What Happens To Your Body When You Only Eat Potatoes Every Day

1. Your body will benefit from tonnes of nutrients

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Despite being a popular beige food, our beloved potatoes are actually very rich in some of the vital nutrients that our bodies need.  These include potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and even fiber.  So eating potatoes every day can initially give your body some great nutrition.

2. But it might lead to nutrient deficiencies

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But as with everything, too much of a good thing isn't always that beneficial.  If you only eat potatoes every day, you would be missing out on other nutrients that are essential for your overall health.  So this means that eventually, you will become deficient in these and this could affect your health.

3. Possible weight gain

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Potatoes are starchy carbohydrates and because they are so high in carbohydrates, eating too many of them every day could lead to you gaining some weight.  But it is important to remember that eating a healthy amount of potatoes will NOT make you fat and gain weight.

4. Improved digestion

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It has been found that the resistant starch that is inside the mighty potato can actually improve your digestive health.  So when the resistant starch enters the digestive system and makes it to the large intestine, it becomes food for beneficial gut bacteria.

5. Increased blood sugar levels

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Potatoes have a high glycemic index and have been found to cause a spike in blood sugar levels.  This can be particularly problematic for people that have been diagnosed with diabetes as it might make it more difficult to manage those blood sugar levels.

6. Increased risk of diabetes

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And because of that high glycemic index and the fact that potatoes have been found to significantly raise the body's blood sugar levels, causing them to spike, there has been some evidence of an increased risk of diabetes when they're eaten in excessive amounts.

7. Allergies

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Some unfortunate people do actually have a potato allergy.  And symptoms of an allergy to potatoes can occur from not only eating them but also touching them.  These symptoms are unpleasant and include a stuffy nose, itchy sinuses, stinging eyes, and sneezing.

8. Acrylamide Formation

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Cooking your favorite spuds at really high temperatures may lead to the formation of a chemical called acrylamide.  Acrylamide is a chemical that has been linked to the formation of cancerous cells in some animal studies and it is believed that this might also be the case in humans.

9. Improved brain function

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Potatoes are one of the foods that contain the second-highest levels of choline next to meat and soya products.  Choline is a nutrient that is naturally present in food and is a really vital nutrient that you need to consume for your brain's health, as well as the health of your muscles.

10. Reduced risk of heart disease

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Some studies have suggested that diets that include potatoes might help to reduce the risk of heart disease in humans.  And this is because they are high in nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and dietary fiber as we mentioned before.

11. Lowered blood pressure

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Studies into heart health conducted by some leading heart charities and foundations have turned their attention to potatoes as being good for your heart.  And this includes the possibility that the potassium in potatoes may help to reduce and lower your blood pressure.

12. Improved skin health

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Potatoes naturally contain many compounds that have been found to potentially improve the look, feel, and overall health of your skin.  This is because they contain vitamin B6 which can help maintain sebum protection and eating them has also been found to reduce acne.

13. Improved immune function

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Potatoes are also very rich in vitamin C.  And the Vitamin C content in potatoes can help to really improve your immune function because it helps to really bolster the immune system.  This means that if you eat lots of potatoes or other foods rich in vitamin C, you might find that you're ill less.

14. Healthy weight management

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Potatoes are low in calories and high in fiber.  Some studies have found that you can actually lose weight by eating potatoes, contrary to popular belief.  And it has been found that fiber-rich foods promote gut health and work to prevent obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

15. Increased potassium levels

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When you eat potatoes, your body's potassium levels increase.  In fact, sources note that just one medium-sized baked potato contains just over a quarter of your recommended daily intake of potassium.  So you may be prevent a whole heap of health problems surrounding your heart health.  You will also benefit from the magnesium and calcium present in potatoes.

16. Increased fiber intake

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Potatoes are a really good source of fiber.  And when you eat different foods containing as much dietary fiber as potatoes, you'll find that you will be much fuller for longer.  They release energy slowly and might help you to improve your digestive health and maintain a healthy weight.

17. Sluggishness

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Even though potatoes are high in nutrients and all-around beneficial to your health if you eat too many of them every day and not a lot of anything else, you will probably start to feel a little sluggish.  Not only this but you can also risk your health because your body has to deal with high levels of blood sugar.

18. Halt dementia

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Scientists and researchers in Scotland in the United Kingdom have found that adding more potatoes to your diet can contribute to better overall brain health and they've found a correlation between potatoes and a reduced risk of dementia.  They found that less people are eating spuds than before and they've urged people to eat more!

19. Increased blood pressure if you overdo it!

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Again, as we mentioned earlier, eating too many potatoes in any form isn't great for your overall health.  It has been found that the potassium in the humble spud can help to lower blood pressure but eventually if you eat too many each day, it will inevitably lead to health problems including high blood pressure!

20. Normal bowel movements

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The high fiber content in potatoes works to normalize your bowel movements.  It softens your stools and makes issues like constipation a thing of the past.  You'll find that you're much more regular and bowel movements tend to be a little less uncomfortable if that was an issue for you before.

21. They may help to prevent kidney stones

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The abundance of dietary fiber found in potatoes, along with magnesium and some (but not too much) calcium has been linked with preventing the recurrence of health issues like kidney stones.  More research is needed but it is believed that eating potatoes can improve the health of your kidneys.

22. Reduce inflammation

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According to some studies, potatoes have been found to reduce inflammation.  The whole potato is good but the potato peel has particular anti-inflammatory effects.  They have been found to be effective at treating inflammatory health issues like arthritis and even inflammatory gut issues.

23. Stronger bones

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A study found that the abundance of magnesium and potassium in our beloved potato can really contribute to your bone health.  And, interestingly, some studies have actually found that eating potatoes in your diet also helps to prevent bone loss in men and women as we age.

24. Help to treat scurvy

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Although scurvy is rather rare nowadays, it is still useful and interesting to point out that potatoes can be used to help to treat scurvy.  And this is because of the vitamin C in potatoes that can add to and benefit the treatment of unpleasant health issues like scurvy.

25. You might sleep better

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Yes, it's true that potatoes might start helping you to sleep much better than you did before.  This is because they are rich in the mineral, potassium.  And potassium has been found to promote better sleep because it is said that it, amazingly, also acts as a muscle relaxant!

26. Your premenstrual symptoms might improve

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Another interesting benefit of eating potatoes is that they have been found to go some way in alleviating premenstrual symptoms, particularly if you take potatoes as a juice.  A study found that the carbohydrates present in the juice increase the levels of an amino acid that helps to increase serotonin.  And serotonin is responsible for reducing anxiety.

27. Lower blood cholesterol

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Eating only potatoes in your diet is obviously not the best idea but including them in a balanced diet (depending on how you cook them), as we've seen, is super beneficial.  So provided you don't fry them or add oil or saturated fat, these health benefits include lowering blood cholesterol.

28. Unhealthy eating behaviors

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If you only eat one type of food each day, whether that is potatoes or something else, you are not only risking your health but you are also putting yourself at risk of developing an array of unhealthy eating behaviors.  This is because it is incredibly restrictive and far from the norm.

29. Boredom

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What's for breakfast this morning?  Potatoes...  What's for dinner later on?  Potatoes... What about tomorrow?  Potatoes... Granted, there are many wonderful ways to cook and serve potatoes but if you eat just one type of food each day, it's going to start feeling unappealing and you're going to get incredibly bored of it!

30. Ultimately, eating only potatoes risks your health

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Ultimately, if you eat potatoes and only potatoes every day, you're going to risk your health.  They're an excellent part of a balanced diet so make sure you eat them in moderation and also that you cook them right by not frying them and adding unhealthy ingredients to them.