[4] A Spanish tortilla made with steamed potatoes instead of fried is a healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner, or first course/side at dinner. Here’s the recipe (photo © Fountain Avenue Kitchen).
THE 5 HEALTHIEST WAYS TO ENJOY POTATOES
The health profile of a potato dish depends almost entirely on the cooking method and the add-ins. Since potatoes are naturally fat-free and high in potassium and Vitamin C, the goal is to preserve these nutrients without adding saturated fats.
Here are the healthiest ways to prepare them, ranked by nutritional retention:
1. The Classic Baked Potato With Skin On
Widely considered the gold standard for health, keeping the skin on is essential. It contains about 50% of the potato’s fiber and a large portion of its iron and potassium.
The Health Hack: Avoid the “fully loaded” route (sour cream, bacon, butter). Instead, top it with Greek yogurt (the protein choice), salsa, or steamed broccoli and a light garnish of lowfat shredded cheese.
2. Boiled or Steamed Potatoes
As with baked potatoes, boiling or steaming adds no calories. Leave the skins on for fiber.
The Health Hack: Let the potatoes cool down before eating. When cooked potatoes are cooled, they develop resistant starch that acts more like fiber than as a simple carb. This feeds healthy gut bacteria and reduces the spike in blood sugar.
3. Baked “Fries” or Wedges
Baking with a light coat of heart-healthy oil (use an olive or avocado oil spray) is the best alternative to deep-frying. An air fryer also does the job.
The Health Hack: Use parchment paper to minimize the amount of oil needed, and toss the “fries” with rosemary, smoked paprika, or other favorite seasoning to add flavor without excessive salt.
4. A Modified Spanish Tortilla
A traditional Tortilla Española uses potatoes and eggs. While the classic version involves frying the potatoes in a large amount of olive oil, a healthy version sautés them lightly or steams them first.
The Health Hack: It’s an excellent way to get high-quality protein alongside the complex carbohydrates of the potato.
5. Japanese-Style Potato Salad
Unlike American potato salad, which often leans heavily on mayonnaise, many healthier global variations use a base of rice vinegar, a touch of mustard, and plenty of “crunchy” additions like sliced cucumbers and carrots.
[5] Make potato salad the French way, with a Dijon vinaigrette instead of mayonnaise (which makes it vegan, too). Here’s a recipe; note that it specifies yellow mustard. Substitute Dijon (photo © This Savory Vegan).
LOWER YOUR SODIUM
Of course, less salt makes any food more healthy. The Benefits of a sodium chloride/potassium chloride blend:
Blood Pressure Regulation: Sodium chloride causes the body to retain water, which increases blood pressure. Potassium chloride actually helps the body excrete sodium and relaxes blood vessel walls, creating a double benefit for lowering blood pressure.
The “Potassium Gap”: Most Americans consume only about half of the recommended daily potassium. Using a blend helps close thrgap without requiring you to eat five bananas a day.
The Taste Factor: Unlike pure potassium chloride (which can taste metallic or bitter), a 50/50 or 60/40 blend of sodium and potassium chloride tastes remarkably close to real salt, making it a sustainable switch for home cooking.
Note that with high heat cooking (hard sear, deep fry) it’s best to salt your food after cooking, since some blends can develop an aftertaste when exposed for an extensive period to high heat It performs best as a “finishing salt” or in wet-heat cooking (water, stock, wine, or steam).
AVOID These Blends If…
You have Kidney Disease: If your kidneys aren’t functioning at 100%, they struggle to clear excess potassium from your blood (hyperkalemia), which can lead to heart rhythm issues.
You take ACE Inhibitors or Potassium-Sparing Diuretics: Certain blood pressure and heart medications already raise your potassium levels. Adding “salt” that is actually potassium can push those levels into a toxic range.
You have Type 1 Diabetes: In some cases, this can affect how your body handles potassium shifts.
Consult a medical professional!
Editor’s Note: We switched to Morton Lite and don’t notice the difference.
[6] Now that you have five healthy was to enjoy potatoes, use a healthier salt with them (Gemini Photo).
YOU SAY PO-TAY-TO, I SAY PO-TAH-TO†…
And some people say “tater.”
Like gator for alligator and copter for helicopter, tater is an informal shortening of “potato.” No surprise there!
The form developed in American English dialect speech. Some rustic accents led to potater, which became tater, especially in Southern and rural U.S. speech. “Tater” stuck as a nickname.
The Oxford English Dictionary says the earliest known use of tater is from 1725, and the first attested print date is in 1759‡.
How Popular Are Potatoes?
As of early 2026, potatoes continue to hold the title of America’s most popular vegetable, the most frequently purchased vegetable in U.S. households.
According to the latest data from the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) and the National Potato Council, the top vegetable rankings for 2025-2026 are:
1. Potatoes
2. Onions
3. Tomatoes
4. Carrots
5. Lettuce
Most people would paraphrase Will Rogers: “I never met a tater I didn’t like.”
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*Point of grammar: people are healthy, food is healthful.
†This is a famous line from “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” a song written by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 film “Shall We Dance.” Hear Fred Astaire singing it.
‡Born in the USA? Rather than claiming with total certainty that it originated in America, it can be safely said that the term is now strongly linked to American speech.
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