Written by
Joy Diggs, MS, CPT, RD, LD
Digg Deep Fitness
As a registered dietitian, I understand the extreme importance that food plays on your quality of health. For this reason, I offer a complimentary grocery shopping trip to all my clients. When we visit the store, common questions are, what about potatoes? Are they healthy? Which one should I be eating? We’re going to compare the Russet, red, and sweet potato to see which one is the healthiest.
Let’s start with the Russet potato…. you know, the one you use to make loaded baked or mashed potatoes or slice up to make French fries. Is this potato healthy?
One cup of a diced, raw Russet potato has 118 calories, 3.2g of protein, 0g of fat, and 27g carbs. It’s a good source of potassium, Vitamin C, thiamin, and niacin. It’s also a good source of iron for men (men require less iron than women). But you know what’s not so hot? Loading it with cheese, butter, sour cream, and bacon bits, or dropping it in hot grease for frying. The Russet potato provides tons of nutrients before we top it with unhealthy ingredients. So, keep in mind that it’s the preparation, and not the potato, that can make it unhealthy.
Next up, let’s talk about red potatoes.
For fair comparison, we are going to use the same amount of red potatoes. One cup of diced, raw red potatoes has 105 calories, 2.8g of protein, 0g of fat, and 24g carbs. It’s a good source of potassium, Vitamin C, thiamin, and niacin. It’s also a good source of fiber for women (women require less fiber than men), and a good source of iron for men (men require less iron than women). So, as you can see, there’s not THAT much difference between a red potato and a Russet potato. They have slightly less calories, protein, and carbs, but there’s not a significant nutritional difference between the two. A popular way to prepare red potatoes is to boil them, mash them, and then add large amounts of milk, butter, and sometimes sour cream. Though this tastes great, the calories and fat can quickly add up. Instead, try dicing them, coating in olive oil and seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, Italian), and roasting at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Last up, we’ll discuss sweet potatoes.
We are going to use the same amount of sweet potato as the other two for comparison. One cup of diced, raw sweet potatoes has 114 calories, 2g of protein, 0g of fat, and 27g carbs. It’s a good source of fiber, potassium and Vitamin A. It’s also a good source of iron for men (men require less iron than women). A common way to prepare sweet potatoes is to smother them with marshmallows or brown sugar. We all love candied yams, but try baking them without adding sugar, and enjoy their natural sweetness.
Now let’s put everything together. If you’ve a visual person like me, it helps to see the items lined up side by side. I’ve highlighted the potato that’s higher in a particular nutrient:
*I used values for a raw potato because it was the easiest way to find nutrient values for each potato in a common, household measurement from a reputable source.
As you can see, different potatoes are higher in different nutrients. The Russet potato is higher in protein and iron and slightly higher in carbs, thiamin, and magnesium. The red potato is higher in potassium, zinc, Vitamin C, niacin, folate, and Vitamin K. The sweet potato is higher in fiber, calcium, riboflavin, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E.
So what’s the bottom line? Which one is better? Each potato gives us a different mixture and amount of vitamins and minerals. So make sure to eat a variety and choose healthy cooking methods like baking, broiling, roasting, steaming, or boiling. French “fries” can also be baked as a healthier alternative to frying. And avoid piling on all the unhealthy fixings once the potato is prepared. Lastly, practice portion control. Though potatoes provide a lot of nutrients, they are a starchy vegetable, which means they are higher in calories than most vegetables. Try to stick to one cup diced/mashed or 1 medium (2 1/2- 3 inch diameter) potato.
Source:
1. National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. United States Department of Agriculture website. Available at: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods. Accessed May 27, 2014.
2. What counts as a cup of vegetables. ChooseMyPlate.gov website. Available at: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables-counts.html. Accessed May 27, 2014.
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