Kate here…
My Cavemum over in the UK asked me a great question:
What’s the difference between a sweet potato and a regular white potato?
So that got me thinking…
Now don’t get me wrong, having only been Paleo for little under a year and not being very scientifically minded you must forgive my ignorance on this subject. This for me is a learning experience too and I’m in no stretch of the imagination an expert in anything… at all actually 
Ha-ha! I’m just sharing what I learn in the hope that you might find it interesting and want to further investigate for yourself. OK, disclaimer over, onwards…
So, I kinda knew the basic nutritional side, that sweet potatoes have anti-inflammatory properties and have a lower GI index. They are higher in fibre and house both vitamin A and C and are good for us and super tasty!
Livestrong have a great article on the benefits of Sweet Potatoes HERE
What I didn’t know about was the “plant” side of things…
Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are actually a member of the Morning Glory Family and white potatoes are a member of the Nightshade Family. What does this mean? Well…
Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are a member of the Morning Glory Family. If you see them in bloom you will notice the flared, funnel-shaped flower that is typical among plants in this family. The flowers of the sweet potato plant have white petals with a purple throat.
Sweet potatoes are a vine that grows on the ground. The edible part of the plant is a large tuberous root that grows beneath the soil. The skin and flesh of the sweet potato can be red, brown, orange, purple or white. Originally grown in South America, Ipomoea batatas prefer tropical climates, although they can be grown in colder regions during the warmest months.
There are no other common edible plants in the Morning Glory Family, although many of them are used ornamentally such as moonflower, common morning glories, and wood rose.
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), on the other hand, are in the Nightshade Family, which consists of about 3000 species. Plants in this diverse family exhibit a variety of characteristics that make them difficult to categorize. A major difference between the two families is that the Nightshades include many common foods such bell peppers, chiles, tomatillos, and eggplants.[i]
Unlike sweet potatoes, the roots Solanum tuberosum are one of the most important food crops in the world. Potatoes are a good source of carbohydrates, almost completely fat free, and rich in protein and vitamin C.In short, sweet potatoes and potatoes are about as related as you and your mailman.
Source: What’s the Difference Between Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes? by Nate Roderick
Michelle Schoffro Cook wrote a great article for Care 2 outlining 9 Health benefits of Eating Sweet Potatoes Very interesting read – Be sure to check it out!
So.. from what I gather, because white potatoes contain toxins which are higher in their raw state, they are not deemed paleo friendly and then sweet potatoes which can be eaten raw were introduced at a later date. Sweet potatoes have not been proven to be toxic raw, though they do contain some trypsin inhibitors that can make them a little hard to digest for some people. Pureeing or juicing raw sweet potatoes makes them more digestible. Sweet potato nutritional properties out way their carb value and so they are seen as a Paleo friendly food. Don’t forget that sweet potatoes are a high carbohydrate and should be eaten occasionally especially if you are watching your weight. I personally love them and they really fill that potato void. Whether it be in the form of fries, chips, roasties, mash or bakers, sweet potatoes ROCK! (in my humble opinion
Source: Me
Anyway… after rooting around on the internet and getting lost in the depths of info. out there regarding all things potato and paleo, I can conclude that there is much more to read and learn. Hopefully I have covered the basics and I suggest you research further to gain a more scientific knowledge. Hopefully I have given you the itch to go find out more…
Smiles, Kate
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