Is sweet potato better than rice for weight loss?

Sweet potato wins on the two numbers that decide it. USDA data puts it at 90 calories per 100g against 130 for cooked white rice, and it carries 3.3g of fiber where rice has 0.4g. A medium sweet potato (114g) costs 103 calories, the same as a half cup of cooked rice (79g), so the same calories buy about 35g more food on the plate.

Which has more calories, sweet potato or rice?

Rice, by 40 calories per 100g cooked: 130 against sweet potato's 90. Serving sizes stretch that gap. A cup of cooked white rice (158g) is 206 calories, which is what two medium sweet potatoes cost. A cup of baked sweet potato cubes (200g) is 180 calories, still under the rice cup despite weighing more.

Which has more carbs, sweet potato or rice?

Rice, though less than its reputation suggests: 28.2g of carbs per 100g cooked against 20.7g for sweet potato. Per serving the difference is bigger, since a cup of rice delivers 44.6g and a medium sweet potato 23.6g. Take fiber out and the rice cup still has 44g net where the sweet potato has 19.8g.

Is sweet potato or rice better for blood sugar?

Sweet potato, mostly because of fiber. Its 3.3g per 100g against rice's 0.4g slows how quickly the carbohydrate arrives, and glycemic index agrees: sweet potato sits around 63 and white rice around 73, with brown rice at 68 between them. Portion size still shapes the response more than the swap does.

Can I swap sweet potato for rice in a meal?

Yes, and matching calories rather than volume keeps it honest. One cup of cooked rice at 206 calories trades for two medium sweet potatoes at 103 each. If you match by weight instead, 158g of sweet potato is only 142 calories, so the plate looks the same and the meal is 64 calories lighter.

Which is better for bulking, rice or sweet potato?

Rice, when fitting the calories in is the hard part. At 130 calories per 100g it does the same job in less volume, and its 0.4g of fiber per 100g sits lighter before a session than sweet potato's 3.3g. Protein barely separates them: 2.7g per 100g for rice, 2g for sweet potato, or 4.3g in a cup of rice against 2.3g in a medium sweet potato.

What does sweet potato have that rice doesn't?

Vitamin A above all: 961mcg per 100g, or about 1,096mcg in a medium sweet potato, past a full day's target on its own. It also brings 475mg of potassium and 19.6mg of vitamin C per 100g, the latter about a fifth of a day's target. Cooked white rice supplies almost none of the three, though most US white rice is enriched with iron and B vitamins.

Sweet Potato

Rice

All Comparisons

Sweet Potato vs Rice

Sweet Potato

Wins in 3 of 6 categories

Compare sweet potato and rice calories, carbs, fiber, and vitamin A from USDA data. See which carb suits weight loss, blood sugar, and your training days.

Verdict (USDA data)

Per 100g (USDA data), Sweet Potato has 90 calories vs Rice's 130. Sweet Potato has more fiber (3.3g vs 0.4g). Pick Sweet Potato for more fiber.

Sources: Sweet Potato (FDC 168483) · Rice (FDC 168878)

Nutrition Comparison (per 100g)

Nutrient	Sweet Potato		Rice
Calories	90	vs	130
Protein	2g	vs	2.7g
Carbs	20.7g	vs	28.2g
Fat	0.2g	vs	0.3g
Fiber	3.3g	vs	0.4g
Sodium	0mg	vs	1mg

Winner determined by: fewer calories, more protein, fewer carbs, less fat, more fiber, less sodium

Source: USDA FoodData Central. Sweet Potato: FDC 168483 · Rice: FDC 168878.

When to Choose Each

Choose Sweet Potato when:

You want fewer calories per gram (90 vs 130 per 100g)
You want fiber in the carb itself (3.3g vs 0.4g per 100g)
You want vitamin A (961mcg per 100g, about 1,096mcg in a medium)
You're managing blood sugar (glycemic index 63 vs 73)

See full Sweet Potato nutrition

Choose Rice when:

You need calories without much volume (206 per cooked cup)
You want a low-residue carb before training (0.4g fiber per 100g)
You want marginally more protein (2.7g vs 2g per 100g)
You're building a curry, stir-fry, or beans-and-rice plate

See full Rice nutrition

Frequently Asked Questions

Track Your Food with AI

Snap a photo and instantly get calories for Sweet Potato, Rice, and thousands more foods.

Last updated: 2026-08-09

← Back to all comparisons

More grains →Sweet Potato →Rice →