White vs Orange Sweet Potato: Difference and Comparison

As the title suggests, sweet potato is a very delicious vegetable. It is also very famous all around the world with different names.

This sweet potato is a modified root of the potato plant. It grows under the soil. These sweet potatoes were domesticated in America around 5000 years ago. 

But there are some varieties of sweet potatoes. They are white sweet potatoes and orange sweet potatoes. These names are combined with sweet potatoes, but they have some differences between them.

Here are some of the basic differences to make them separable. 

Key Takeaways

1. White sweet potatoes have lighter, golden skin and white flesh, while orange sweet potatoes have reddish-orange skin and vibrant orange flesh.
2. Orange sweet potatoes are higher in beta-carotene and vitamin A, whereas white sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index.
3. White sweet potatoes taste less sweet and have a drier texture, while orange sweet potatoes are sweeter and creamier.

White vs Orange Sweet Potato

White potato is a type of potatoes with white or light-colored flesh. It is pale or cream-colored and commonly used in a wide range of culinary applications. Orange sweet potato is a type of root vegetable. Orange sweet potatoes are naturally sweet and are used in both sweet and savory dishes.

White sweet potato is a variety of sweet potato, and it is so-called due to the white flesh color. The skin of the white sweet potato is also lighter in color.

This variety has very soft and delicate skin in comparison to other types. It is commonly termed sweet potato.

Orange sweet potato is another variety of sweet potatoes. This variety is named so due to the color of its flesh, which is orange. The skin of this variety is also darker in color.

This helps to identify the difference between them. The skin of the orange sweet potato is harder and solid.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	White Sweet Potato	Orange Sweet Potato
Amount of beta-carotene	This has less content beta-carotene	This has more content of beta-carotene in it
Flavor	Milder in flavor	Appropriate in flavor
Color of skin	Lighter in comparison to that of orange sweet potato	Darker in comparison to white sweet potato
Nature	This has a softer skin in comparison to orange sweet potato	It has harder and more solid skin
Nickname in the US	Sweet potato	Yam

What is White Sweet Potato?

White sweet potato belongs to the monocot family. This plant contains flowers. This mainly originated in Africa and Asia. China has been the largest producer and dealer of sweet potatoes in recent times.

China produces nearly about 51.8 million tonnes of sweet potatoes. Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, etc., follow it.

White sweet potato is a variety of sweet potato, and it is so-called due to the white flesh color. The skin of the white sweet potato is also lighter in color.

This variety has very soft and delicate skin in comparison to other types. It is commonly termed sweet potato.

These sweet potatoes are mainly from monocot plants. These have beta-carotene in it, which is very helpful in the production of vitamin A. These also contain carbohydrate in it.

It is not globally considered a staple food. But in some regions of the world, it is considered a staple food.

This is consumed in different parts of the world in different ways. Some people boil it in water and consume it.

As it is milder in taste, it does not need any other substance to make it milder. Some people also put it in chicken and other meat recipes.

Roasted sweet potatoes are very famous across China and Japan. These are also put in sweet syrups and are consumed as desserts.

What is Orange Sweet Potato?

Orange sweet potato is another variety of sweet potatoes. This variety is named so due to the color of its flesh, which is orange. The skin of this variety is also darker in color.

This helps to identify the difference between them. The skin of the orange sweet potato is harder and solid. This is why this sweet potato can be preserved for a longer period.

This orange sweet potato has more beta-carotene in it. This factor helps produce Vitamin A. this potato is also sweeter compared to the white sweet potato.

This is used all over the world as a white sweet potato.

This is nicknamed Yam in the US. But yam is different from sweet potato. The Yam belongs to the dicot plant. This is very nutritious and also provides good gut health.

This is also beneficial for brain health and the immune system and helps improve the consumer’s vision.

The orange sweet potato can be consumed in many ways, like by making chips, boiled and mashed, with sweet syrups as dessert, etc.

Main Differences Between White and Orange Sweet Potato

1. The white sweet potato has less content of beta-carotene, but in contrast to that, the orange sweet potato has more content of beta-carotene in it.
2. White sweet potato is milder in flavor. On the other hand, the orange sweet potato is appropriate in flavor.
3. The skin of the white sweet potato is lighter in comparison to that of the darker skin of the orange sweet potato. 
4. The white sweet potato has a softer skin in comparison to the orange sweet potato. In contrast, the orange sweet potato has harder and more solid skin.
5. The nickname of the white sweet potato is sweet potato, and the orange sweet potato is called yam in the US.

References

1. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=_MWmIDzNMSYC&oi=fnd&pg=PR13&dq=sweet+potato&ots=z_H7RC_o9I&sig=Jd4zOXBL91guG1tE0Md5DHplu0Y
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043452606520017

Last Updated : 11 June, 2023