Sweet potatoes and purple potatoes, which is better for diabetics? In terms of nutritional value, both are actually high in carbohydrates, but baked sweet potatoes are more flavorful and tender, while purple potatoes have more stalks, larger grains, and a fluffier texture, though they seem to taste slightly sweeter. This is because sweet potatoes have a higher water content, so they have a lighter but softer flavor when steamed. Purple potatoes are slightly less starchy than sweet potatoes and have increased protein, mineral, and dietary fiber content, so they also detract from the soft and waxy texture, but the nutritional content is actually slightly higher. First of all, if diabetics want to control their blood sugar levels, they should limit their calorie intake.

Sweet potatoes have 102 kilocalories per 100 grams, while purple potatoes have only 70 kilocalories. In other words, at the same weight, purple potatoes have only two-thirds the calories of sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes have a glycemic index (GI) of 54 and contain 24.7 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. If you eat 100 grams of sweet potatoes, the GL is 13.33. Purple potatoes have a GI of 77 and contain 17.3 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams.

If the same 100 grams of purple potatoes are eaten, the GL for blood glucose is 13.321, which means that eating the same amount of sweet potatoes and purple potatoes has almost the same effect on blood glucose, and both are moderate-load diets, which have little effect on blood glucose. Sweet potatoes and purple potatoes are actually relatives, their nutritional composition is largely the same, both are low-fat food, rich in starch, a variety of minerals and vitamins, and rich in dietary fiber content, very beneficial to the human body.

Purple potatoes have a special ingredient called anthocyanin, which is not found in sweet potatoes, but it contains more vitamin A (carotene) than purple potatoes. Anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants that scavenge free radicals, slow aging, and boost immunity. Dark-colored vegetables, especially purple foods, are common, such as red greens, purple cabbage, grapes, and blueberries. In addition, the starch content of purple potatoes is slightly lower than that of sweet potatoes, and the proportion of minerals and dietary fiber in purple potatoes is higher, so the taste of purple potatoes is not sweet and soft.