Yam vs Sweet Potato: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Yam has 1.5 g of protein and 118 calories, while sweet potato has 1.4 g of protein and 76 calories. Sweet potato is lower in calories.

Yam and sweet potato are popular tubers that provide various nutrients. Understanding their nutritional profiles can help consumers make informed dietary choices.

What Is the Difference Between Yam and Sweet Potato?

Yam is a starchy tuber that is commonly grown in Africa and Asia, known for its rough skin and white, purple, or yellow flesh. It is often used in savory dishes. Sweet potato is a sweet, starchy root vegetable that is orange, purple, or white in color, commonly used in both savory and sweet dishes. It is rich in vitamins and minerals.

Yam vs Sweet Potato: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of yam and sweet potato nutrition.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Yam (raw)	Sweet potato (boiled)
Calories	118 kcal	76 kcal
Protein	1.5 g	1.4 g
Carbs	27.9 g	17.7 g
Sugar	0.5 g	5.7 g
Fat	0.2 g	0.1 g
Fiber	4.1 g	2.5 g
Sodium	9 mg	27 mg

Which Is Better, Yam or Sweet Potato?

For weight loss: Sweet potato is lower in calories at 76 calories compared to yam's 118 calories, making it a better option for weight loss.

For muscle and protein: Yam has slightly more protein at 1.5 g compared to sweet potato's 1.4 g, making it marginally better for muscle building.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Yam contains 27.9 g of carbs and 0.5 g of sugar, while sweet potato has 17.7 g of carbs and 5.7 g of sugar, making sweet potato lower in both.

How to Track Yam and Sweet potato Accurately

Portion sizes and macronutrient content can often be misjudged, leading to unintended dietary choices. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers provided are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional for personalized nutrition guidance. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein?

Yam has 1.5 g of protein, while sweet potato has 1.4 g of protein.

Which has fewer calories?

Sweet potato has 76 calories, while yam has 118 calories.

What is the carbohydrate content of yam?

Yam contains 27.9 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.

What is the sugar content in sweet potato?

Sweet potato contains 5.7 g of sugar per 100 g.

How much fiber is in yam?

Yam contains 4.1 g of fiber per 100 g.

What is the sodium content of sweet potato?

Sweet potato contains 27 mg of sodium per 100 g.

Key Takeaways

• Yam has 118 calories per 100 g.
• Sweet potato has 76 calories per 100 g.
• Yam contains 1.5 g of protein per 100 g.
• Sweet potato contains 1.4 g of protein per 100 g.
• Yam has 27.9 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.
• Sweet potato has 17.7 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.