Potatoes can be part of a balanced and nutritious weight-loss plan. They’re naturally low in calories and provide fiber and resistant starch, which can help you feel fuller for longer. As with most foods, it’s important to eat potatoes in moderation. The way you cook them also matters.
There are several ways in which potatoes may support your weight loss goals:
- Low in calories: A medium-sized Russet potato with the skin has about 168 calories, making it a satisfying side dish that can fit into a reduced-calorie diet.
- Good source of fiber: One medium potato with the skin provides about 2.7 grams of fiber, or 10% of your daily fiber needs. Fiber helps you feel full, which can make it easier to eat less.
- High in resistant starch: Resistant starch is a carbohydrate your body can’t digest. Like fiber, it helps you feel full and may support healthy blood sugar levels. Cooling potatoes after cooking boosts resistant starch, which lowers the glycemic index (a measure of how quickly a food raises blood sugar).
- High in antioxidants: Potatoes are high in vitamin C and other antioxidants, which may help protect your cells from damage and lower inflammation. Chronic inflammation has been linked to weight gain and obesity.
- Increases fullness more than other starchy foods: Research shows that potatoes have a high satiety index, meaning they are more filling than pasta, rice, or white bread. In a 2018 study, people ate fewer calories after eating potatoes compared to rice and pasta meals.
How you cook your potatoes makes a big difference. Here are some healthier cooking methods that can support your weight loss goals:
- Bake or roast: Baking and roasting are among the healthiest ways to prepare potatoes. Use a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and your favorite herbs or spices for flavor without extra calories. These dry heat methods have also been shown to preserve more nutrients compared to boiling and steaming.
- Cook and cool: Cooking and then chilling potatoes increases resistant starch, which can increase satiety.
- Air frying: Air frying gives potatoes a crispy texture with less fat and fewer calories than deep-frying.
- Leave the skin on: The skin contains about half of a potato’s total fiber. This can help you stay full longer.
Often, potatoes themselves aren’t contributing to weight gain. It’s how they’re prepared and what they’re served with. Avoid these common mistakes:
- Skipping portion control: Large servings can add up in calories. Try filling half your plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter with potatoes, and the other quarter with lean protein like chicken, fish, or lean beef.
- Loading up on calorie-dense toppings: Adding butter, cheese, sour cream, or bacon can quickly increase the calories in your potato. These toppings also add extra saturated fat, which can increase the amount of LDL “bad” cholesterol in your blood.
- Avoid frying: French fries and other fried potatoes are much higher in fat and calories than baked potatoes. Eating fried foods often can make weight loss harder and increase the risk of chronic health conditions, so it’s best to enjoy them only once in a while.
