Bananas or Sweet Potatoes - Which are Healthier? | Q+A (2024)

FAQs

Bananas or Sweet Potatoes - Which are Healthier? | Q+A? ›

A sweet potato has more calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, vitamins C and E than a banana; however, a sweet potato does have more sodium. Also notable is a sweet potato's vitamin A content, which is nearly three times that of banana and meets your RDA in one serving!

One medium potato delivers 610 mg of potassium, or roughly 17% of the daily value (DV). That's about 40% more potassium than you'll find in a banana, which only contains 422 mg, or 9% DV. In addition to potassium, 1 medium potato provides 5 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, vitamin C and magnesium.

Sweet potatoes

One cup of boiled sweet potato contains 754 mg of potassium, which is 16% DV. This is more than 1.5 times the amount of potassium in a banana. "Sweet potatoes are packed with fiber which is known to reduce constipation and improve heart health," Pitts says.

As we know, sweet potato has several benefits that make it worth including in your weight loss diet. So, by incorporating it into healthy meals and watching your portion sizes, you may find that it does support your weight loss goals and results in getting rid of unwanted belly fat.

Mindful portions: While sweet potatoes are nutritious, they still contain calories. Pay attention to portion sizes to avoid overconsumption. Aim for one medium-sized sweet potato per serving, which is approximately 130-150 grams or about the size of your fist.

In a nutrition battle between a banana and sweet potato, the sweet potato would come out ahead. A baked sweet potato has the same calories per gram as a banana, yet has one gram more fiber and five grams less sugar per medium serving.

Although bananas are a good source of potassium, many other nutritious foods, including sweet potatoes, legumes, and beets, offer more potassium per serving. Swiss chard, yams, and white beans even have twice as much potassium per cup as a medium banana.

In particular, the Express headline suggests that a banana a day would be enough to meet your potassium requirements, whereas, in fact, a banana contains about 11 per cent of the 3,500mg recommended by UK dietary guidelines.

Legumes, nuts, and peanut butter are rich sources of potassium. Meat, fish, poultry, and eggs are moderate to high sources of potassium. These foods are also good sources of high-quality protein, which you need for normal body functions.

When not to eat sweet potatoes? ›

How to tell if sweet potatoes have gone bad. If your sweet potato is soft in spots, smells rotten, or oozes a mysterious liquid, that potato should be discarded. Another sign that sweet potatoes have taken a turn for the worse is if they start growing stalky purplish sprouts.

Sweet potatoes contain high amounts of oxalates that may increase the risk of calcium-oxalate kidney stones. Sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene, and their excessive consumption can lead to hypervitaminosis A (vitamin A toxicity), in which excess vitamin A accumulates in the liver.

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

Lunch: The best time to eat the sweet potato is to eat at lunch. After eating, calcium in sweet potatoes takes 4-5 hours to absorb into the body, 2 to 5 pm sunlight can promote calcium absorption. In addition, the ability to help the potatoes long enough to work to help you reduce appetite in the evening.

Sweet potatoes contain the “good” kind of carbs – often called “complex carbohydrates.” Complex carbohydrates are considered healthier than simple carbohydrates. They take longer to digest and create more lasting energy.

Eating eggs may support weight loss, especially if a person incorporates them into a calorie-controlled diet. Research suggests that eggs boost metabolic activity and increase feelings of fullness. Eating an egg-based breakfast may stop a person from consuming extra calories throughout the day.

Sweet potatoes on the other hand are even healthier than the standard potato, containing as much as twice the high amounts of vitamin!

If you are minding your diet, banana chips may be a good option. In comparison to typical potato chips, they have a lower glycemic index and more fiber, which may help with blood sugar control. To avoid consuming too many calories, it is vital to take them in moderation.

Good carbohydrates are those that are healthy for the body. They are unprocessed and contain the right amount of fiber. Examples of good carbs would be vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, bananas, potatoes. Good carbs are usually complex carbohydrates, i.e., they are made up of long chains of sugar molecules.

They're a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. As a bonus, potatoes are low in calories, contain no fat or cholesterol, and are sodium-free. They're high in vitamin C and potassium and are a good source of vitamin B6. A medium potato, about 5.5 ounces, contains only 145 calories.