Oatmeal vs the Sweet Potato

**LiL USMC BBer** · 07-09-2007, 03:00 PM

Both have very low GI values. Both are very good tasting. Both are very cheap sources (especially oatmeal)

The oatmeal has quite bit more fiber then the sweet potato. But the sweet potato has a better/larger micronutrient amount.

I'm asking which one do you think is the more superior carbohydrate? I don't care what the goal is lean mass, mass in general, or cutting, or contest preporation.

I also don't care which one you think TASTES better.

I simply am curious about which one would yield better results if you could only stick with one.

**The Solution** · 07-09-2007, 03:03 PM

most likely the oatmeal..

it contains literally no sugars.. a good dose of fiber, a decent amnt of protein and it goes well with a lot of things..

i think taste is really preference when it comes to whoever is eating it.. so u really cant factor that into the equation..

health wise oatmeal will be a champion over a sweet potato anyday.. much lower in sodium/potassium.. and provides good carbs/cals/fiber/protein and no sugar

**LiL USMC BBer** · 07-09-2007, 03:04 PM

honestly man.. I didn't factor in taste into the question thats why I said "I don't care which one you think tastes better"

but your answer.. is exactly what I wanted to hear... I can eat 5LB's of oatmeal... love the stuff..

**hosler83** · 07-09-2007, 03:15 PM

Oats mixed with banana and whey is good. I couldn't imagine eating them by themselves. The sweet potato is awesome with juts a sprinkle of cinnamon.

**DarinK** · 07-09-2007, 03:37 PM

With me I think the sweet potato is a superior source, even though I use oats more because of convenience sake. The sweet potato is superior, IMO, because:
1. Lower GI than oats.
2. Causes less bloating when eaten in high amounts compared to oats.
3. Satiety value is greater.
4. Slower digesting than oats, therefore providing a longer lasting supply of energy.
But I still eat more oats than yams because I can throw them in a blender and drink, whereas I have to cook a sweet potato. But these two are definitely the two best carb sources, IMO.

**hosler83** · 07-09-2007, 03:39 PM

How mnay cups of oats do you guys eat a day? I usually only get 1/2c to 1 c maybe I should eat alot more. Its wayy better then rice and more convienent then sweet potato.

**sportyhp** · 07-09-2007, 03:39 PM

i eat oatmeal in the morning and sweet potato at night, just a preference haha

**jGvasa** · 07-09-2007, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by sportyhp

i eat oatmeal in the morning and sweet potato at night, just a preference haha

same with me.

I have the exact opposite as to what dkf10425 posted. I can eat tons of oats and never be full, but I just got done having a sweet potato with a chicken breast, and I can barely walk im so f*cking bloated.

**cmamath13** · 07-09-2007, 04:16 PM

IMHO: Sweet Potato

**Jules Verne** · 07-09-2007, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by jGvasa

same with me.

I have the exact opposite as to what dkf10425 posted. I can eat tons of oats and never be full, but I just got done having a sweet potato with a chicken breast, and I can barely walk im so f*cking bloated.

Same here. And since I have to be careful with eating, even bulking, I usually go for sweet potato.

**Aindreas** · 07-09-2007, 04:32 PM

Sweet potatoes just seem more "natural" somehow. But I doubt there's much difference as far as which is the superior carb. Sweet potatoes and oats are my favorite two carb sources, incidentally, and I've actually made a bowl of oats with mashed sweet potato and pumpkin pie spice, so maybe that's the solution.

**Oddball8945** · 07-09-2007, 05:31 PM

really, i don't think choseing either a sweet potato or oats as a carb source will make any difference at all in terms of results and performance. Both are good complex carbs, they supply you with complex carbs what more can they do other then that. Perhaps the sweet potato has higher vitimin content but, that wont change results at all. neither is better

**The Solution** · 07-09-2007, 05:36 PM

sweet potatoes contain a lot more sugar also.. but its very full of vitamins and minerals..

really it doesnt matter.. just watch how much of each carb source u eat.. someimes people can get carried away with how many oats they can thrown down or go for a bit extra on the sweet potato.. both are great complex carbs.. so eat up and enjoy

**tosca** · 07-09-2007, 06:13 PM

one might also want to consider the type of oatmeal. quick oats have a somewhat high GI, so unless you combine it with fat you are going to be spiking the insulin. if it was between sweet potatoes and steel cut it would be a close call, but i would still go with the sweet potato. having said that, i rarely eat sweet potatoes and eat oatmeal all day long.

**jGvasa** · 07-09-2007, 06:18 PM

To be hoenst, I wouldn't mind having oats and brown rice as my only carb sources. I always crave brown rice, usually have it 3 times a day (3 cups total)

**Oddball8945** · 07-09-2007, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by tosca

one might also want to consider the type of oatmeal. quick oats have a somewhat high GI, so unless you combine it with fat you are going to be spiking the insulin. if it was between sweet potatoes and steel cut it would be a close call, but i would still go with the sweet potato. having said that, i rarely eat sweet potatoes and eat oatmeal all day long.

oats actully contain a decent amount of fat 2 cups oats rolled have 11g fat, compared to any porition of sweet potatoes which have virtually none. But not that it matters anyway.

gi between the two that is.....

**Sibrek** · 07-09-2007, 06:19 PM

I wonder if you could mix them...blending maybe?

**LiL USMC BBer** · 07-09-2007, 07:09 PM

awesome responses!!!

The REAL reason why I'm asking is becuase of some of the reasons that some people have already stated.

Oats have fat in them. Oats have protein in them. I eat sometimes more then 2-3 cups of oatmeal a day. That's like 20-30G of protein just from oats. Very signifigant amount. It forces me to change my macro's as my protein intake becomes to high because of an incomplete source.

Sweet potato's however do now have fat/protein in them. It would be rather beneficial for me to include some more sweet potato's in my diet to increase the carbs while not increasing protein too much (at all).

Brown rice well... for some reason I just don't trust it. Same thing with bread. I don't trust bread.

**bradroche** · 07-09-2007, 07:15 PM

Im eating both at this very moment. Oats with peanut butter, raisins, cinnamon and splenda...and sweet potato fries with olive oil, onion powder and salt (i know weird but it tastes good)

Gotta love carb ups

As for which is more beneficial. It depends really. Assuming your getting enough protein, fat and fiber in your diet elsewhere...the sweet potato would be the better choice nutritionally due to its lower GI and greater range of micronutrients. However if the OP's diet isn't the best (which I doubt) then he would probably benefit more from oats because he would benefit from the extra fiber and healthy fats thet he may not get from other foods.

In your case, I would use the sweet potato if you could only choose one. But realistically, you should just eat sweet potato when you can and oats when its conveinient. This will ensure a variety of both carb sources, arguably 2 of the best sources there are.

Brown rice is overrated, very little fiber, not that great (altho certainly not bad) a micronutrient profile. Very little healthny fat. Its really not much more than starch in my opinion. As for bread, outside of ezekiel (and maybe a couple other kinds I dont know about) they are not as good as oats or sweet potato. The added ingredients really take away from their overall nutrient profile.

Other great carb sources would be lentils, beans of just about any kind, peas, corn, and the WHITE POTATO! (GI isn't everything, look at the nutrients in your average white potato and tell me it's not a great carb source)

The above is an opinion of me and should in no way be taken as opinion of bodybuilding.com or any of its other members.

**Aindreas** · 07-09-2007, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by ReSpAwN DeMoN

awesome responses!!!

The REAL reason why I'm asking is becuase of some of the reasons that some people have already stated.

Oats have fat in them. Oats have protein in them. I eat sometimes more then 2-3 cups of oatmeal a day. That's like 20-30G of protein just from oats. Very signifigant amount. It forces me to change my macro's as my protein intake becomes to high because of an incomplete source.

Sweet potato's however do now have fat/protein in them. It would be rather beneficial for me to include some more sweet potato's in my diet to increase the carbs while not increasing protein too much (at all).

Brown rice well... for some reason I just don't trust it. Same thing with bread. I don't trust bread.

But keep in mind that it's incomplete protein unless you eat it with something that completes the amino acid profile. Don't worry about overshooting your protein from incomplete sources.

**Sibrek** · 07-09-2007, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by Aindreas

But keep in mind that it's incomplete protein unless you eat it with something that completes the amino acid profile. Don't worry about overshooting your protein from incomplete sources.

Something you eat during the day will complete it. I'm pretty sure since a lot of people on here take some form of BCAAs that any incomplete protein will be digested as a complete one..

**Aindreas** · 07-09-2007, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by Sibrek

Something you eat during the day will complete it. I'm pretty sure since a lot of people on here take some form of BCAAs that any incomplete protein will be digested as a complete one..

But I still wonder how close together you would need to eat them for the aminos to merge or whatever. I don't really know anything about BCAAs.

**rockstarsar** · 07-09-2007, 07:22 PM

Why either/or? Just eat both.

**Sibrek** · 07-09-2007, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by Aindreas

But I still wonder how close together you would need to eat them for the aminos to merge or whatever. I don't really know anything about BCAAs.

Yeah...I won't pretend i do either--I don't even know if the BCAAs in whey are the right kinds to complement the other incomplete proteins, but I have heard that eating two things in th same day that complement each other are close eneough

**LiL USMC BBer** · 07-09-2007, 07:24 PM

awesome... I will start eating sweet potato... aka the bodybuilders candy lol atleast to me it is..

**bradroche** · 07-09-2007, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by ReSpAwN DeMoN

awesome... I will start eating sweet potato... aka the bodybuilders candy lol atleast to me it is..

If you ever get sick of it, cut em up into fries, add olive oil (whatever amount fits your macros) and whatever seasonings you like (I use salt, onion powder and sometimes cajun seasoning). It tastes entirely different. I don't even like sweet potato that much but my diet makes me eat it every 3rd day so I always make these fries.

Also one time I made kind of coin shaped fries out of them, kinda thin and dipped them into salsa. They wernt very crisp though so it didnt work well altho they tasted great. Maybe if I had just poured salsa over them and ate em with a fork it would have been better, lol.

**forcasa** · 07-09-2007, 07:41 PM

get some natural yogurt on the wedges too, mmmmm

**The Solution** · 07-09-2007, 07:43 PM

or sprinkle some cheese or add some cinnamon on there.. adding a lil spice or cheese wont hurt i guess..

i woulndt eat it but ive seen it before.. so just reccomending it maybe someone will try it and enjoy it

**tosca** · 07-11-2007, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by Oddball8945

oats actully contain a decent amount of fat 2 cups oats rolled have 11g fat, compared to any porition of sweet potatoes which have virtually none. But not that it matters anyway.

gi between the two that is.....

yeah, gi is usually irrelevant anyway since so many other factors are involved. btw, who eats two cups of dry oats at a time?? if cooked that would be a **** load of oats, and the 10 or 11 grams of fat probably wouldnt have any impact on the insulin spike. but anyway, i dont give a **** about gi. carb choices should be based more on satiety, and micro and macro nutrient content.

**fabricio44554** · 06-26-2012, 09:54 PM

I know this is a old thread but.. oats have a lot of manganese, is that a problem? I mean if I eat 250g/day I get 14,1mg of manganese, with the rest of my diet it goes to 18,3mg

recommended intake is 2,3mg~11,0mg

should I be concerned? am I eating too much oat?

my carbo sources are 250g oat bran and 200g sweet potato

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