I discuss whether potatoes make you fat and look at the research on the health benefits of potatoes. .Â
Let’s call it like it is- we love to dichotomize foods as good and bad. Kale, good. Candy, bad. Quinoa, good. Pizza, bad. While good foods and bad foods tend to come in go, potatoes have been in the dog house since the big Atkin’s craze of the 1990s. Regardless of the anti-carb movement though, the average Canadians eat 71 kg of potatoes a year, so clearly we like our spuds. But is there any need to fear potatoes (or carbs in general, for that matter)? Should Canadians be digging in without guilt or cutting back? I take a look at the research to debunk the top potato myths and look at the biggest misconceptions about potatoes.
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Potato Myth 1:  Potatoes make you gain weight and spike your blood sugar because they’re full of carbs!
I’ve talked about this before (many, many times)- carbs are not the enemy. In fact, our brain solely functions on carbs and we need a minimum amount of it to keep our thinking sharp. Carbs don’t make us fat, and cutting out carbs doesn’t make us skinny. Research suggests that low carb diets are no more successful than high carb diets in weight loss. (In fact, studies suggests that no diets are successful in the long term but that’s a whole other blog post in itself.) Back to the point, one determined that there was not convincing enough evidence to suggest an association between intake of potatoes and risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
As for the blood sugar response, yes, potatoes are higher on the glycemic index (GI) which means they do raise your blood sugar levels and insulin levels. Since insulin promotes fat synthesis, in theory, yes, foods that are high GI (like potatoes) should make you gain weight and foods that are low GI should make you lose it. But again, studies haven’t been able to find a difference in weight management with higher vs lower GI diets. In the real world, we don’t (usually) just eat a plate of mashed potatoes all on its own. By sticking to a moderate portion (about 1 cup) and pairing it with protein like chicken or steak, and fibre (like veggies), we can slow down the blood sugar response and have a more balanced beautiful plate.
Potato Myth 2: If you peel potatoes, you lose all of the nutrients!
Don’t be dramatic. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium (yes, more than a banana), B6 and carbohydrates. They pack about 110 calories in a small (5.3 oz) potato, which to me, is pretty good no matter how you slice it. The only thing you’re losing out on by peeling those potatoes is the fibre, and not by much (down from 2 g to 1 g). In other words, it’s not a make or break scenario if you can’t stand eating the peel. So if you’re family is craving potatoes in a pinch, the peeled and frozen McCain Superfries are still a good pick.
Potato Myth #3: Sweet potatoes are “good†but white potatoes are “badâ€
Ah yes, here we go with the good food vs bad food dogma. Here’s the scoop- both sweet potatoes and regular white potatoes have their redeeming qualities, so you can (and should) switch it up to get a more balanced nutrient profile. Let’s take a look at how they compare per 100 g serving:
Calories
Sweet Potato 90 calories  vs White Potato 92 calories (aka. the same damn thing)
Fibre
Sweet Potato 3 g  vs White Potato 2.1 g
Vitamin A
Sweet Potato 384% Â vs White Potato 0%
Potassium
Sweet Potato 5% Â vs White Potato 3.5%
Vitamin C
Sweet Potato 33% Â vs White Potato 16%
Magnesium
Sweet Potato 6% Â vs White Potato 5%
Iron
Sweet Potato 4% Â vs White Potato 6%
So, in conclusion, they aren’t that different. Yes, sweet potatoes have a lot more vitamin A, and white potatoes have a bit more iron, but at the end of the day, they are far too similar to occupy opposite ends of the “good food/ bad food†spectrum.
Potato Myth #4: Frozen potatoes are heavily processed and made with lots of crazy additives, preservatives and weird ingredients you can’t even pronounce!
Cool your jets. I know we love to think that everything “processed†made in a lab, but if you take a closer look at the ingredient panel of your frozen potatoes, you may be surprised. Take a look at McCain’s Superfries (something I know I personally was raised on) for example. The ingredients are pretty short and sweet if you ask me – just potatoes, canola oil, sea salt, sodium phosphate (to retain natural colour), and colour. McCain’s process is very simple – just wash, peel, cut, cook and freeze. What you see is what you get – it’s all coming from the nutritious potato. As a dietitian, I’m all for encouraging families to take whatever short cuts or steps they need to help them serve balanced meals. And if making a quick convenient side dish to serve with a simple main is the catalyst to a family meal, I am 100% for it.
Potato Myth #5: Frozen Fries are LOADED with Trans Fats, Saturated Fats and Sodium that Cause Heart Disease
While I love myself a good fresh baked potato, or a buttery bowl of mash, I certainly have no qualms about taking a short cut from the store and enjoying some frozen potatoes in moderation – especially with regards to heart health. We know that foods high in trans fat and salt are linked with heart disease, and while the research is still a bit controversial when it comes to saturated fat, the guidelines still suggest we enjoy it in moderation. Either way, McCain’s Superfries, for instance, are all trans fat free (a fat known to be linked to cardiovascular disease), and low in saturated fat (just 0.3 grams per serving). They’re also surprisingly low in sodium, with just 4% of your daily recommended amount in one serving. I also know that McCain is working hard to reduce sodium and fat wherever it can without compromising quality and taste. Also, as previously mentioned, potatoes are also rich in potassium which actually works in opposition of sodium to promote a healthier heart.
Ultimately, I’m not telling anyone to go and eat fried foods all day, I’m just trying to take the taboo away from people enjoying food and emphasizing that all foods have nutritionally redeeming qualities and can be enjoyed in moderation. And potatoes, for one, are definitely not the “bad†food they’ve been made out to be.
Now tell me, what are your thoughts on potatoes?
Were you raised on frozen potatoes?
What’s your favourite way to eat potatoes?
Leave me a comment below with your thoughts!
Updated on July 2nd, 2020
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
Cristian says
Thanks for the article. I trying to follow the Simple Weight Loss System, which is a guidline on how to be on a diet or maybe start to eat better and by that, slim. But there are now specific menus. I’m reading more about food and I came across opinions that potato is not good and is better to avoid. I love potatos so I was in a pickle… thanks for writing about all this myths!
Sofia Tsalamlal says
Of course! Happy to clear up any myths!
Emily @Sinful Nutrition says
I’m such a potato lover! Great job at debunking some of these myths!
Abbey Sharp says
Thank you!
dixya @food, pleasure, and health says
i love that you included sweet potato as a comparison because people automatically assume sweet potatoes are superior than white potatoes. thank you for sharing.
Abbey Sharp says
For sure!
LG says
Today, I had an epiphany as I read your article’s title. Growing up our family of 5, traditional home with mom working there, she had dinner ready at 5pm when dad got home. Almost every single dinner throughout our childhood we ate potatoes. It was a beloved & affordable staple in our house. And with the potatoes, Mom gave us good protein of (minced) beef, fish, or pork chop, and another vegetable; peas, carrots, corn were what I remember having the most (though I’m sure there were others). The point… we were all the epitome of slim & trim, despite eating potatoes daily. One exception… our dad. He was pudgy. Not fat-fat but close. As this memory came flashing back to me, so did the one that my dad had an extreme aversion to butter (told everyone/anyone repeatedly that he was allergic to it – still to this day), even though he could down an entire Christmas worth of mom’s homemade Highland Shortbread. But also by the same extreme, dad had an insatiable appetite for potatoes (& bread). It was his ‘fix’ at every meal, or snack. He could live on those two things and ate a LOT more of them, and it showed! Now, I’m like my dad but I’ve actually gone beyond pudgy. I never wanted to give up potatoes; I like them too much. But I eat too many grains; almost exclusively. It’s become a comfort addiction. Thanks so much! Your article triggered an ‘ah-HA’ breakthrough ♥ Merry Christmas!
Abbey Sharp says
Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing love. Merry Christmas!
Farrah says
hehehe, I absolutely love potatoes, so thank you for writing this post! <3 Everything in moderation!
Abbey Sharp says
Thanks Farrah!
Elysia says
This is such a great informative article Abbey! There’s so much confusion out there about potatoes, but at the end of the day, it’s about finding the balance like you said. Keep up the good work!
Abbey Sharp says
you got it! Bring on the spuds!
Rahul says
Having Potato Wedges from Tim’s right now , great Article and good Info !
Abbey Sharp says
Enjoy!
Barnie Pretorius says
Explain this: I was plague for 30+ years with really bad IBS, and eventually Dr’s suggests “Crohn’s disease”. It was suggested that I cut everything with wheat flour and yeast in it. I started to use potato flour, coconut flour and allsorts, however my condition deteriorated so badly that the dr’s suggested a colectomy. I cut all foods with starches and wheat in it, including potatoes (note: that I always felt poor if there was no potatoes in the house) and after a week I start feeling a bit better and put it down to the meds. End of week two I felt great and that friday evening I had fish and chips (fries), during the night I woke up and feel like I was going to die from colon spasm. OK I thought, what did I eat, (Potatoes!). I cut potatoes out from my diet in totality, within a month there was no sign of IBS and I lost 7kg in one month. It is now 1 year and 8 months later and no IBS, and my belly is gone, my weight is down from 86kg to 75kg and stays stable. So, why does potatoes trigger IBS and cutting them out made me loose weight?
Abbey Sharp says
Hey Barnie, thanks for sharing your story. Sounds like it was a very difficult time. It’s difficult to make sense of some of these situations, because all of these cases are very individual. I’m glad that you were able to figure out what worked for you and that you are feeling much better. Thanks for reading 🙂
dixya @food, pleasure, and health says
yessss. i dont know why people like to single out carbohydrates like rice or potatoes to be deadly,,, at the end of the day its all about the balance & preparing it correctly.
Abbey Sharp says
absolutely!
Mikki says
Loving this!! I love a good potato or fry now and then and hate to see them getting a bad rap!
Abbey Sharp says
i love them too
Chrissy says
Thanks for clearing this up about sweet potatoes and white. I believed too that sweet were better and white were not so great. Very helpful.
Abbey Sharp says
so glad you enjoyed
Chrissy @ Snacking in Sneakers says
I always say if I had to pick three foods I’d never want to give up, they’d be potatoes, chocolate and cheese (not all together of course). Potatoes are totally freaken awesome and I’m tired of people hating on them, lol.
Abbey Sharp says
yes!! oh but cheese on potatoes is amazing
Jessica @Nutritioulicious says
Great post Abbey! Potatoes have a ton of nutrition to offer!
Abbey Sharp says
for sure they do
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner says
I do agree that you can find frozen potatoes that are healthy with anything you really have to read the package. Good info as always
Abbey Sharp says
thanks Deb!
GiGi Eats says
Everyone is different, thus food is always going to affect people differently. While I actually do not like regular potatoes, so many people do, and I think if cooked properly (not deep fried or mashed with crap) then yes, they can compliment a healthy diet.
I myself ADORE sweet potatoes and will generally eat a whole one every day if I cook at home! #FTW!
Abbey Sharp says
yay!