7 Potato Recipes That Are Really Good for You

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Botanically, potatoes are a vegetable, but nutritionally they are mostly made up of carbohydrates, so you probably won’t find them high on your “healthiest foods” list. A medium-sized, red-brown, peeled potato contains 164 calories and 37 grams (g) of carbohydrates, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). But spuds aren’t all bad – they provide protein and fiber (5 and 4 g in the same serving, respectively), are naturally fat-free, and are good sources of B vitamins and potassium.

While all white-fleshed potatoes are nutritionally comparable, they have slightly different tastes and textures that are suitable for different dishes. Red-brown potatoes, for example, have a light, fluffy pulp that makes them suitable for baked potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes have a naturally rich, buttery texture that is perfect for creamy mashed potatoes. If size is the most important thing for your dish, baby or petite potatoes could be the perfect solution. No matter what type of potato you serve, in their natural form they are a great addition to a healthy diet.

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The real problem with potatoes is how they are served. In the United States at least, most of these tubers are consumed in processed form: as potato chips, french fries, or other packaged products. Between 2017 and 2019, about 65 percent of all potatoes sold were used in processed foods, according to a USDA report released in September 2020. Often times, these supplements add fat and salt while removing nutrients like fiber. In the meantime, the baked potatoes in the restaurant are loaded with butter, sour cream, bacon, cheese, and even chili.

There are definitely better ways to make them, and there are many reasons why you should. In a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition in January 2020, 50 healthy adults who ate unroasted potatoes every day for a month had an overall higher quality diet and showed no negative effects on cardiovascular health than if they were the same ate a lot of refined grains instead of potatoes. In fact, an even more recent study published in Nutrients in June 2021 showed that the increased potassium from foods made from baked or boiled potatoes lowered blood pressure in 30 at-risk adults.

Potatoes tend to last longer than many other vegetables and are a neutral base for so many other flavors. They’re also inexpensive, filling, and versatile enough to eat every day. Just remember to treat them more like pasta than salad when it comes to servings. These seven recipes will help you discover how to enjoy the healthier side of tubers.