Key TakeawaysA new study found a link between eating more potatoes and a lower risk of early death.However, the data was observational, and most of the people in the study who saw positive health effects were eating boiled potatoes, not fried potatoes.When it comes to health and longevity, experts say it’s better to focus on your overall dietary patterns instead of a single food.The humblepotatomay help you live a longer life.According to new research published in theJournal of Nutrition, including more spuds in your diet might be linked to a reduced risk of early death—but you’ll want to prepare them in a certain way to reap the most benefits.Here’s what experts say about the study, and how you can add more of the nutritious veggie to your diet.8 Benefits of Eating More Sweet PotatoesAre Potatoes Nutritious?French fried, baked, scalloped, or mashed, potatoes are an incredibly versatile food, but they’re not always viewed as the most nutrient-dense. However, potatoes can be a nutritious part of your diet. They are a natural source of many important nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and other bioactive compounds, such as phenolic acids.“In addition, potatoes containresistant starchwhich acts like fiber in the body. Resistant starch is made when potatoes are cooked, cooled, then reheated,”Lisa Andrews, RD, registered dietitian and owner of Sound Bites Nutrition, told Verywell.Other veggies are well established as longevity-promoting foods, but whether potatoes should be proactively recommended to people focused on living a long life isn’t clear. Most existing research isn’t strong enough in design or conclusion to say definitively that potatoes should earn such a distinction.For example, some research on health outcomes and potato intake is conflicting. Certain studies have shown a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality among people who eat more potatoes.However, other data did not show an association between the frequency of potato consumption and cardiovascular disease mortality.“Potatoes have not been part of the official dietary guidelines due to insufficient evidence of health effects,”Erik Kristoffer Arnesen, one of the authors of the recent study and a PhD candidate at the University of Oslo’s Department of Nutrition, told Verywell.While studies on potato consumption exist, Arnesen said that “they often look at processed potato products (such as fries), which may not be relevant for plain potatoes.” Plus, “nearly all previous studies have only looked at potato intake measured once, not accounting for changes in intake over time,” he said.Should You Eat Sweet Potatoes if You Have Diabetes?Potato for a Longer Life?Arnesen and his fellow researchers collected data on 77,297 adults from three Norwegian counties who were invited to three health screenings. During this time, researchers collected information on participants’ dietary intakes to determine how many potatoes—predominantly boiled potatoes—each person consumed every week. Researchers also examined the participants’ risk of dying from all causes, cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, and heart attack. The follow-up time spanned an average of 33.5 years.The researchers wanted to find out whether there was a link between eating more potatoes and mortality risk. The study’s results showed that participants who consumed at least 14 potatoes per week had a 12% lower risk of all-cause death compared to people consuming six or fewer potatoes per week. People who consumed at least 14 potatoes per week also had a lower risk of dying an early death from cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, and heart attack.The study showed that each additional 100 grams of potato consumed daily was associated with a 4% lower risk of death. For reference, a medium russet potato is approximately 175 grams.Arnesen said that this study “does not show that potatoes are a ‘superfood,’ only that potatoes may not be as ‘bad’ as they are reputed to be.According to Arnesen, “previous indications that potatoes are associated with adverse effects (such as weight gain in some U.S. studies) are due to the consumption of potato products high in fats and salt, not potatoes, per se.”“In this study, we only had data on boiled potatoes,” said Arnesen. “This is because the study was conducted in the 1970s and ’80s, when the use of fried potatoes was uncommon, particularly in rural areas.”This study limitation is important to keep in mind, as it’s unknown if the same positive health effects would be seen for other popular potato preparations.Do Potatoes Count as a Vegetable?How to Add More Potatoes to Your DietPotatoes can be a delicious, nutritious, and versatile part of a balanced diet. However, when considering dishes, opt for recipes that don’t require frying. Why? For one, cooking your spuds this way exposes you to acrylamide.“Acrylamide is made in potatoes when fried at high temperatures, due to the so-called Maillard reaction,” said Arnesen. “This is acknowledged as a probable carcinogen.“Aacrylamide’s role in cardiovascular disease is less clear. “Nonetheless, when potatoes are boiled, the cooking temperature is below the threshold at which acrylamide forms,” said Arnesen.Fortunately, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy potatoes, such as baking, roasting, boiling, and steaming. Try roasting potatoes with herbs and a drizzle of olive oil instead of frying, or preparing a baked potato topped with steamed vegetables and a dollop of Greek yogurt. Andrews suggested using potatoes in place of toast at breakfast or tossing cooled potatoes into your favorite salad with tuna, tomatoes, and chickpeas.However you enjoy the tasty tubers, as long as your diet is low in added sugars and excessive salt, and has plenty of produce, whole grains, and lean protein, then throwing potatoes into the mix can be a nutritious choice.What This Means for YouPotatoes are a nutrient-rich vegetable that can be part of a balanced diet. A recent study suggests that there might even be longevity benefits to enjoying boiled potatoes, but more research is needed to see how other population potato preparations could affect long-term health.Are Potatoes Gluten-Free?
Key TakeawaysA new study found a link between eating more potatoes and a lower risk of early death.However, the data was observational, and most of the people in the study who saw positive health effects were eating boiled potatoes, not fried potatoes.When it comes to health and longevity, experts say it’s better to focus on your overall dietary patterns instead of a single food.
Key Takeaways
A new study found a link between eating more potatoes and a lower risk of early death.However, the data was observational, and most of the people in the study who saw positive health effects were eating boiled potatoes, not fried potatoes.When it comes to health and longevity, experts say it’s better to focus on your overall dietary patterns instead of a single food.
The humblepotatomay help you live a longer life.
According to new research published in theJournal of Nutrition, including more spuds in your diet might be linked to a reduced risk of early death—but you’ll want to prepare them in a certain way to reap the most benefits.
Here’s what experts say about the study, and how you can add more of the nutritious veggie to your diet.
8 Benefits of Eating More Sweet Potatoes
Are Potatoes Nutritious?
French fried, baked, scalloped, or mashed, potatoes are an incredibly versatile food, but they’re not always viewed as the most nutrient-dense. However, potatoes can be a nutritious part of your diet. They are a natural source of many important nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and other bioactive compounds, such as phenolic acids.
“In addition, potatoes containresistant starchwhich acts like fiber in the body. Resistant starch is made when potatoes are cooked, cooled, then reheated,”Lisa Andrews, RD, registered dietitian and owner of Sound Bites Nutrition, told Verywell.
Other veggies are well established as longevity-promoting foods, but whether potatoes should be proactively recommended to people focused on living a long life isn’t clear. Most existing research isn’t strong enough in design or conclusion to say definitively that potatoes should earn such a distinction.
For example, some research on health outcomes and potato intake is conflicting. Certain studies have shown a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality among people who eat more potatoes.However, other data did not show an association between the frequency of potato consumption and cardiovascular disease mortality.
“Potatoes have not been part of the official dietary guidelines due to insufficient evidence of health effects,”Erik Kristoffer Arnesen, one of the authors of the recent study and a PhD candidate at the University of Oslo’s Department of Nutrition, told Verywell.
While studies on potato consumption exist, Arnesen said that “they often look at processed potato products (such as fries), which may not be relevant for plain potatoes.” Plus, “nearly all previous studies have only looked at potato intake measured once, not accounting for changes in intake over time,” he said.
Should You Eat Sweet Potatoes if You Have Diabetes?
Potato for a Longer Life?
Arnesen and his fellow researchers collected data on 77,297 adults from three Norwegian counties who were invited to three health screenings. During this time, researchers collected information on participants’ dietary intakes to determine how many potatoes—predominantly boiled potatoes—each person consumed every week. Researchers also examined the participants’ risk of dying from all causes, cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, and heart attack. The follow-up time spanned an average of 33.5 years.
The researchers wanted to find out whether there was a link between eating more potatoes and mortality risk. The study’s results showed that participants who consumed at least 14 potatoes per week had a 12% lower risk of all-cause death compared to people consuming six or fewer potatoes per week. People who consumed at least 14 potatoes per week also had a lower risk of dying an early death from cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, and heart attack.
The study showed that each additional 100 grams of potato consumed daily was associated with a 4% lower risk of death. For reference, a medium russet potato is approximately 175 grams.
Arnesen said that this study “does not show that potatoes are a ‘superfood,’ only that potatoes may not be as ‘bad’ as they are reputed to be.
According to Arnesen, “previous indications that potatoes are associated with adverse effects (such as weight gain in some U.S. studies) are due to the consumption of potato products high in fats and salt, not potatoes, per se.”
“In this study, we only had data on boiled potatoes,” said Arnesen. “This is because the study was conducted in the 1970s and ’80s, when the use of fried potatoes was uncommon, particularly in rural areas.”
This study limitation is important to keep in mind, as it’s unknown if the same positive health effects would be seen for other popular potato preparations.
Do Potatoes Count as a Vegetable?
How to Add More Potatoes to Your Diet
Potatoes can be a delicious, nutritious, and versatile part of a balanced diet. However, when considering dishes, opt for recipes that don’t require frying. Why? For one, cooking your spuds this way exposes you to acrylamide.
“Acrylamide is made in potatoes when fried at high temperatures, due to the so-called Maillard reaction,” said Arnesen. “This is acknowledged as a probable carcinogen."
Aacrylamide’s role in cardiovascular disease is less clear. “Nonetheless, when potatoes are boiled, the cooking temperature is below the threshold at which acrylamide forms," said Arnesen.
Fortunately, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy potatoes, such as baking, roasting, boiling, and steaming. Try roasting potatoes with herbs and a drizzle of olive oil instead of frying, or preparing a baked potato topped with steamed vegetables and a dollop of Greek yogurt. Andrews suggested using potatoes in place of toast at breakfast or tossing cooled potatoes into your favorite salad with tuna, tomatoes, and chickpeas.
However you enjoy the tasty tubers, as long as your diet is low in added sugars and excessive salt, and has plenty of produce, whole grains, and lean protein, then throwing potatoes into the mix can be a nutritious choice.
What This Means for YouPotatoes are a nutrient-rich vegetable that can be part of a balanced diet. A recent study suggests that there might even be longevity benefits to enjoying boiled potatoes, but more research is needed to see how other population potato preparations could affect long-term health.
What This Means for You
Potatoes are a nutrient-rich vegetable that can be part of a balanced diet. A recent study suggests that there might even be longevity benefits to enjoying boiled potatoes, but more research is needed to see how other population potato preparations could affect long-term health.
Are Potatoes Gluten-Free?
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Arnesen EK, Laake I, Carlsen MH, Veierød MB, Retterstøl K.Potato consumption and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality - a long-term follow-up of a Norwegian cohort.J Nutr.2024:S0022-3166(24)00288-8. doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.05.011USDA FoodData Central.Potatoes.Kimura H, Yamagishi K, Muraki I, Tamakoshi A, Iso H.Prospective cohort study on potato intake and mortality from cardiovascular diseases: the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study (JACC study).Eur J Nutr. 2023;62(4):1859-1866. doi:10.1007/s00394-023-03111-1Larsson SC, Wolk A.Potato consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: 2 prospective cohort studies.Am J Clin Nutr.2016;104(5):1245-1252. doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.142422
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Arnesen EK, Laake I, Carlsen MH, Veierød MB, Retterstøl K.Potato consumption and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality - a long-term follow-up of a Norwegian cohort.J Nutr.2024:S0022-3166(24)00288-8. doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.05.011USDA FoodData Central.Potatoes.Kimura H, Yamagishi K, Muraki I, Tamakoshi A, Iso H.Prospective cohort study on potato intake and mortality from cardiovascular diseases: the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study (JACC study).Eur J Nutr. 2023;62(4):1859-1866. doi:10.1007/s00394-023-03111-1Larsson SC, Wolk A.Potato consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: 2 prospective cohort studies.Am J Clin Nutr.2016;104(5):1245-1252. doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.142422
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Arnesen EK, Laake I, Carlsen MH, Veierød MB, Retterstøl K.Potato consumption and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality - a long-term follow-up of a Norwegian cohort.J Nutr.2024:S0022-3166(24)00288-8. doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.05.011USDA FoodData Central.Potatoes.Kimura H, Yamagishi K, Muraki I, Tamakoshi A, Iso H.Prospective cohort study on potato intake and mortality from cardiovascular diseases: the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study (JACC study).Eur J Nutr. 2023;62(4):1859-1866. doi:10.1007/s00394-023-03111-1Larsson SC, Wolk A.Potato consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: 2 prospective cohort studies.Am J Clin Nutr.2016;104(5):1245-1252. doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.142422
Arnesen EK, Laake I, Carlsen MH, Veierød MB, Retterstøl K.Potato consumption and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality - a long-term follow-up of a Norwegian cohort.J Nutr.2024:S0022-3166(24)00288-8. doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.05.011
USDA FoodData Central.Potatoes.
Kimura H, Yamagishi K, Muraki I, Tamakoshi A, Iso H.Prospective cohort study on potato intake and mortality from cardiovascular diseases: the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study (JACC study).Eur J Nutr. 2023;62(4):1859-1866. doi:10.1007/s00394-023-03111-1
Larsson SC, Wolk A.Potato consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: 2 prospective cohort studies.Am J Clin Nutr.2016;104(5):1245-1252. doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.142422
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