Key Takeaways:
- Potatoes don’t need to be avoided if you have diabetes. Pair them with lean protein and non-starchy vegetables to support steady blood sugar.
- Portion matters. Aim for ½–1 cup cooked potatoes per meal and fill the rest of your plate with non-starchy vegetables and lean protein.
- Boil, steam, roast, or cook then cool potatoes to maximize fiber and resistant starch; keep the skin on for extra nutrients.
- Opt for variety and convenience. Rotate potato types and prep ahead to make diabetes-friendly meals easy, colorful, and delicious.
Potatoes are often misunderstood when it comes to diabetes management. Many individuals living with diabetes have been told to limit or avoid potatoes due to their carbohydrate content and potential impact on blood glucose. However, research shows that potatoes can, in fact, be part of a balanced, diabetes-friendly diet.
Healthy eating to manage diabetes isn’t about eliminating foods you enjoy, but rather preparing and pairing them in ways that support steady energy and blood sugar balance. In this article, we’ll explore the research on potatoes and blood glucose, review practical dietitian tips for incorporating them into diabetes-friendly meals, and share five delicious, balanced recipes that fit seamlessly into a healthy lifestyle.
How to Manage Blood Sugar and Enjoy Eating Potatoes
Potatoes are a source of carbohydrates, but their effect on blood sugar depends on the type, preparation, and what they are eaten with.
The glycemic index (GI) is a scale that measures how quickly carbohydrate-containing foods raise blood glucose, and choosing lower-GI foods can help support balanced blood sugar. For instance, boiled red potatoes eaten cold have a moderate GI of about 56, while instant mashed potatoes have a higher GI around 88 (1).
However, the overall composition of a meal and amount of carbohydrates eaten has a greater impact on blood sugar than a single food’s GI (2). This means potatoes can be part of a diabetes-friendly meal when paired with the right foods.
Using the Plate Method is a simple way to plan balanced meals: fill 1/2 plate with non-starchy vegetables, 1/4 with lean protein, and 1/4 with whole grains or starchy vegetables, like potatoes.
Overall, potatoes don’t need to be avoided if you have diabetes, however, it’s helpful to be aware of how they’re cooked, served, and portioned.
Dietitian Tips for Including Potatoes in a Diabetes-Friendly Diet
Balance your plate.
Pair potatoes with lean protein and non-starchy vegetables. This combination slows digestion, moderates blood sugar response and supports satiety.
For example, people with diabetes can choose healthy lean proteins like skinless chicken or turkey, fish such as salmon or cod, eggs, and plant-based options like beans or tofu.
Additionally, they can pair potatoes with a variety of non-starchy vegetables, such as a fresh leafy green salad, steamed broccoli, or roasted cauliflower to boost fibre, volume, and nutrients to balance the plate.
Choose healthier cooking methods more often.
Boiling, steaming, and roasting are great methods for cooking potatoes.
Dietitian tip: Roast or boil a batch of Little Potatoes over the weekend and store them in the refrigerator. Having them cooled and ready to go makes it easy to build balanced, diabetes-friendly meals throughout the week.
Eat cooked and cooled potatoes to improve blood sugars
When potatoes are cooked and then cooled, some of the starch changes into something called resistant starch.
Resistant starch acts more like fiber than sugar in your body. It doesn’t raise your blood sugar as quickly, and it can help keep you feeling full longer. It also helps feed the good bacteria in your gut, which supports digestion and overall health (3).
Research shows that cooled potatoes, like those in potato salad, have more resistant starch than freshly cooked ones. One study found that chilled potatoes had about twice as much resistant starch as hot potatoes (4). Another small study showed that eating potatoes high in resistant starch helped people have better blood sugar levels after meals (5).
Whenever you can, keep the skin on your potatoes.
The potato skin provides valuable fibre, which helps slow digestion and can support more stable post-meal blood glucose levels.
Keep portion sizes moderate.
For many individuals managing diabetes, an appropriate portion of potatoes is about ½ to 1 cup cooked per meal.
Vary your choices.
Include a mix of potato types, such as red, yellow, fingerling, or even sweet potatoes, to add flavour, texture, and micronutrient diversity. Some varieties also have a lower glycemic index than others (1).
Diabetes-Friendly Recipes with Little Potatoes
Balanced meals that align with diabetes management principles often include moderate portions of potatoes alongside lean protein sources and other colourful, high-fibre vegetables. Below are some delicious recipes that reflect this balanced approach.
- One-Pot Braised Chicken and Potatoes
This is a one-skillet meal with chicken thighs and Little Potatoes alongside spinach leaves. - Instant Pot Tofu and Little Potato Stew
This vegan-friendly stew includes tofu, little potatoes, plus carrot and celery and peas. Great for plant-based families managing blood sugar. - Gado Gado Bowl
Loaded with Little Fingerlings™, tofu, cabbage, green beans and peanut sauce, this bowl is high in fibre, has plant protein and colourful veggies. - Garlic Parmesan Potato and Veggie Skewers
This recipe pairs little potatoes with zucchini, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and invites you to add your protein of choice (chicken/shrimp/tofu). - Greek Potato Breakfast Skillet
With eggs, spinach, cherry tomatoes, olives and Little Potatoes, this is a high-vegetable, high-protein breakfast option – which is a great way to start a day!
Potatoes can be part of a healthy, diabetes-friendly diet when consumed mindfully and paired with protein and vegetables. The Little Potato Company’s convenient, skin-on, portion-controlled potatoes make balanced eating both delicious and simple for families managing diabetes.
By focusing on balance rather than restriction, individuals can enjoy potatoes confidently as part of an overall nutritious diet.
References
- Atkinson, Fiona S., et al. “International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values: 2008.” Diabetes Care, vol. 31, no. 12, 2008, pp. 2281–2283. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15800557/.
- Alliance for Potato Research & Education. “People with Type 2 Diabetes Need Not Avoid Eating Potatoes Based on Glycemic Index.” APRE, 26 Oct. 2020, https://apre.org/2020/10/26/people-with-type-2-diabetes-need-not-avoid-eating-potatoes-based-on-glycemic-index/.
- Resistant Starch: Not Something to Resist Eating.” McGill University Office for Science and Society, 2022,https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-and-nutrition/resistant-starch-not-something-resist-eating.
- Potatoes’ Resistant Starch Varies by Variety and Serving Temperature.” EurekAlert!, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2020, https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/560070.
- Johnston, Carol S., et al. “Potato Consumption Is Associated with Better Postprandial Glucose Control in Adults.” Nutrients, vol. 12, no. 11, 2020, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33119948/.
