Eating raw sweet potatoes is generally not recommended. While sweet potatoes are different from regular potatoes in that they contain more beta-carotene and vitamin C, both of which are fine to consume raw, there are still some concerns with eating raw sweet potatoes.
Nutritional differences between raw and cooked
Cooking sweet potatoes makes some of the nutrients more bioavailable to our bodies. For example, the starch in raw sweet potatoes contains enzymes that are difficult to digest. Cooking breaks down these enzymes, making the nutrients more accessible. Cooking also breaks down the cell walls, releasing more vitamins and minerals.
Potential toxins
Raw sweet potatoes contain compounds called glycoalkaloids, which can be toxic in high concentrations. Cooking significantly reduces glycoalkaloids. While a taste of raw sweet potato here and there is likely fine, eating them in quantity could potentially cause issues.
Risk of parasites
There is a small risk of raw sweet potatoes harboring parasites like nematodes. This risk is essentially eliminated by cooking.
The bottom line
While the risks are not extremely high, experts generally recommend cooking sweet potatoes. The nutrients become more bioavailable, the glycoalkaloid compounds are reduced, and parasite risk is eliminated. The overall nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes are much greater if they are cooked prior to eating.
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