Are Potatoes Good to Eat When Sick? A Nutritional Guide

November 11, 2025 •

4 min read

When you're sick, bland, easy-to-digest foods are often recommended to settle an upset stomach, and studies have shown that easily digestible foods help your body focus on fighting illness rather than processing difficult meals. This is where potatoes shine, proving to be a highly beneficial food for recuperation.

Quick Summary

Potatoes are an excellent food choice when you're sick, providing easily digestible carbohydrates for energy and vital nutrients like potassium and vitamin C. Bland preparations like mashed or baked potatoes can soothe an upset stomach, aid hydration, and support the immune system. Certain preparations should be avoided to prevent worsening symptoms.

Key Points

Easy on the Stomach: Bland preparations like mashed or baked potatoes are gentle on a sensitive digestive system, making them an ideal comfort food when sick.
Electrolyte Replenishment: Potatoes are rich in potassium, an essential electrolyte that helps restore fluids lost from vomiting or diarrhea.
Immune-Boosting Vitamin C: They contain significant amounts of vitamin C, an important antioxidant that supports the immune system during recovery.
Quick Energy Source: The carbohydrates in potatoes provide easily digestible energy, fueling your body's fight against illness.
Avoid Greasy and Fried Preparations: For upset stomachs, stay away from french fries and potato chips, as their high fat and salt content can worsen symptoms.
Avoid High-Fat Toppings: Load up on healthy spices instead of adding cheese, bacon, and sour cream to avoid adding excessive fats that can slow down digestion.
Ideal for Sore Throats: The soft, creamy texture of mashed potatoes is soothing and easy to swallow when you have a sore throat.

The Case for Potatoes: Nutrients to Aid Recovery

When your body is fighting off an illness, it needs nourishment that is gentle on the digestive system and packed with essential nutrients to support recovery. Bland, starchy foods like potatoes fit this description perfectly and are often recommended for conditions like the flu, stomach bugs, or even a sore throat.

Replenishing Lost Electrolytes with Potassium

One of the most important nutrients found in potatoes is potassium, a critical electrolyte often lost during bouts of vomiting or diarrhea. A medium baked potato contains a substantial amount of potassium, which plays a key role in maintaining fluid balance, nerve signals, and muscle contractions. Replenishing this mineral is crucial for proper rehydration and recovery. Cooking potatoes by boiling them can reduce the potassium content, so consuming them baked or mashed can help preserve more of this vital nutrient.

Boosting Immunity with Vitamin C

While citrus fruits are famously known for their high vitamin C content, potatoes are also a surprising source of this powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C is essential for immune system function and can help the body fight off infection. Baking or microwaving potatoes can help retain more of this water-soluble vitamin compared to prolonged boiling.

Providing Easy-to-Digest Energy

When you have a low appetite or an upset stomach, your body may struggle to process heavy or fatty meals. Potatoes are primarily composed of carbohydrates, primarily in the form of starch, which the body can easily break down into glucose for quick and accessible energy. This allows your body to dedicate its resources to recovery rather than digestion. Bland preparations like plain boiled or baked potatoes are less likely to cause stomach upset and are a staple of the BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) diet often recommended for digestive issues.

The Best Ways to Prepare Potatoes When Sick

How you prepare a potato can greatly influence its benefits, especially when you are not feeling well. A fluffy, plain baked potato is a far better choice than a greasy, fried one. Here are some of the best ways to prepare potatoes for optimal health during illness:

Mashed Potatoes: Made with a bit of milk and butter or plain, mashed potatoes are soft, easy to swallow, and comforting for a sore throat. They also provide quick energy and nutrients.
Boiled Potatoes: Simple and unseasoned boiled potatoes are gentle on the digestive system and are a good source of carbohydrates for energy.
Baked Potatoes: Baking preserves many of the vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C and potassium. Eat it plain or with a small amount of butter, but avoid heavy, rich toppings like cheese or sour cream.

The Worst Ways to Prepare Potatoes When Sick

Not all potato preparations are beneficial when you're sick. Some can be inflammatory, hard to digest, and can even worsen your symptoms. It is best to avoid these methods:

French Fries: These are loaded with unhealthy fats and can be greasy and difficult to digest, especially for an upset stomach.
Potato Chips: Processed and high in salt and unhealthy fats, potato chips offer little nutritional value and can irritate a sensitive stomach.
Raw Potatoes: Consuming raw potatoes can cause digestive issues, and in some cases, can lead to poisoning from a toxic compound called solanine if the potato has turned green or sprouted.
Heavily Seasoned or Spicy Potatoes: While comforting, the spices and excess salt can aggravate a sensitive stomach or throat.

Comparison of Potato Preparations When Sick


Preparation Method	Benefits for Sickness	Drawbacks for Sickness	Best For...
Mashed (plain)	Soft, easy to swallow for sore throats; quick energy.	Adding too much butter or milk can be hard to digest.	Sore throat, low appetite.
Baked (plain)	Good source of potassium and vitamin C; easy to digest.	Can be dry without toppings; some people prefer softer textures.	Flu, general weakness.
Boiled (plain)	Extremely bland and gentle on the stomach; aids in hydration.	Can lose some water-soluble nutrients like potassium.	Upset stomach, diarrhea.
French Fries	None. Greasy and high in fat.	High in fat, difficult to digest; inflammatory.	Nothing. Avoid completely.
Potato Chips	None. Processed, high in salt and fat.	Very processed, can irritate stomach lining.	Nothing. Avoid completely.

The Link Between Hydration, Electrolytes, and Recovery

When sick, your body's priority is to heal, and proper hydration is a cornerstone of this process. Illnesses that cause fever, vomiting, or diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration and loss of electrolytes. Potatoes, especially when prepared blandly, play an important supporting role:

Electrolyte Restoration: Potatoes are an excellent source of potassium, which is a key electrolyte needed for proper fluid balance and nerve function. Eating them helps restore what is lost through illness.
Increased Fluid Intake: Soft foods like mashed potatoes contain a high water content, contributing to overall fluid intake. Paired with broth or water, they aid in rehydration.

Conclusion

In summary, potatoes can be a fantastic food to eat when sick, as long as they are prepared simply and blandly. They are an easily digestible source of energy and contain crucial nutrients like potassium and vitamin C to support your immune system and rehydration efforts. The key is to avoid fatty, greasy, or heavily seasoned versions, as these can easily upset a delicate stomach. The comforting and nourishing nature of a plain baked or mashed potato can be just what your body needs to get back on its feet.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, fried potatoes and potato chips should be avoided when you are sick. They are high in unhealthy fats, salt, and grease, which can be hard to digest and can aggravate an upset stomach.

Yes, bland preparations of potatoes, such as baked or boiled, can be beneficial if you have diarrhea. They are part of the BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) diet often recommended for digestive issues, as they are low in fiber and easy on the stomach.

For a stomach flu, the best way to cook potatoes is to bake or boil them plainly. These preparations are gentle on the digestive system, provide energy, and help replenish lost electrolytes like potassium.

Yes, mashed potatoes, when prepared simply with little or no added butter or milk, are a great food for a sore throat. Their soft, creamy texture is soothing and makes swallowing easier.

Potatoes are a good source of potassium, which is a critical electrolyte that helps maintain fluid balance in the body. This is especially important to replenish when you are sick and may have lost fluids through vomiting or diarrhea.

For general health, the skin contains fiber and nutrients. However, when you're sick, especially with diarrhea, a healthcare provider might advise removing the skin to make digestion easier. For general illness, the fiber in the skin can be beneficial if your stomach can tolerate it.

Yes, raw potatoes can be dangerous to eat due to potential pathogens and high levels of solanine, a toxic compound. They can cause stomach upset and are much harder to digest. Always cook your potatoes before eating.