When it comes to potatoes, some of your favorite foods might come to mind. From salty French fries and delicious potato chips to piping hot baked potatoes, this starchy vegetable is a common staple in the American diet.

However, even though potatoes might taste utterly fantastic, nutritional science has a less enthusiastic view. Don’t let the vitamins fool you. While magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and potassium sound healthy, potatoes aren’t as innocent as they look behind their peelable brown skin. Not only is the food itself worrisome, but also the way it’s prepared, which can dramatically change how you receive its potential benefits or disadvantages.

Whether you choose to eat the potato or not, it’s important to stay informed so that you make the best possible decision for your health. Let’s peel away the layers to look at the hard facts about the spuds and why you just very well might never eat another potato again.

1. Weight Gain

When it comes to enlarging your waistline, it’s a proven fact that potatoes contribute to weight gain. According to a study done by Harvard researchers in which 120,000 participants were tracked over a 20-year period^[1], those who ate a lot more French fries and baked or mashed potatoes gained an extra 1.3 and 3.4 pounds every four years. 

That becomes a significant weight gain over time than those who replaced those foods with more healthy vegetables, like broccoli and white beans. If you want to live a healthier life and avoid a weight gain that sneaks up on you, lighten the load on the potatoes and portion control. Follow the standard measure of making sure your potato side doesn't take up more than one-quarter of the plate.

2. Potato Paralysis

If you’ve ever thought letting your potatoes tan in the sun was a good idea, you’d be wrong. That’s because, under the sun, potatoes could develop potentially harmful compounds called glycoalkaloids. 

It’s the glycoalkaloids named solanine and chaconine that you should especially look out for. You’ll know that your potatoes contain these compounds when you notice a green tinge as soon as you peel the skin. But breathe a complete sigh of relief just yet even if you don’t see the color, because these compounds can still be present.

What’s so harmful about these glycoalkaloids anyway? Well, they can cause harm to your digestive system^[2], especially when it comes to the bowl. Sleepiness and itchiness are also unwelcome side effects but have no fear! 

For a simple solution, all you need to do is keep your potatoes out of the light as much as possible. You can also peel your potatoes to remove the majority of the glycoalkaloids in the skin, even if you sacrifice healthy fiber.

3. Fried is Not Healthy

There’s no question about it that fried potatoes are a staple if you want great tasting food. However, super tasty foods often come at a cost that impacts your health. 

Did you know that whenever you fry, roast, or bake some spuds at a high temperature, a chemical called acrylamide could be produced? It’s also known as a carcinogen, which is a chemical that could potentially cause cancer^[3]. Several studies have shown that people who tend to eat more fried potatoes at least two times per week almost double their potential of passing away early against people who don’t eat the fried veggie.

4. High Blood Sugar

Carbohydrate foods generally raise blood sugar levels and as you’ve already guessed it, the potato is also a high-carb food. That’s why they rate high on the glycemic index, which measures the quickness that carbs increase your blood sugar. 

After the potato digests quickly and instantly raises your blood sugar and insulin levels, they drop almost just as rapidly which produces a hungry feeling. Soon, you begin to overeat without even realizing it, all the while increasing your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and obesity if you’re not paying attention^[4].

5. Potential Pesticides

Did you know that potatoes are sprayed with pesticides three times throughout the process of their production? You might think that washing could do the trick, but it won’t entirely get rid of your pesticide problem. Potatoes grow in the soil, so their roots could suck up as many as 35 USDA recognized pesticides found on the spuds^[5]. 

Some of the pesticides are known to potentially increase risk of cancer, disrupt your hormones, and cause reproductive or nervous system problems, so be try to buy your potatoes as naturally as possible.