Beyond vitamin C, the antioxidant compounds in potatoes — particularly the flavonoids and phenolic acids concentrated in and just beneath the skin — protect body cells from the cumulative oxidative damage caused by free radicals, which is implicated in the development of cancer, heart disease, and accelerated aging. Test-tube studies have found that antioxidants from potatoes can suppress the growth of liver and colon cancer cells. While these findings require further validation in human clinical trials before strong conclusions can be drawn, the antioxidant content of potatoes is genuinely substantial and supports a plausible protective effect.
4. You Will Feel Fuller for Longer
One of the most practically useful properties of potatoes that is consistently underappreciated is their exceptional satiety — their ability to produce and maintain a feeling of fullness. In a landmark study in which participants were served 38 different common foods and asked to rate how satisfying each one was, potatoes received the highest fullness rating of any food tested. They were rated as approximately seven times more filling than croissants, which scored at the bottom of the satiety rankings. This extraordinary ability to suppress appetite relative to caloric content makes potatoes a remarkably useful food for anyone managing weight or trying to reduce overall caloric intake.
