Sweet potato fries

Are sweet potato fries ANY better than normal fries? Like if I go out to eat is it better to order sweet potato fries?

Definitely.  From the values I've seen they are almost 1/2 the amount of calories and less than 1/2 the fat, sodium and carbs (carbs are actually way less than 1/2).

That is wonderful news!

Sweet potatoes also have more antioxidants and twice the fiber of regular potatoes.  And actually, although they are "sweet," they are a more stable source of starch, because they cause less of a spike in your blood sugar than regular, white potatoes (some say this is due to their high fiber content?  don't know..) 

Original Post by lynnmm1961:

Definitely.  From the values I've seen they are almost 1/2 the amount of calories and less than 1/2 the fat, sodium and carbs (carbs are actually way less than 1/2).

Untrue. According to CC:

1 cup of cooked yam (boiled, with skin) = 158 cals

1 cup potato (baked, with skin) = 114 cals

So yams have more calories than a regular potato. The reason why people think yams are better than potatoes is because they don't cause a spike in blood sugar the way white potatoes do. They are also rich in beta carotene (also found in carrots & red peppers).

If you're buying yam/sweet potato fries in a restaurant, they're no better than regular fries. Restaurants will still fry them in oil, which can set you back 800 cals for a side of fries! Don't be fooled into thinking they're healthier.

The only way to make healthy fries (potato or sweet potato) is at home, where you can bake them and control the amount of oil you use.

They are better if they are NOT fried!!!  I love to make my own on the grill at home.  YUM!

Original Post by cellophane_star:

Original Post by lynnmm1961:

Definitely.  From the values I've seen they are almost 1/2 the amount of calories and less than 1/2 the fat, sodium and carbs (carbs are actually way less than 1/2).

Untrue. According to CC:

1 cup of cooked yam (boiled, with skin) = 158 cals

1 cup potato (baked, with skin) = 114 cals

So yams have more calories than a regular potato. The reason why people think yams are better than potatoes is because they don't cause a spike in blood sugar the way white potatoes do. They are also rich in beta carotene (also found in carrots & red peppers).

If you're buying yam/sweet potato fries in a restaurant, they're no better than regular fries. Restaurants will still fry them in oil, which can set you back 800 cals for a side of fries! Don't be fooled into thinking they're healthier.

The only way to make healthy fries (potato or sweet potato) is at home, where you can bake them and control the amount of oil you use.

 

 I actually used CC to look up french fries vs sweet potato fries rather than the potato itself as the OP specified and that's where I got my numbers.  Based on the same weight (volume) of 170g the calories were 539 vs 300.  The total fat was 28.8 vs 12, The sodium 328 vs 140 and Carbs 63.4 vs 24.  Of course the data is only as good as the source who put it in so if I really wanted to find out I'd google a number of sources or compare various restaurants nutrional value.  Also a cup might not hold the same weight which is why I usually go by weights which is more accurate.  I also try and compare based on the same preparation method as that could affect the numbers as well (ie baked vs boiled.)

The restaurant I am going to doesn't give me the option of getting baked sweet potato. I wanted to indulge in fries and wanted to know if sweet potato were healthier. I actually prefer sweet potato fries.

Original Post by nicole318:

The restaurant I am going to doesn't give me the option of getting baked sweet potato. I wanted to indulge in fries and wanted to know if sweet potato were healthier. I actually prefer sweet potato fries.

 They're not. Consider it an indulgence.

Homemade Sweet Potato Fries: more nutritious than regular homemade or store bought baked fries.

Restaurant Sweet Potato Fries deep fried in a vat of oil: No healthier than any other fries.

Most restaurants (even if its a little nicer) deep fry all the fries. Even if they don't look deep fried they most likely were.  Ask first.

Also both a baked potato or baked sweet potato would be better then any sort of fries as long as you don't add butter & other fat laden toppings.

just to let cellophane_star and the rest of you know, yams and sweet potatos are NOT the same. yams are actually quite rare to find in the states, most "yams" you see in the store are actually sweet potatoes. yams are from africa, not very sweet, white, extremely starchy. so if you looked up calories look up sweet potatoes, not yams.

Original Post by cellophane_star:

Original Post by lynnmm1961:

Definitely.  From the values I've seen they are almost 1/2 the amount of calories and less than 1/2 the fat, sodium and carbs (carbs are actually way less than 1/2).

Untrue. According to CC:

1 cup of cooked yam (boiled, with skin) = 158 cals

1 cup potato (baked, with skin) = 114 cals

So yams have more calories than a regular potato. The reason why people think yams are better than potatoes is because they don't cause a spike in blood sugar the way white potatoes do. They are also rich in beta carotene (also found in carrots & red peppers).

If you're buying yam/sweet potato fries in a restaurant, they're no better than regular fries. Restaurants will still fry them in oil, which can set you back 800 cals for a side of fries! Don't be fooled into thinking they're healthier.

The only way to make healthy fries (potato or sweet potato) is at home, where you can bake them and control the amount of oil you use.

 

i can explain this.

sweet potatoes on their own have more calories than regular potatoes. however, the amount of calories when fried differs in favor of the sweet potato fries because they are in the fryer for less time. sweet potato fries only need 1-2 minutes in the fryer, where regular fries can take 4-5 minutes (at least for the fries we use at the restaurant where i work). since the sweet potato fries are not in the fryer as long they do not absorb as much oil as regular fries and have less fat/calories in them.

I disagree. I'm basing my calorie count on this: http://www.primepubs.com/media/articles/nutri tional-info-en.pdf

If you scroll down to "sides", regular fries have fewer calories than sweet potato fries. They're not a health food, no matter how you look at it.

Thats fine, I don't have any calorie counts or anything to prove what I'm saying. Just in my experience in the one restaurant where i have worked the sweet potato fries would have slightly fewer calories because they aren't in the fryer as long.

The calorie count of different fries/sweet fries probably differs greatly from place to place and its pretty pointless to make generalizations about which has more calories than the other since it could be different depending on where you eat.

and you right fries are never a health food no matter it they're sweet potato or regular.