Are Potatoes Healthy? What Does The Science Say?

A look at the research — by a nutritionist

Image created by the author

Many people think of potatoes as an unhealthy food because they see them as nothing but a starchy carbohydrate. Many people believe that a diet with minimal carbohydrates leads to better health.

However, the nice thing about potatoes is that they can be part of many diet philosophies … even as part of a low-carb diet — depending on how the potato is prepared.

I’m a nutritionist who has spent thousands of hours reading scientific studies about health and nutrition to form my own opinions about food, as there tends to be a lot of dogma surrounding diets and nutrition.

In this article, I will share some historical, anecdotal, and scientific research that you may find interesting about potatoes regarding health. The underlined hyperlinks in the article link to my resources.

But first, my disclaimer:

I am not a doctor. I’m not preventing, diagnosing, treating, curing, or managing any disease or condition. Your health is between you and your doctor.

1. It may be possible for people to survive and thrive on consuming mostly potatoes with some milk.