Small Sweet Potato Calories: 103 in 130g Serving (USDA Data)

A small sweet potato (approximately 130g or 5.3 ounces) contains about 103 calories, making it a nutrient-dense option for balanced eating. This precise measurement comes from the USDA's official FoodData Central database, the gold standard for nutritional information.

Understanding exactly how many calories are in a small sweet potato matters whether you're tracking macros, managing blood sugar, or simply making informed food choices. Let's break down what makes this humble root vegetable such a nutritional powerhouse while giving you the exact numbers you need.

What Exactly Qualifies as a "Small" Sweet Potato?

When nutritionists and the USDA refer to a "small" sweet potato, they mean one that weighs approximately 130 grams (5.3 ounces) before cooking. This typically translates to a sweet potato about 5 inches long and 2 inches in diameter—roughly the size of a man's fist or a standard computer mouse.

Many people mistakenly assume all sweet potatoes have the same nutritional profile, but size variations significantly impact calorie counts:

Sweet Potato Size	Weight	Calories
Small (5" long)	130g	103
Medium (6" long)	180g	143
Large (7" long)	270g	215

This data comes directly from the USDA FoodData Central, the most authoritative source for nutritional information in the United States. The USDA regularly updates these figures based on laboratory analysis of actual food samples, ensuring accuracy you can trust for dietary planning.

Complete Nutritional Profile Beyond Calories

While calorie count matters, the real value of a small sweet potato lies in what those calories deliver. Unlike empty-calorie foods, sweet potatoes pack remarkable nutrition into each serving:

• Carbohydrates: 24g (mostly complex carbs that provide sustained energy)
• Dietary Fiber: 3.6g (14% of daily value)
• Vitamin A: 14,030 IU (280% of daily value)
• Vitamin C: 19.6mg (22% of daily value)
• Potassium: 337mg (10% of daily value)
• Manganese: 0.4mg (17% of daily value)

What makes sweet potatoes particularly valuable is their glycemic index (GI) of 44—considered low. This means they release sugar gradually into your bloodstream, avoiding the spikes and crashes associated with refined carbohydrates. The high fiber content further supports stable blood sugar levels, making them suitable even for many people managing diabetes.

How Preparation Methods Affect Calorie Content

How you cook your sweet potato significantly impacts both nutritional value and calorie density. Many people unknowingly double their calorie intake through preparation mistakes:

• Boiling: Retains most nutrients with minimal calorie change (103 calories)
• Baking: Concentrates natural sugars slightly (106 calories)
• Roasting with oil: Adds approximately 40-120 calories depending on oil amount
• Frying: Can double calorie content to 200+ calories

Research from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows that boiling preserves more beta-carotene (which converts to vitamin A) than baking. For maximum nutrient retention, cook sweet potatoes with their skin intact—the skin contains nearly half the fiber and significant antioxidant compounds.

Practical Applications for Your Diet

Understanding how many calories in a small sweet potato helps you make smarter meal decisions. Here's how to incorporate them effectively:

• For weight management: Replace one refined carbohydrate serving (like white rice or pasta) with a small sweet potato to increase satiety while maintaining similar calorie counts
• For athletic performance: Consume 1-2 hours before exercise for sustained energy release
• For blood sugar control: Pair with protein (like Greek yogurt or chicken) to further moderate glucose response
• For meal prep: Cook multiple sweet potatoes at once and refrigerate for up to 5 days—reheating causes minimal nutrient loss

Nutrition professionals consistently rank sweet potatoes among the top vegetable choices for balanced eating patterns. Their combination of complex carbohydrates, fiber, and micronutrients makes them far superior to many other carbohydrate sources commonly consumed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to the most common questions about sweet potato nutrition:

Does the skin of a sweet potato add significant calories?

No, the skin of a sweet potato adds negligible calories but provides nearly half the fiber content. A small sweet potato with skin contains about 103 calories, while peeled it's approximately 100 calories. Keeping the skin on increases nutritional value without meaningful calorie impact.

How do sweet potatoes compare to regular potatoes nutritionally?

Sweet potatoes contain more vitamin A and fiber than white potatoes, while white potatoes have slightly more potassium and protein. A small sweet potato (103 calories) has 280% of daily vitamin A needs versus almost none in white potatoes. Both have similar carbohydrate content, but sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index (44 vs 78 for white potatoes).

Can I eat sweet potatoes daily on a calorie-controlled diet?

Yes, a small sweet potato (103 calories) fits comfortably within most calorie-controlled diets. Nutritionists recommend 1-2 small sweet potatoes daily as part of balanced eating. Their high fiber and nutrient density promote satiety, potentially reducing overall calorie intake by preventing snacking on less nutritious foods.

Do cooked and raw sweet potatoes have different calorie counts?

Cooking concentrates calories slightly by removing water. A raw small sweet potato contains about 100 calories, while cooked it's approximately 103-106 calories. The difference is minimal, but cooking significantly increases the bioavailability of beta-carotene (vitamin A precursor) by breaking down cell walls.