Your Cart is Empty
Potatoes tend to get a bad reputation as a greasy, high-carb food. While French fries, tater tots, and baked potatoes loaded with sour cream don't exactly scream “healthy,” potatoes are a staple food in many households for a reason. Depending on how you prepare them, potatoes can be an excellent source of nutrients.
While the nutritional value of potatoes depends on the type of potato and, most importantly, how it is prepared, potatoes contain many essential vitamins and minerals. For example, one baked potato (skin included) contains fiber, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, and vitamin B6 (1).
Potato skin, especially varieties like purple potatoes, is rich in antioxidants. Additionally, potatoes contain a type of starch called resistant starch, which comes with its own health benefits. Resistant starch acts as a source of prebiotic fiber, aiding digestive health (2).
There are different ways to measure the alkalinity or acidity of a food. Some people use the food’s pH value, but oftentimes pH alone is not the best representation of how the food will react in the body. Instead, a more accurate measurement is to use the food’s Potential Renal Acid Load, or PRAL (3).
A food’s PRAL measures how alkaline or acidic the food is based on an assigned number. Negative numbers represent foods with higher alkalinity, and the more negative the number, the more alkaline the food. (For example, a food with a PRAL of -6 is more alkaline than a PRAL of -1.) A positive PRAL represents an acidic food, with higher numbers representing higher acidity.
The Western diet tends to rely more heavily on acidic foods. Acidic foods include processed foods, foods high in sugars or fats, meats, dairy, and grains. Observing the PRAL of staple foods in your diet can help determine if your diet is overly acidic.
Potatoes have a PRAL of -6.9, which means they are highly alkalizing and can increase the overall alkalinity of your diet (4). Potatoes contain many crucial alkaline minerals, like magnesium and potassium, that contribute to its alkalizing effect.
An alkaline diet is not common in Western cultures, where diets rely heavily on acidic foods. Instead, an alkaline diet emphasizes whole, non-processed foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and tofu. There are different levels of the alkaline diet, ranging from zero acidic foods to more of a healthy balance in between, and it is best to talk to a healthcare professional before completely rearranging your diet.
That being said, adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is scarcely considered a bad idea. Alkaline foods tend to be nutrient-rich and packed with essential vitamins and minerals your body needs. Some people report weight loss and higher energy levels by switching to an alkaline diet, especially due to an influx of vegetables in their diet. This sort of balanced diet may also help reduce inflammation, which can in turn reduce your risk of certain types of cancer (5). An alkaline diet may also lessen symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn.
Potatoes contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals that make them a staple in many households. That being said, they may also be high in fat and calories, depending on how they are prepared. With a PRAL of -6.9, potatoes have an alkalizing effect on the body and may help reduce inflammation, acid reflux, and heartburn symptoms. While eating an alkaline diet is not a necessity, eating more alkaline foods–like fruits and vegetables–can help you eat a more balanced diet.
Can I eat potatoes on an alkaline diet?
Yes. Potatoes have a negative PRAL and are therefore alkaline.
Is mashed potato alkaline?
Yes. Mashed potatoes are alkaline, but be careful that you don’t prepare mashed potatoes with butter or dairy, which are acidic ingredients.
What cooked vegetables are alkaline?
Most vegetables, despite how they are prepared, are alkaline. When you add other ingredients to the vegetables, however, this may affect their alkalinity.
References
Ryan Raman,Healthline,https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-potatoes
Jo Anne’s Place Health Foods,https://www.joannesplace.ca/the-pral-table
Dieticians on Demand,https://dietitiansondemand.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/NEAP-charts-PDF.pdf
Kellie Blackburn and Gina Van Thomme,UT MD Anderson,https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/alkaline-diet--what-cancer-patients-should-know.h00-159223356.html
