Are Potatoes Healthy? Why Potatoes Are a Health Food

Why Potatoes Got an Undeserved Bad Reputation

Potatoes have taken a beating over the years. Fries, chips, and “loaded” restaurant dishes gave them a reputation as empty calories. Somewhere along the line, “potato” became synonymous with “junk food.”

But the humble spud itself? It’s actually one of the most nutrient-rich, filling, and sustainable foods on the planet (Gustavsen, 2021).

The real problem isn’t the potato—it’s what we do to it.

When you strip away the deep fryer, melted cheese, and sour cream, you’re left with a plant that’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber (Raigond et al., 2023; USDA, FoodData Central). In other words, the potato is more hero than villain.

What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Potatoes

When you eat a plain baked or boiled potato, your body gets a steady source of energy, fiber, and nutrients. But the benefits go beyond simple carbs.

1. You Feel Fuller Longer

Boiled or baked potatoes contain resistant starch, a special kind of carbohydrate that digests slowly. This delays the release of sugar into your bloodstream, keeping you full and satisfied for hours (Bellissimo et al., 2020). It’s one reason boiled potatoes rank as one of the most filling foods ever studied.

2. Your Gut Health Improves

Resistant starch feeds your gut bacteria, which in turn produce short-chain fatty acids that support digestion, reduce inflammation, and strengthen your immune system (Raigond et al., 2023). Potatoes are essentially a prebiotic food when prepared simply and eaten with the skin.

3. Your Blood Pressure Gets a Boost (in a Good Way)

A medium potato provides about 500+ milligrams of potassium, that’s more than a banana. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure, balance fluids, and support nerve and muscle function.

4. You Get a Natural Energy Lift

Potatoes provide complex carbohydrates that fuel your muscles and brain without the crash you get from refined carbs. Add in B vitamins and vitamin C, and you’ve got steady energy for your day.

The Potato Nutrition Breakdown

Nutrient (per medium potato with skin)	Amount	Why It Matters
Calories	118	Modest energy with high satiety
Carbohydrates	27 g	Natural source of complex carbs
Fiber	2 g	Aids digestion and gut health
Protein	3 g	Supports muscle maintenance
Fat	0 g	Naturally fat-free
Potassium	515 mg	Helps regulate blood pressure
Vitamin C	18 mg	Supports immunity and skin health
Vitamin B6	0.2 mg	Aids metabolism and brain function

(Data from USDA FoodData Central, 2024)

The Real Issue: How We Prepare Potatoes

Calling potatoes “unhealthy” because of fries or chips is like blaming spinach for creamed spinach.

When you add heavy amounts of oil, cheese, butter, or salt, it’s not the potato that’s the problem, it’s the extras. But this only matters in the context of the rest of your dietary intake. Do you eat one potato a week, or seven? And what else do you eat that’s fried, soaked in butter, sour cream, and cheese?

Here’s how preparation changes the game:

Preparation Style	Calories (Approx.)	Health Impact
Boiled or baked, skin on	160	High in nutrients, very filling
Roasted with olive oil and herbs	200	Adds healthy fats and flavor
Mashed with butter and cream	350–400	Doubles calories, less filling
French fries	400–600	Fried, high in oil, calories, and sodium, not as filling
Potato chips	500+	Ultra-processed, easy to overeat

The healthiest approach: cook potatoes simply, season them smartly, and treat toppings as accents, not the main attraction…most of the time.

About Blood Sugar and Cooking Methods

Potatoes have a relatively high glycemic index, especially when fried or mashed (Sagili et al., 2022). But how you cook and combine them makes a difference.

• Boiling or steaming keeps the glycemic load lower.
• Cooling cooked potatoes (and reheating later) increases resistant starch, which slows digestion and helps blood sugar control (Patterson et al., 2019).
• Pairing potatoes with protein, fiber, or fat (like beans, veggies, or olive oil) reduces spikes in blood sugar (Bellissimo et al., 2020).

And if you’re concerned about acrylamide—a compound that can form when potatoes are cooked at very high heat—know that boiling and steaming minimize its formation. You can also reduce acrylamide by soaking raw potato slices in water for 15–30 minutes before roasting or air-frying.

Are Potatoes Safe for Everyone?

For most people, potatoes can absolutely be part of a healthy diet.

However, if you have kidney disease or reduced kidney function, you may need to monitor potassium intake. Talk to your healthcare provider about appropriate portions before making major changes.

It’s also best to avoid unripe or green potatoes, which can contain higher levels of solanine—a naturally occurring compound that, in large amounts, can be toxic (Karaca & Erbaş, 2024).

The Sustainability and Budget Bonus

Potatoes aren’t just nutritious, they’re sustainable and budget-friendly. They use less water and land than most staple crops and produce a high yield per acre (Gustavsen, 2021).

For families or individuals eating on a budget, potatoes offer one of the most affordable nutrient-to-cost ratios of any food.

They’re proof that healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated.

How to Include Potatoes in a Healthy Diet

1. Leave the skin on. It’s where much of the fiber and potassium live.
2. Pair wisely. Combine potatoes with protein (beans, tofu, fish, eggs) and vegetables for balanced meals.
3. Use healthier fats. Roast or sauté with olive oil instead of butter at least some of the time.
4. Experiment with textures. Try cooling and reheating for more resistant starch (Patterson et al., 2019).
5. Keep it simple. Season with herbs, spices, and a pinch of salt. You’ll taste potato again!
6. Don’t restrict if it doesn’t make sense to. One loaded potato, one meal, or one day of meals won’t make us healthy or unhealthy. Regularly stressing out about it, might. It’s what we do most of the time that matters.  

FAQs: Potatoes and Your Health

Q1: Are potatoes healthy?
Yep. When eaten with the skin and prepared simply, they provide key nutrients, fiber, and energy.

Q2: Why do people say potatoes are “bad” carbs?
Food exists on a healthfulness spectrum, not a moral spectrum. There aren’t inherently “good” or “bad” foods–maybe partially hydrogenated fats–and judging food this way might lead to us judging ourselves and others when eaten. Most people could benefit from complex carbohydrates that fuel our bodies and support our digestive health.

Q3: Can I eat potatoes every day?
Sure, why not? Consider varying how you cook and prepare them.

Q4: Are potatoes better than rice?
Both can be part of a healthy diet. Potatoes have more potassium and fiber, while brown rice provides more magnesium.

Q5: Are sweet potatoes healthier than white potatoes?
They’re both nutritious. Sweet potatoes have more vitamin A, but white potatoes edge ahead in potassium and B vitamins.

Q6: What’s the healthiest way to cook potatoes?
Boiling or roasting with minimal oil, leaving the skin on, gives you the most nutrients for the fewest calories (U.S. FDA, 2024).

The Takeaway

Potatoes aren’t a guilty pleasure; they’re a grounded, nutrient-rich, affordable food that can fit beautifully into almost any eating pattern.

The trick is simple: focus on how you prepare them and what you pair them with.

So don’t ditch potatoes from your plate. Enjoy them. And if you eat them regularly, just skip the fryer and keep the skin at least some of the time. Don’t discount little shifts like this. They often make a difference over time.

Try this: Toss small red potatoes with olive oil, rosemary, and garlic, then roast until golden. Mix it up and have butter next time.

References

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Potatoes and tomatoes are the most commonly consumed vegetables.
2. Gustavsen GW. Sustainability and potato consumption. Potato Res. 2021;64(4):571-586. doi:10.1007/s11540-021-09493-1
3. U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. Potatoes, boiled, cooked in skin, skin, without salt.
4. Bellissimo N, Amalraj R, Lee JJ, et al. Effect of white potatoes on subjective appetite, food intake, and glycemic response in healthy older adults. Nutrients. 2020;12(9):2606. doi:10.3390/nu12092606
5. Raigond P, Jayanty SS, Parmar V, et al. Health-promoting compounds in potatoes: Tuber exhibiting great potential for human health. Food Chem. 2023;424:136368. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136368
6. Sagili VS, Chakrabarti P, Jayanty S, Kardile H, Sathuvalli V. The glycemic index and human health with an emphasis on potatoes. Foods. 2022;11(15):2302. doi:10.3390/foods11152302
7. Patterson MA, Fong JN, Maiya M, et al. Chilled potatoes decrease postprandial glucose, insulin, and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide compared to boiled potatoes in females with elevated fasting glucose and insulin. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):2066. doi:10.3390/nu11092066
8. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Acrylamide and diet, food storage, and food preparation.
9. Karaca M, Erbaş O. Solanine poisoning: effects, risks, and management strategies. JEBMS. 2024;5(2):189-193.