NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
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Sweet Potato

A beta-carotene powerhouse with clinically demonstrated glycemic and vitamin A benefits.

Strong evidence 🥦Vegetables

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Strong
Research weight
Citations
11 verified / 11
Classification
Vegetables
❝
What the evidence says. Multiple high-quality RCTs / meta-analyses with consistent effects.

Nutrition per serving 1 medium, baked in skin (114 g)

114gSERVING
  • Sugars 7.1 g6%
  • Fibre 3.2 g3%
  • Other carbs 13.3 g12%
  • Protein 1.8 g2%
  • Other 88.6 g78%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).
Vitamin C15%Fiber11%Potassium6%Folate9%Vitamin A73%Vitamin K2%Vitamin B610%Manganese23%
One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
80 kcal1.8 g protein3.2 g fiber7.1 g sugar
NutrientPer serving% daily value
Vitamin C14 mg15%
Fiber3.2 g11%
Potassium270 mg6%
Folate35 µg9%
Vitamin A660 µg73%
Vitamin K2.6 µg2%
Vitamin B60.17 mg10%
Manganese0.54 mg23%
Copper0.11 mg12%
Vitamin E0.8 mg5%
Magnesium19 mg5%
Calcium32 mg2%

Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗

What is Sweet Potato?

Sweet Potato is a vegetable used for exceptional provitamin a (beta-carotene) source. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Strong. A single medium baked sweet potato delivers roughly 660 ug RAE of vitamin A (well over a full day's requirement) almost entirely from beta-carotene, plus fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Randomized controlled trials of a standardized white sweet potato extract (Caiapo) show meaningful HbA1c and cholesterol reductions in type 2 diabetes, and effectiveness trials confirm that orange-fleshed sweet potato raises serum retinol and corrects vitamin A deficiency in children. Higher dietary beta-carotene intake is associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in prospective cohort meta-analyses, though beta-carotene supplements do not reproduce these benefits.

Purported Benefits

✓Exceptional provitamin A (beta-carotene) source
✓Improves glycemic control and HbA1c (Caiapo RCTs)
✓Corrects vitamin A deficiency in children
✓Supplies fiber, potassium and vitamin C
✓Anthocyanins (purple varieties) add antioxidant capacity

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
Standard serving: 1 medium, baked in skin (114 g). Eat whole (with skin where edible); favour whole fruit over juice.
Active Compounds
beta-caroteneanthocyanins (peonidin/cyanidin glycosides, purple cultivars)caffeoylquinic / chlorogenic acidsresistant starcharabinogalactan-protein (Caiapo)

Safety & Cautions

Very high in oxalates relative to other vegetables, so people prone to calcium-oxalate kidney stones should moderate intake. Carotenemia (harmless yellow-orange skin tinge) can occur with very large habitual intakes. Glycemic response is gentler than white potato but it remains carbohydrate-dense, relevant for diabetes meal planning. Note: glycemic/cholesterol RCT evidence is for the standardized Caiapo white-skin extract, not whole baked roots. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Sweet Potato with any medicine.

Key Studies ★ 11 studies

Cochrane review Pheng 2023 (Cochrane-linked update) ✓ Full text
Cochrane review of 3 RCTs (n=140) found 4 g/day sweet potato (Caiapo) tablets moderately lowered HbA1c by ~0.3% versus placebo in type 2 diabetes, but rated all trials very low quality.
Meta-analysis Lou 2025 (PLOS ONE) ✓ Full text
Meta-analysis of 29 RCTs (n=2006) found dietary anthocyanins (the class enriched in purple sweet potato) significantly improved lipid and glycemic metabolic-syndrome markers, e.g. HDL-C +0.05 mmol/L (95% CI 0.01 to 0.10).
Systematic review & meta-analysis of RCTs Jiang 2022 ✓ Full text
Beta-carotene supplementation did not reduce, and in smokers slightly increased, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, underscoring that whole-food carotenoids (not supplements) drive observed benefits.
Meta-analysis Zhao 2016 ✓ Full text
Pooled prospective cohorts found higher dietary beta-carotene intake associated with 17% lower all-cause mortality (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.78-0.88) and high circulating beta-carotene with 31% lower mortality (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.59-0.80).
Cluster-randomized effectiveness trial Hotz 2012 ✓ PubMed
A 2-year intervention introducing orange-fleshed sweet potato in rural Uganda increased vitamin A intakes among children and women and improved serum retinol in children 6-35 months.
RCT Ludvik 2004 ✓ Source
In 61 diet-treated type 2 diabetics, 4 g/day Caiapo (white sweet potato extract) for 12 weeks lowered HbA1c from 7.21% to 6.68% and reduced fasting glucose and total/LDL cholesterol vs no change on placebo (P<0.001).
RCT Ludvik 2002 ✓ PubMed
Randomized double-blind trial showed Caiapo significantly lowered 2-hour glucose and total cholesterol in type 2 diabetes patients versus placebo, establishing improved glucose metabolism.
RCT Ludvik 2008 ✓ PubMed
Improved metabolic control with Caiapo in type 2 diabetic subjects was associated with significantly increased adiponectin and decreased fibrinogen levels, suggesting anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefit.
Controlled intervention trial Low 2007 ✓ PubMed
A food-based program introducing orange-fleshed sweet potato in rural Mozambique raised vitamin A intake and increased mean serum retinol by ~0.10 umol/L in young children.
Review Sun 2026 ✓ PubMed
Review of the nutritional value, influencing factors, and safety of sweet potato leaves.
Review Rick 2026 ✓ PubMed
Allergens from plant-based food allergen sources and their clinical and diagnostic relevance
11 sources cited · 11 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about Sweet Potato

What is Sweet Potato used for?

Sweet Potato is most often taken for Exceptional provitamin A (beta-carotene) source, Improves glycemic control and HbA1c (Caiapo RCTs), Corrects vitamin A deficiency in children, Supplies fiber, potassium and vitamin C. A beta-carotene powerhouse with clinically demonstrated glycemic and vitamin A benefits.

Does Sweet Potato work — what does the evidence say?

Strong evidence. Multiple high-quality RCTs / meta-analyses with consistent effects. A single medium baked sweet potato delivers roughly 660 ug RAE of vitamin A (well over a full day's requirement) almost entirely from beta-carotene, plus fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Randomized controlled trials of a standardized white sweet potato extract (Caiapo) show meaningful HbA1c and cholesterol reductions in type 2 diabetes, and effectiveness trials confirm that orange-fleshed sweet potato raises serum retinol and corrects vitamin A deficiency in children. Higher dietary beta-carotene intake is associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in prospective cohort meta-analyses, though beta-carotene supplements do not reproduce these benefits.

What is the typical dose of Sweet Potato?

Standard serving: 1 medium, baked in skin (114 g). Eat whole (with skin where edible); favour whole fruit over juice.

Is Sweet Potato safe? Any cautions or side effects?

Very high in oxalates relative to other vegetables, so people prone to calcium-oxalate kidney stones should moderate intake. Carotenemia (harmless yellow-orange skin tinge) can occur with very large habitual intakes. Glycemic response is gentler than white potato but it remains carbohydrate-dense, relevant for diabetes meal planning. Note: glycemic/cholesterol RCT evidence is for the standardized Caiapo white-skin extract, not whole baked roots.

How many studies support Sweet Potato?

NutriDex cites 11 sources for Sweet Potato, graded "Strong".

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). Sweet Potato: Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 16 Sept 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/sweet-potato

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_sweet_potato,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {Sweet Potato: Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/sweet-potato},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-09-16}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

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