Healthy mashed potatoes? Yes, it's possible | Shine365 (2024)

FAQs

Are mashed potatoes healthy yes or no? ›

Mashed potatoes benefit your health because they offer a rich source of potassium. Each cup of mashed potatoes provides 622 milligrams of potassium, or 13 percent of your recommended daily intake, according to the NYU Langone Medical Center.

It is totally fine to eat potatoes every day. While how you prepare and cook potatoes and how much you eat could possibly impact your health, whole potatoes with skin are a nutritious vegetable with health benefits.

Idahoan SMARTMASH Very Low Sodium Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes are a healthier alternative to traditional mashed potatoes—made to deliver delicious taste, with only 20 mg of sodium per serving.

With popular diets like Ketogenic, carbs and starchy foods like potatoes have been deemed unhealthy. However, just like most food groups, mashed potatoes can be healthy if eaten in moderation, and depending on how they are cooked.

While the vegetable part of mashed potatoes supports health, the dairy ingredients complicate the dish, especially if you eat too large a serving. Butter and milk or cream not only add calories to mashed potatoes, but contribute saturated fat to a vegetable that is naturally fat free.

Overall, potatoes contain more vitamins and nutrients than rice. And if given the choice between rice or potatoes, 9 times out of 10, we would certainly go with potatoes simply because they are more versatile and can be made in many different ways.

Yet not all carbs are created equal. What was most unexpected about the results, is that even french fries cooked in oil came out higher in the carbohydrate health hierarchy than pasta and rice. Mashed potatoes were the real winner, with children consuming 30-40 per cent fewer calories at meals.

Of rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread, potatoes are the healthiest of these starchy and complex carbohydrate foods. This is because potatoes are dense in nutrients, containing essential minerals, vitamins, and other micronutrients. Potatoes are also high in fiber, helping to satiate hunger and regulate blood sugar.

Per Sarah Garone, mashed potato flakes are most certainly ultra-processed, while frozen potatoes are a smidge better and fresher and whole potatoes are obviously the ideal.

Garlic and herbs are added to boost flavor

Instead of boiling a few potatoes and mashing them plain, a lot of restaurant chefs like to apply a little more finesse. Garlic and herbs infused in butter and cream add a flavor boost without overpowering.

Are potato flakes and instant mashed potatoes the same thing? ›

Instant mashed potatoes are dehydrated potato flakes or granules that, when liquid is added, create light and fluffy mashed tubers. A serving of these potatoes provides a dose of potassium, vitamin C, fiber, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, and iron (via LiveStrong).

Potatoes are a decent source of fiber, which can help you feel full longer. Fiber also can help prevent heart disease by keeping your cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check. Potatoes are also rich in antioxidants that prevent diseases and vitamins that help your body function properly.

They're also chock full of starch, which is a carbohydrate. But even though a potato is considered a complex “healthy” carb, your body digests these carbs faster than other kinds of complex carbs. These broken-down carbs flood your blood with sugar.

Overall, potatoes contain more vitamins and nutrients than rice. And if given the choice between rice or potatoes, 9 times out of 10, we would certainly go with potatoes simply because they are more versatile and can be made in many different ways.

All potatoes can fit into a healthy diet, but purple potatoes, red potatoes, and sweet potatoes—which are often grouped with potatoes—stand out due to their high amounts of protective plant compounds and essential nutrients.