Potato Nutrition Is Often Misunderstood, but Science Is Changing That

By Riley Peterson, Nutrition Director, Potatoes USA

Potatoes are America’s favorite vegetable, and consumers’ belief in the nutritional benefits of potatoes is at an all-time high. However, some confusion persists about the role spuds play in our health. Potatoes are still sometimes inaccurately portrayed as causing weight gain, poor health outcomes, or certain diseases instead of as a nutrient-dense vegetable and a critical source of potassium and fiber (two nutrients Americans don’t get enough of, according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans).

These misperceptions can be amplified through scientists’ misclassification of potatoes in their research, where potatoes are often grouped with non-vegetable foods like red meat, refined grains, sweets, or sodas.

Countering these misperceptions requires high-quality scientific evidence to support the role of potatoes in healthy lifestyles. That’s why the Alliance for Potato Research and Education (APRE) is so important. A nonprofit organization funded by the potato industry and Potatoes USA, APRE is dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of the role potatoes play in health and wellness and is committed to scientific integrity, publishing all research findings regardless of the outcomes, to ensure the facts are publicly available.

APRE’s Commitment to Strategically Support Scientific Research

Since 2011, APRE has invested nearly $15 million in potato nutrition research, focusing on three primary areas of research: cardiometabolic health, healthy dietary patterns, and healthy lifestyles. To date, APRE’s investments have resulted in 48 published manuscripts, and 22 studies are currently underway.

Research Findings Shed Light on Potatoes’ Role in Human Health

In 2025, APRE-supported research was published showing that total potato consumption isn’t associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease or hypertension, and white potatoes don’t negatively affect glycemic indices, vascular health, lipids, or blood pressure compared to white rice.

Looking ahead, APRE members are particularly excited about two long-term feeding trials that have already begun at Penn State and Virginia Tech, exploring the relationship between consumption of various forms of potato products and blood glucose control. The Penn State study will examine the glycemic effects of potatoes in a healthy Mediterranean-style dietary pattern among pre-diabetic adults, while the Virginia Tech study will examine the cardiometabolic effects of a potato-rich diet in older adults with increased type 2 diabetes risk. These more robust, long-term studies can provide critical, foundational scientific understanding around potato nutrition that can help inform evidence-based dietary guidance.

How Media Coverage Amplifies APRE’s Research to Consumers

Published, high-quality scientific evidence supporting the role of potatoes in healthy lifestyles remains essential to ensure potatoes are included in evidence-based dietary recommendations to consumers.

APRE research is frequently cited by health professionals who write for major consumer-facing media outlets. For example, last year, Today.com published an article by registered dietitian (RD) Natalie Rizzo on the nutritional benefits of potatoes that cited six APRE-supported studies. The studies supported several nutritional benefits of potatoes, such as improving cardiovascular and metabolic health, aiding in weight management, and enhancing sports performance.

Today.com has an audience of millions, demonstrating how RDs are often powerful advocates for translating nutrition research to consumers. Even as Americans’ trust in online food content has fallen sharply in recent years, over 70% of Americans say they have “high trust” in RDs as a source of nutrition information, according to the International Food Information Council.

One reason RDs have earned such high trust from consumers may be that they rely on published evidence before recommending foods, underscoring another way APRE-supported research translates to real-world impact. For example, the Code of Ethics for the Nutrition and Dietetics Profession requires practitioners to use an “evidence-based approach” and “assess the validity and applicability of scientific evidence without personal bias.”

Quality nutrition research also has staying power and can be cited in media coverage even years after publication. An article published last year in Mindbodygreen cited 2021 APRE-supported research that found increased dietary potassium from potato consumption may help mitigate sodium retention, reducing risk of hypertension.

APRE’s Impact on the Industry’s Future

APRE strengthens potatoes’ position in healthy lifestyles by supporting high-quality, independently guided research that advances understanding among scientists, policymakers, health professionals, and consumers. This scientific foundation allows the industry to communicate the nutritional benefits of potatoes with credibility and authority and to partner with trusted voices in the health profession who reach thought leaders and consumers where they’re already seeking nutrition guidance.

In an era of nutrition noise and misinformation, APRE’s commitment to rigorous science and publishing all studies regardless of the outcomes isn’t just about defending potatoes’ place in today’s diets. It’s about uncovering the truth about potatoes and how they can be part of healthy eating for generations to come.