Are potatoes healthy?

Are potatoes just “bad carbs”?

No, they’re not. They’ve just been misunderstood. Potatoes often get grouped with refined carbs and sugary foods in “Western” diets, but the problem usually isn’t the potato itself. It’s how we eat them. Chips, crisps, and creamy mash with very few vegetables are not the same as a simple boiled or roasted potato served with colourful veg and some protein.

Potatoes have been a staple food for centuries, feeding entire populations. When you look past the “carb” label, they’re actually packed with nutrients, fibre, and compounds that can support overall health. It’s time to give them a bit more credit.

What are the health benefits of potatoes?

You might be surprised. Potatoes are actually full of nutrients. When you eat them in their whole form, like boiled, baked or roasted, they give you:

• Vitamins C and B6
• Potassium, even more than a banana
• Iron, which is absorbed better than from many other vegetables because of their vitamin C content
• Fibre, especially if you keep the skin on
• Polyphenols, such as chlorogenic acid, anthocyanins, and carotenoids, which have antioxidant properties and vary depending on the variety

Do they raise your risk of disease? Not when they’re cooked simply. Studies show that when boiled potatoes are looked at separately from mashed potatoes, fries and crisps, they’re not linked to a higher risk of diabetes or chronic disease. So it’s less about the potato itself and more about what you do with it.

Are sweet potatoes better than regular potatoes?

People often ask me if sweet potatoes are healthier than regular ones, but they’re both great in their own way. Each type has its own mix of nutrients and natural plant compounds that support your health.

• Sweet potatoes (orange-fleshed) are higher in beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A for eye and immune health.
• White and yellow-fleshed potatoes are rich in phenolic acids like chlorogenic acid, along with flavonols such as quercetin and kaempferol that have antioxidant effects.
• Red and purple potatoes stand out for their anthocyanins, the same colourful compounds found in berries, which may support blood vessel health and help reduce inflammation.

And there’s far more variety than you might ever see in a supermarket! There are over five thousand types of potatoes grown around the world, most of which never make it to the shelves. In the Andes, people still grow and share them in every colour you can imagine (purple, red, yellow) and even give them as gifts for special occasions. 

So it’s not about picking one “better” potato, it’s about variety, how you cook them and what you eat them with.

Can potatoes improve gut health?

Yes, because they naturally contain resistant starch, which reaches the large intestine where it becomes "food" for your gut microbes. When these microbes ferment it, they produce short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate that help maintain the gut lining, support a healthy microbial balance, and regulate inflammation.

You can increase the amount of resistant starch by cooking potatoes and letting them cool before eating. As they cool, some of the starch changes structure and becomes harder for your body to digest, allowing more of it to reach the large intestine where your gut microbes can use it.

Do potatoes make you gain weight?

Not on their own. A boiled or baked potato is naturally filling because it’s high in water and fibre, yet relatively low in calories. The extras we add (like butter, cream, cheese and frying oil) are what make them less healthy. If you eat them with vegetables, olive oil, and some protein, they can form a really healthy meal that keeps you full for longer. 

What’s the healthiest way to eat potatoes?

It’s really about how you cook them and what you eat them with. A few tips:

• Keep the skin, especially if they're organic. Almost half the fibre in a potato is in the skin, so scrub them clean and cook them whole. Organic potatoes are a good choice if you like to keep the skin on.
• Cook them simply. Boil, bake, or roast with a little olive oil instead of deep frying or buying pre-cooked ones.
• Add plenty of colourful veg and protein. What you serve with potatoes really matters. Combine them with lots of protein and fibre-rich foods like leafy greens, lentils, beans, fish, eggs, herbs, etc.
• Try different types and colours. Yellow potatoes contain more carotenoids, while purple ones are higher in anthocyanins. Variety keeps your meals colourful and full of nutrients.