Sweet potato vs. Yam — In-Depth Nutrition Comparison
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How are sweet potato and yam different?
- Sweet potato is higher in vitamin A and vitamin B5; however, yam is richer in vitamin C and potassium.
- Daily need coverage for vitamin A for sweet potato is 281% higher.
- Sweet potato contains 9 times more sugar than yam. While sweet potato contains 4.18g of sugar, yam contains only 0.49g.
- Yam has a lower glycemic index (51) than sweet potato (70).
Sweet potato, raw, unprepared and Yam, cooked, boiled, drained, or baked, without salt are the varieties used in this article.
Infographic
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Mineral Comparison
Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
| Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium | +38.9% |
| Contains more CalciumCalcium | +114.3% |
| Contains more IronIron | +17.3% |
| Contains more ZincZinc | +50% |
| Contains more PotassiumPotassium | +98.8% |
| Contains less SodiumSodium | -85.5% |
| Contains more ManganeseManganese | +43.8% |
| Contains more SeleniumSelenium | +16.7% |
Vitamin Comparison
Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
| Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A | +11716.7% |
| Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 | +117.9% |
| Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 | +157.2% |
| Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C | +404.2% |
| Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E | +30.8% |
| Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 | +21.8% |
| Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K | +27.8% |
| Contains more FolateFolate | +45.5% |
| Contains more CholineCholine | +31.7% |
Macronutrient Comparison
Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Protein:
1.57 g
Fats:
0.05 g
Carbs:
20.12 g
Water:
77.28 g
Other:
0.98 g
Protein:
1.49 g
Fats:
0.14 g
Carbs:
27.48 g
Water:
70.13 g
Other:
0.76 g
| Contains more OtherOther | +28.9% |
| Contains more FatsFats | +180% |
| Contains more CarbsCarbs | +36.6% |
~equal in
Protein
~1.49g
~equal in
Water
~70.13g
Fat Type Comparison
Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Saturated fat:
Sat. Fat
0.018 g
Monounsaturated fat:
Mono. Fat
0.001 g
Polyunsaturated fat:
Poly. Fat
0.014 g
Saturated fat:
Sat. Fat
0.029 g
Monounsaturated fat:
Mono. Fat
0.005 g
Polyunsaturated fat:
Poly. Fat
0.06 g
| Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat | -37.9% |
| Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat | +400% |
| Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat | +328.6% |
Comparison summary table
Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
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| Lower in Sugar |
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| Lower in Sodium |
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| Lower in Glycemic Index |
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| Lower in Saturated fat |
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| Lower in Cholesterol | Equal | ||
| Lower in price | Equal | ||
| Rich in minerals | Equal | ||
| Rich in vitamins | Equal | ||
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
| Nutrient | |
|
DV% diff. |
| Vitamin A | 709µg | 6µg | 78% |
| Vitamin C | 2.4mg | 12.1mg | 11% |
| Potassium | 337mg | 670mg | 10% |
| Vitamin B5 | 0.8mg | 0.311mg | 10% |
| Starch | 12.65g | 5% | |
| Manganese | 0.258mg | 0.371mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 3g | 3.9g | 4% |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.061mg | 0.028mg | 3% |
| Calories | 86kcal | 116kcal | 2% |
| Calcium | 30mg | 14mg | 2% |
| Magnesium | 25mg | 18mg | 2% |
| Carbs | 20.12g | 27.48g | 2% |
| Sodium | 55mg | 8mg | 2% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.209mg | 0.228mg | 1% |
| Folate | 11µg | 16µg | 1% |
| Choline | 12.3mg | 16.2mg | 1% |
| Vitamin E | 0.26mg | 0.34mg | 1% |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.078mg | 0.095mg | 1% |
| Fructose | 0.7g | 1% | |
| Zinc | 0.3mg | 0.2mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.61mg | 0.52mg | 1% |
| Protein | 1.57g | 1.49g | 0% |
| Fats | 0.05g | 0.14g | 0% |
| Net carbs | 17.12g | 23.58g | N/A |
| Sugar | 4.18g | 0.49g | N/A |
| Copper | 0.151mg | 0.152mg | 0% |
| Phosphorus | 47mg | 49mg | 0% |
| Selenium | 0.6µg | 0.7µg | 0% |
| Vitamin B3 | 0.557mg | 0.552mg | 0% |
| Vitamin K | 1.8µg | 2.3µg | 0% |
| Saturated fat | 0.018g | 0.029g | 0% |
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.001g | 0.005g | 0% |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.014g | 0.06g | 0% |
| Tryptophan | 0.031mg | 0.012mg | 0% |
| Threonine | 0.083mg | 0.052mg | 0% |
| Isoleucine | 0.055mg | 0.05mg | 0% |
| Leucine | 0.092mg | 0.094mg | 0% |
| Lysine | 0.066mg | 0.058mg | 0% |
| Methionine | 0.029mg | 0.02mg | 0% |
| Phenylalanine | 0.089mg | 0.069mg | 0% |
| Valine | 0.086mg | 0.06mg | 0% |
| Histidine | 0.031mg | 0.033mg | 0% |
Which food is preferable for your diet?
is better in case of low diet
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| Low Calories diet |
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| Low Fats diet |
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| Low Carbs diet |
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| Low Glycemic Index diet |
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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
31%
14%
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
20%
23%
Comparison summary
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Yam is lower in Sugar (difference - 3.69g)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Yam contains less Sodium (difference - 47mg)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Yam is lower in glycemic index (difference - 19)
Which food is lower in Saturated fat?
Sweet potato is lower in Saturated fat (difference - 0.011g)
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)
Which food is cheaper?
?
The foods are relatively equal in price ($0.2)
Which food is richer in minerals?
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It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.
Which food is richer in vitamins?
?
It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.