How much protein is in sweet potato?
Sweet potato has 2.6 g of protein per 1 medium (130 g) — that's 2 g per 100 g, or about 0.6 g per ounce. One 1 medium is roughly 5% of the 50 g Daily Value for protein.
USDA FoodData Central · baked in skin, flesh · FDC 168483
Protein & macros by portion
| Portion | Protein | Calories | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 medium (130 g) | 2.6 g | 117 | 0.3 g | 26.9 g |
| 100 g | 2 g | 90 | 0.2 g | 20.7 g |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 0.6 g | 26 | 0.1 g | 5.9 g |
Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 168483, SR Legacy). baked in skin, flesh.
One medium baked sweet potato (130 g) gives you about 2.6 g of protein for roughly 117 calories — and per 100 g that’s just 2 g. Sweet potatoes have a health-food reputation, so people are often surprised to learn they’re barely a protein source at all. They’re a starchy vegetable: the calories are almost entirely carbohydrate (about 21 g per 100 g), with negligible fat and only that small amount of protein. The reputation is deserved — sweet potatoes are genuinely nutritious — but it’s worth being clear that “healthy” and “high-protein” are not the same thing — and on protein the sweet potato comes up short.
Even less protein than a regular potato
If you’re weighing it against an ordinary spud, the sweet potato actually has a little less protein, not more — about 2 g per 100 g versus roughly 2.6 g for a baked russet, which puts a medium sweet potato near 2.6 g against a regular potato’s ~4.5 g. So neither is a protein food, and the sweet potato isn’t the upgrade some people assume on that front. What’s also true: the protein it does carry is incomplete, like most vegetables, and there’s too little of it for that to matter much. The honest summary is simple — don’t count a sweet potato toward your protein for the day in any serious way.
The real headline: vitamin A, fiber, and slow carbs
Where the sweet potato earns its reputation is the column the “protein in X” question ignores entirely:
- Vitamin A (beta-carotene). This is the standout. That deep orange color is beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A — and a single medium baked sweet potato can cover a full day’s worth or more. Few common foods deliver vitamin A this efficiently.
- Fiber. With the skin, a sweet potato brings about 3.3 g of fiber per 100 g, a bit more than a regular potato, which helps with fullness and steady digestion.
- Slow, steady carbs. The carbohydrate here is the substantial, slow-digesting kind that gives lasting energy rather than a quick spike — a big part of why sweet potatoes are a staple in so many balanced meals.
So frame it accurately: a sweet potato is a nutritious carbohydrate to build a protein-containing meal around, not a protein source. The reliable move is to anchor the plate with real protein — eggs, chicken, fish, beans, or Greek yogurt — and let the sweet potato bring the vitamin A, fiber, and energy. Those proteins worth pairing it with are listed below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in a sweet potato?
About 2.6 g of protein in one medium baked sweet potato (130 g), which is 2 g per 100 g (USDA FDC 168483). That comes with roughly 117 calories, almost entirely from carbohydrate. It's actually a touch less protein than a regular potato — a sweet potato is a nutritious starchy vegetable, not a protein food.
Is a sweet potato a good source of protein?
No. At about 2.6 g per medium, a sweet potato barely registers as protein — and 'healthy' doesn't mean 'high-protein,' which trips a lot of people up. Its strengths are elsewhere: vitamin A, fiber, and slow-digesting carbs. Eat it as a wholesome carbohydrate base and get your protein from what you serve with it.
Does a sweet potato have more protein than a regular potato?
No, slightly less. A sweet potato runs about 2 g of protein per 100 g versus roughly 2.6 g for a baked russet, so a medium sweet potato lands near 2.6 g against a regular potato's ~4.5 g. The reason to choose a sweet potato isn't protein — it's the beta-carotene (vitamin A) and fiber it brings.
Is sweet potato protein complete?
No. Like most vegetables, sweet potato is an incomplete protein, and there's so little of it (about 2.6 g per medium) that the point is largely academic. Don't think of a sweet potato as a protein contribution at all — treat it as a carbohydrate and vitamin source, and pair it with a complete protein like eggs, chicken, fish, or beans.
What is a sweet potato actually good for?
Vitamin A is the headline — a single medium baked sweet potato can supply a full day's worth or more, thanks to its beta-carotene (the orange pigment). It also brings useful fiber (about 3.3 g per 100 g) and slow, steady carbohydrate energy. That makes it a genuinely nutritious carb to build a meal around, just not a protein source.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-03, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 168483 (Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, flesh, without salt; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when USDA revises the entry.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data and are not assigned a Labelgrade — that score is for branded packaged products, where ingredients and added sugar/sodium actually vary. See our methodology and how much protein you need per day.