These spuds are each tasty in their own right, but is one of these root veggies more deserving of a spot on your plate?
GOOD: POTATOES
Potatoes are often given a bad rap, but consider how one study showed them to leave you feeling more satiated when eaten with meat compared to other carbs such as rice and pasta. Plus, potatoes are lower in both sugar and fat than sweet potatoes and are also a good source of protein and fiber antioxidants.
SAY WHAT NOW?
If potatoes are exposed to light while growing, they will turn green and poisonous.
CALORIES
124 (half cup, baked with skin)
BETTER: YAMS
Yams come originally from Asia and Africa. Often confused with sweet potatoes, yams actually have rough brown skin that is hard to peel and they tend to be drier, starchier, and less sweet. Although sweet potatoes edge them out in terms of certain nutrients, yams are a good source of potassium and fiber.
SAY WHAT NOW?
Yams can be similar in size to sweet potatoes, but they can grow to weigh as much as 60 kilograms!
CALORIES
116 (half cup, baked with skin)
BEST: SWEET POTATOES
Long and tapered, the skin of sweet potatoes can range from yellow, red, brown, and purple with flesh that can be white, orange, or purple. These starchy veggies originate from Central and South America. They are lower in calories, are lower on the glycemic index, and contain more beta carotene compared to yams.
SAY WHAT NOW?
If you’ve always tossed the stems, leaves, and shoots into your green bin, you’re missing out on these edible and nutritious parts of these tubers.
CALORIES
90 (half cup, baked with skin)
