Raw potatoes have 1.4 grams of fiber per 100g. Boiled, baked, roasted, mashed potatoes and French fries have up to 1.9 grams of fiber per 100g. A serving of your favorite potato recipe can provide up to 11% of the Daily Value!
How much fiber do we need per day?
We need about 28 grams of dietary fiber a day. High fiber intake is important for good health. Most people who follow the standard Western diet fail to consume adequate amounts of fiber, though. Actually, about 95% of Americans don’t consume the recommended daily fiber intake.
Only plants are good dietary sources of fiber. Beans, legumes, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fruits are pretty high in fiber. You’re unlikely to experience side effects from eating high amounts of fiber.
How much fiber in potatoes?
Actually, potatoes are good dietary sources of fiber. The fiber content of potato depends on the variety, the region of growth, and agricultural methods. Most commercial potato varieties have 1.4 grams of fiber per 100g.
As a rule of thumb, avoid peeling potatoes. The skin has approximately 1.8 times more fiber than the flesh. The skin of raw potatoes has about 2.5 grams of fiber per 100g. Raw potatoes with the skin have 2.1 grams of fiber per 100g.[1]
Certainly, you should only eat the skin of organic potatoes. The skin is richer in chemical pesticides residues than the flesh. Actually, potatoes are among the most pesticide-contaminated foods.[2]
How does cooking affect the fiber content of potato?
Each potato recipe has a different fiber content. The cooking method affects the fiber structure and water content of potatoes. Less water means higher fiber concentrations:
- Baked potatoes contain 1.5 grams of fiber per 100g. A large baked potato provides up to 6 grams of fiber, or 21% DV. A cup of baked potatoes provides 7% DV.
- Boiled, roasted, or stewed potatoes have a slightly lower fiber content than baked potatoes because they have more water. Boiled potatoes have approximately 1.4 grams of fiber per 100g. A cup of boiled potatoes provides 2.2 grams of fiber, or 8% DV.
- Ready-to-eat mashed potatoes are also good dietary sources of fiber. They contain between 1.3 and 1.9 grams of fiber per 100g. A cup provides 3.2 grams of fiber, or 11% DV.
Consuming potatoes in moderation is good for weight loss. Actually, potatoes are among the most filling foods, due to their high fiber content. Other carbohydrate-rich foods, such as pasta or rice, aren’t as filing as boiled potatoes.
Are French fries high in dietary fiber?
Actually, French fries are particularly high in fiber. Frying increases the amount of resistant starch in potato. French fries are the main sources of fiber for many people.
French fries contain between 1.6 and 1.9 grams of fiber per 100g. A small cup has about 1 gram of fiber, or 3.5% of the DV.
Certainly, you should avoid consuming commercial French fries. They have many calories, due to the added fat of vegetable oil. Most noteworthy, they’re high in trans fat, which is dangerous for the heart.
You can easily prepare crunchy, tasteful, healthy, low-calorie French fries at home using an air fryer.
How much fiber in other potato-based foods?
Actually, most potato-based products contain decent amounts of fiber. Fiber in potato foods can help us meet our daily needs!
| fiber (grams) per 100g | fiber (grams) per serving | |
| potato soup, instant, dry mix | 7.6 | 3 |
| potato bread | 6.3 | 2.7 |
| potato chips | 5.4 | 4.6 |
| potato sticks | 3.4 | 1 |
| potato pancakes | 3.3 | 1.2 |
| potato puffs | 2 | 1.6 |
| potato salad | 1.3 | 3.25 |
Potato flour is a good dietary source of fiber. It contains 5.4 grams of fiber per 100g. For comparison, white wheat flour has only 2.4 grams, while whole wheat flour has 10.6 grams of fiber per 100g. Hence, potato bread, pancakes, and other potato baked goods are rich in fiber.
A large slice of potato bread provides up to 10% of the DV.
Potato salad and potato soup are excellent dietary sources of fiber as well. A serving provides about 11% of the DV.
Other favorite potato products, like potato chips, puffs, and sticks, also contain decent amounts of fiber.
Keep in mind that commercial potatoes have many calories, salt, saturated and trans fat. Always check the nutrition facts label in order to make the healthiest choice.
According to the American Heart Association, we shouldn’t consume more than 13 grams of saturated fatty acids a day. High amounts of saturated fats may increase LDL cholesterol, and even increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Excess salt is pretty bad for you as well.[3]
Potato is one of the richest vegetables in fiber!
You can substantially increase the total fiber intake by eating plenty of vegetables. Sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, cabbage, kale, lettuce, arugula, celery, beets, and onions, are just some of the most common high-fiber vegetables.
