calories and 26 grams of carbohydrates. Each sweet potato contains approximately 4 grams of fiber. True to its name, sweet potatoes contain more sugar than white potatoes, with 5.43 grams per serving. If you serve your sweet potatoes with a tablespoon of brown sugar, you'll add 52 calories and 13 grams of sugar. Like all orange vegetables, sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, an antioxidant responsible for healthy vision and cell function.

Glycemic Index

Not all starches break down at the same rate, and some can cause spikes in blood sugar. For people with diabetes, or at risk of developing the condition, high blood sugar can lead to serious complications. The glycemic index is a tool that classifies foods based on how quickly they raise blood sugar. Sweet potatoes are a low-glycemic food, because these carbohydrates break down slowly, causing a gentle rise in blood sugar. White potatoes are a high-glycemic food, because the carbohydrates in white potatoes enter the blood stream quickly. If you are watching your blood sugar or have a diabetes diagnosis, ask your doctor or registered dietitian how to safely balance high-glycemic foods, like white potatoes, with other carbohydrates in your diet.