Roots and tubers · IFCT 2017
Sweet potato: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw brown-skinned sweet potato gives 109 kcal, 24.2 g carbohydrate, 4.0 g dietary fibre, 17.9 mg vitamin C and 5376 micrograms of beta-carotene, according to IFCT 2017. It is the most energy-dense of the 10 roots and tubers, but it also carries more fibre than potato, and its beta-carotene ranks 8th of 160 foods.
About sweet potato
Sweet potato, shakarkand in Hindi, ranga alu in Bengali, ratalu in Marathi and Urdu, sakkaria in Gujarati, genasu in Kannada, sakkarvalli kizhangu in Tamil and chilagada dumpa in Telugu, is a winter root grown across India, with large crops in Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. It is cheap, filling and allowed on many fasting days, which keeps it popular in temple towns and during Navratri and Ekadashi.
IFCT 2017 analysed brown-skinned and pink-skinned roots. They are close: 109 and 108 kcal per 100 g, with the pink-skinned kind a little higher in vitamin C, 22.2 mg against 17.9 mg, and iron, 0.51 mg against 0.35 mg. The tables' beta-carotene figure is typical of orange-fleshed roots; the pale, cream-fleshed shakarkand common in north Indian markets probably carries much less, so judge by the colour of the flesh.
What sweet potato brings to a meal
- 01
Beta-carotene, if the flesh is orange
IFCT 2017 records 5376 micrograms of beta-carotene per 100 g, 8th of 160 foods and close to carrot. Deep orange flesh is the sign of a beta-carotene-rich root.
- 02
More fibre than potato
Sweet potato has 4.0 g dietary fibre per 100 g, 5th of 10 roots, more than double potato's figure. Eating the skin adds to it.
- 03
The most energy among roots
At 109 kcal and 24.2 g carbohydrate per 100 g, sweet potato ranks 1st of 10 roots for both. Only 3.6 g of that carbohydrate is sugars; the rest is mostly starch.
- 04
Vitamin C and potassium
100 g gives 17.9 mg vitamin C, 3rd among roots, and 345 mg potassium. The vitamin C meets about 22 per cent of a man's and 28 per cent of a woman's daily requirement.
Sweet potato nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 109 kcal | 5% | 7% |
| Protein | 1.3 g | 2% | 3% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 24.2 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 4 g | ||
| Free sugars | 3.6 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.3 g | ||
| Water | 69.2 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.07 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.12 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 20 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 28 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Iron | 0.35 mg | 2% | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.16 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Magnesium | 17 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Phosphorus | 43 mg | ||
| Potassium | 345 mg | ||
| Sodium | 30 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.17 mg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 17.9 mg | 22% | 28% |
| Beta-carotene | 5,376 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.07 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.04 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.67 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.12 mg | 5% | 6% |
| Folate (B9) | 16 µg | 5% | 7% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.01 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 3 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Sweet potato: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/roots-and-tubers/sweet-potato/
Where sweet potato sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 9 roots and tubers and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In roots and tubers | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 17.9 mg | 3rd of 10 | 69th of 130 |
| Beta-carotene | 5,376 µg | 2nd of 6 | 8th of 160 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.07 mg | 2nd of 10 | 93rd of 239 |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.04 mg | 3rd of 10 | 171st of 241 |
| Energy | 109 kcal | 1st of 10 | 107th of 257 |
Every form of sweet potato in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet potato, brown skin (shown above) | 109 kcal | 1.3 g | 4 g | 0.35 mg | 28 mg |
| Pink skin | 108 kcal | 1.3 g | 3.9 g | 0.51 mg | 29 mg |
How sweet potato is eaten
- Shakarkandi chaat: roasted on coals, peeled, cubed and tossed with chaat masala and lemon, a Delhi winter street classic.
- Ratalyacha kees, grated sweet potato cooked with cumin, green chilli and peanuts for Maharashtrian fasting days.
- Undhiyu, the Gujarati winter mixed vegetable dish, where sweet potato cooks alongside beans, yam and fenugreek muthia.
- Boiled sakkarvalli kizhangu eaten warm in Tamil homes as an evening snack.
- Sweet potato kheer or halwa for vrat, mashed and cooked with milk and jaggery.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Before you plan around it
Sweet potato is a starchy food, so count it as the carbohydrate in a meal rather than as a free vegetable, particularly if you have diabetes. Boiling or roasting suits it better than deep-frying. Its 30 mg sodium and 345 mg potassium per 100 g are both moderate, but kidney patients on a potassium limit should still check portions. Beta-carotene absorbs best with a little fat, so a drizzle of ghee or a few peanuts in the dish helps.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about sweet potato
Is sweet potato better than potato?
In some ways. Per 100 g, sweet potato has more than twice the fibre of potato, at 4.0 g, and orange-fleshed kinds carry a lot of beta-carotene. It also has more energy, at 109 kcal. Both are starchy vegetables; variety in the week is the best approach.
Can people with diabetes eat sweet potato?
In a measured portion. Sweet potato has 24.2 g carbohydrate per 100 g, more than potato, though it comes with 4.0 g fibre. Boiled or roasted, with the skin and alongside protein, it fits better than fried. Plan portions with your doctor or dietitian.
Why is sweet potato eaten during fasts?
Many Hindu fasts allow roots such as sweet potato while excluding grains. At 109 kcal per 100 g, it gives steady energy during Navratri and Ekadashi, often as kees, chaat or kheer.
Is orange or white sweet potato healthier?
Orange-fleshed sweet potato carries far more beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A. White or cream-fleshed roots have similar energy and fibre but much less beta-carotene. Choose orange when you can find it.
Related foods and tables
Potato
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Carrot
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Yam (suran)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Tapioca (cassava)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pumpkin
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Sweet potato vs Potato
Side by side, per 100 g.
Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Beta-carotene content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by beta-carotene per 100 g.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by thiamine (vitamin b1) per 100 g.
All roots and tubers
10 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.