Natural Medicine

» Victoria Anisman-Reiner - Are sweet potatoes fattening?

It's true that sweet potatoes are high in carbohydrates and sugars - like other tubers, they are rich in starches. However, yams or sweet potatoes are much lower glycemic than ordinary potatoes: they will not increase your blood sugar as much as most starchy carbs. It's the spike in blood sugar that forces your body to store sugars, usually as fat.

I consider sweet potatoes very healthy; I would suggest elminating potatoes and bread first - and keep the sweet potatoes, in moderation. Keep in mind though that, ultimately, whether something will be "fattening" will depend on your individual metabolism and how YOUR body digests a particular food.