Oct. 24--There seems to be an obsession with Top 10 lists. I'm not sure why or how the craze began, but when it comes to food there are plenty of lists, including lists of the Top 10 Healthiest Foods.

Even the esteemed Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn, publishes "10 great health foods for eating well," but doesn't rank them. The Mayo's list includes several foods that aren't a surprise, such as broccoli, spinach, apples and blueberries.

Then there are sweet potatoes, bargain-priced as low as 89 cents a pound in supermarkets. While many view sweet potatoes as a carbohydrate and automatically think they're not "good for you," Mayo Clinic registered dietitian Katherine Zeratsky says, that's not the case. For one thing, they're fat-free.

"People are very anti-potato due to the whole carb issue. But with its rich orange color, the sweet potato is full of the antioxidant beta carotene and a good source of vitamin A. Sweet potatoes are lower in calories than your regular starchy white potato," Zeratsky said. A small potato has just 54 calories.

Vitamin A may help slow the aging process and reduce the risk of some cancers. Sweet potatoes are also good sources of fiber, vitamins B-6, C and E, folate and potassium.

Although sweet potatoes, a native American plant, are often confused with yams, they are not the same thing. True yams are almost ivory in color and more starchy than sweet. Yams can grown up to 100 pounds and are rarely seen in American supermarkets, according to the Produce for Better Health Foundation.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest calls the sweet potato a "nutritional all-star," and names it one of the best vegetables you can eat.

Rounding out the Mayo's list are almonds, which have more calcium than any other nut, red beans, salmon, vegetable juice and wheat germ.

The list is just a guide that gives people a place to start thinking about foods that should be or could be incorporated into their diets, Zaretsky said. Obviously, there are many other healthful foods.

What's on your list?

For more information about sweet potatoes go to www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov

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