Sweet potato: what it contains and why it matters
Sweet potato is an orange-fleshed tuber (shakarkand). This page lists its nutritional content from published sources and explains which lab parameters it relates to.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-04
Nutritional content of sweet potato
Per 100 g edible portion, from published composition data.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 86 kcal | USDA |
| Protein | 1.57 g | USDA |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.05 g | USDA |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 20.1 g | USDA |
| Fiber, total dietary | 3 g | USDA |
| Vitamin A, RAEDerived predominantly from beta-carotene | 709 µg | USDA |
| Beta-carotene | 8510 µg | USDA |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 2.4 mg | USDA |
| Potassium, K | 337 mg | USDA |
| Calcium, Ca | 30 mg | USDA |
Which lab parameters does sweet potato relate to?
Vitamin A
Vitamin A supports vision, the immune system and the health of skin [WHO].
Potassium
Potassium helps nerves and muscles work and helps balance the body's fluids [WHO].
Vitamin C
Vitamin C supports the immune system and helps the body absorb non-heme iron from plant foods [WHO].
Vegetarian and dietary notes
Sweet potato is a plant-derived root tuber suitable for all vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns.
Frequently asked questions
What form of vitamin A is present in orange-fleshed sweet potato?
Orange-fleshed sweet potato contains provitamin A carotenoids, primarily beta-carotene, which measures 8510 µg per 100 g, providing 709 µg of Vitamin A RAE [USDA]. Beta-carotene is enzymatically cleaved in the intestinal mucosa to form retinol, which functions in retinal phototransduction and cellular differentiation.
What is the carbohydrate and fiber content of raw sweet potato?
Raw sweet potato provides 20.1 g of total carbohydrate per 100 g, including 3 g of dietary fiber and 4.18 g of total sugars [USDA]. Dietary fiber encompasses non-starch polysaccharides that pass undigested into the colon.
How much potassium is in sweet potato and what physiological role does it play?
Raw sweet potato contains 337 mg of potassium per 100 g [USDA]. Potassium is an intracellular cation that contributes to cellular osmotic pressure, electrochemical membrane gradients, and neuromuscular impulse transmission.
How does the vitamin A content of sweet potato compare to that of white potato?
Orange-fleshed sweet potato contains 709 µg RAE of vitamin A per 100 g [USDA], whereas common white-fleshed raw potatoes contain less than 2 µg RAE of vitamin A per 100 g [USDA].
How does cooking affect the carotenoids and vitamin C in sweet potato?
Thermal processing alters the plant cellular matrix, which can increase the extractability and micellarization of beta-carotene, while ascorbic acid (2.4 mg per 100 g raw [USDA]) is thermally labile and subject to leaching into cooking water.
Sources
- USDA — USDA FoodData Central, Agricultural Research Service. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
- WHO — World Health Organization — nutrition fact sheets. https://www.who.int/