Health Benefits of Potatoes (2024)

FAQs

Health Benefits of Potatoes? ›

Potatoes are a decent source of fiber, which can help you feel full longer. Fiber also can help prevent heart disease by keeping your cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check. Potatoes are also rich in antioxidants that prevent diseases and vitamins that help your body function properly.

Potatoes are a decent source of fiber, which can help you feel full longer. Fiber also can help prevent heart disease by keeping your cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check. Potatoes are also rich in antioxidants that prevent diseases and vitamins that help your body function properly.

Studies have linked potatoes and their nutrients to a variety of impressive health benefits, including improved blood sugar control, reduced heart disease risk and higher immunity. They may also improve digestive health and combat signs of aging.

They're a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. As a bonus, potatoes are low in calories, contain no fat or cholesterol, and are sodium-free. They're high in vitamin C and potassium and are a good source of vitamin B6. A medium potato, about 5.5 ounces, contains only 145 calories.

Potatoes are abundant in potassium, says the National Institutes of Health, a mineral that supports your nerves, muscles, kidneys and heart. Potassium also plays a key role in regulating blood pressure.

Potatoes were a life-saving food source in early times because the vitamin C prevented scurvy. Another major nutrient in potatoes is potassium, an electrolyte which aids in the workings of our heart, muscles, and nervous system. Potato skin contains fiber, which is important for digestive health.

Of rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread, potatoes are the healthiest of these starchy and complex carbohydrate foods. This is because potatoes are dense in nutrients, containing essential minerals, vitamins, and other micronutrients. Potatoes are also high in fiber, helping to satiate hunger and regulate blood sugar.

As well as being a good source of fibre, some of the starch in potatoes is particularly beneficial for our gut microbes. This is because it is 'resistant starch', meaning it's resistant to our digestion but can be broken down by our gut bacteria, providing them with the fuel they need to function and thrive.

First cultivated by the Inca Indians in Peru around 8,000 BC to 5,000 B.C the potato is the original Superfood. For decades this nutritional powerhouse (100 calories, little fat, and an excellent source of potassium and vitamin C) was one of the most reliable sources of caloric energy.

The Healthiest Potato is the Red Potato

After taking into account the mineral density, the vitamin density, the macronutrient balance, the sugar-to-fiber ratio, the sodium-to-potassium ratio, and the phytochemical profile, red potatoes are the healthiest potato with data from the USDA Food Database.

When should you not eat potatoes? ›

As they age, or with improper storage, potatoes may develop sprouting and green spots. If there isn't any sprouting, you can use the color change as an indicator of spoilage. If the skin looks greenish or if there's sprouting present, you'll need to remove the sprouts or toss the whole potato, depending on severity.

[1] However, potatoes don't count as a vegetable on Harvard's Healthy Eating Plate because they are high in the type of carbohydrate that the body digests rapidly, causing blood sugar and insulin to surge and then dip (in scientific terms, they have a high glycemic load).

Potatoes also have vitamin C, unlike rice. Plus, potatoes contain three times more minerals than rice, such as phosphorus, potassium and magnesium when you leave the skin on. Sweet potatoes on the other hand are even healthier than the standard potato, containing as much as twice the high amounts of vitamin!

Some of the smartest cooking methods for potatoes include baking, roasting, air-frying and boiling. These methods require little to no added fats. It's important to leave the skin on potatoes, if possible.

A. As a general rule in the potato diet, one can consume 0.9 to 2.3 kg of potatoes daily. A study shows that eating one medium-size potato, either baked or steamed a day, is a part of a healthy diet process that will reduce the risk of cardiometabolic risk, stroke, and diabetes.