Alternative Eats: French Fries vs. Sweet Potato Fries

There are tons of healthier alternatives for junk food turning up at the grocery store these days, you just have to know what they are.

Today’s alternative eat: Sweet Potato Fries

Which will win?

Left: Ore Ida Extra Crispy Fries ($3.50) 

Right: Alexia Sweet Potato Fries ($3.99)

One of my recent grocery store finds is Alexia’s Sweet Potato Fries! Tons of restaurants are now offering these sweet healthier treats as an option or offer as a swap for regular fries on the dinner menu as well. Price comparison on regular fried vs. sweet potato are about the same at the grocery store. The french fries are $3.50 and sweet potato are $3.99 (as shown above). 

Are fries healthy? 

Anything fried is hard to call healthy but I think there is still value in swapping out your normal french fries with sweet potato. Whole and unprocessed white and sweet potatoes have loads of nutrients, frying them adds fat, which decreases the health value. I try to keep sweet potatoes on hand to roast and make chips out of for snacks (see my post here). The Cleveland Clinic published a cool info-graphic on the nutritional difference in the two. Click here to view.

Regardless, sweet potato fries win over normal fries on their nutritional value. In my sweet potato fry vs. french fry comparison, sweet potatoes win with less calories, sodium, fat and more vitamin A and fiber. 

Here is the breakdown:

 So next time you are in the mood for some fried treats, opt for the sweet ones, not just the salty!