What are the healthiest small potatoes?

November 6, 2025 •

5 min read

According to a 2024 study, colorful potatoes like purple and red varieties contain significantly more antioxidants than their white counterparts, offering potent health benefits. Choosing the right variety and preparation method is key to getting the most out of what are the healthiest small potatoes.

Quick Summary

This guide reveals the most nutritious small potatoes, detailing their unique antioxidant and vitamin profiles. It covers purple, red, and sweet varieties, and provides insights into optimal cooking methods that preserve nutrients.

Key Points

Colorful is Better: Purple potatoes, rich in anthocyanins, offer the most potent antioxidant benefits, followed by red potatoes with their flavonoid content.
Don't Peel the Skin: The majority of a potato's fiber, potassium, and other vitamins are concentrated in and just under the skin; always cook small potatoes whole.
Choose Healthy Cooking Methods: Opt for boiling, baking, roasting, or air-frying to minimize added fats and retain maximum nutritional value.
Boost Resistant Starch: For improved gut health and blood sugar control, cool boiled potatoes after cooking to increase their resistant starch content.
Sweet Potatoes for Vitamin A: Small sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which the body converts into essential vitamin A for eye and immune health.
Balance Your Meal: Combine healthy small potatoes with a lean protein and non-starchy vegetables to create a satisfying and well-rounded meal.

The Nutritional Power of Small Potatoes

Small potatoes, including baby, new, and fingerling varieties, are not just convenient and quick to cook; they can also be more nutrient-dense per serving than their larger counterparts. Because they are harvested while young, they often contain a higher concentration of nutrients relative to their size. Furthermore, their thin, delicate skin means they are often cooked and eaten whole, preserving the vital fiber, vitamins, and minerals concentrated just beneath the surface. The key to maximizing their health benefits lies in selecting the most nutrient-rich types and preparing them correctly.

Purple Potatoes: The Antioxidant Champion

Among all potato varieties, the purple potato stands out for its exceptionally high level of antioxidants, specifically anthocyanins. These are the same plant compounds found in berries and red wine, and they are responsible for the potato's vibrant color. Anthocyanins offer powerful anti-inflammatory effects and can help protect cells from damage.

Research has shown that consuming purple potatoes can increase the antioxidant capacity in the bloodstream, leading to reduced inflammation and potentially lowering the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Their high polyphenol content also helps with blood sugar control compared to yellow or white potatoes. Small, purple-fleshed fingerlings are a great way to incorporate this superfood into your diet.

Red Potatoes: Rich in Vitamins and Flavonoids

Red potatoes are another fantastic small variety, known for their flavonoid antioxidants and high content of essential vitamins and minerals. The skin of a red potato is particularly rich in beneficial compounds, so it's vital to leave it on when cooking. A serving of red potatoes is an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium, a mineral crucial for regulating blood pressure and supporting heart health. The flavonoids found in red potatoes, such as quercetin and rutin, also contribute to their health-protective properties. Petite red potatoes or new red potatoes are readily available and perfect for roasting or boiling.

Small Sweet Potatoes: A Vitamin A Powerhouse

Though botanically distinct, small sweet potatoes are a fantastic healthy choice and often sold alongside regular potatoes. The most notable nutritional advantage of sweet potatoes is their high concentration of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for immune function, eye health, and cellular growth. In addition to being packed with provitamin A carotenoids, sweet potatoes are also higher in fiber than many standard potato varieties, which supports digestive health and increases feelings of fullness. Choosing small sweet potatoes or fingerling sweet potatoes provides a convenient and nutritious option for meals.

Fingerling and New Potatoes: Simple and Healthy

Both fingerling and new potatoes are immature, small varieties of various potato types. Their thin, waxy skins and creamy texture make them delicious and easy to prepare. New potatoes, harvested early in the season, contain less starch and more moisture than mature potatoes, along with a healthy dose of vitamin C, B6, and potassium. Fingerling potatoes, with their distinct elongated shape, share similar nutritional benefits. Their small size makes them ideal for quickly adding to salads, and their delicate skin is tasty and full of fiber. Just like with other varieties, leaving the skin on is the best practice.

Cooking Methods That Maximize Health Benefits

How you cook your potatoes has a significant impact on their overall health value. Boiling, baking, and roasting are excellent options that require minimal added fat, unlike deep-frying, which can turn a healthy food into an unhealthy one.

Boiling: This method, especially when cooking potatoes with their skins on, results in a low-fat and nutrient-dense food. One helpful tip is to cool boiled potatoes after cooking to increase their resistant starch content, which feeds beneficial gut bacteria and can improve blood sugar control.
Baking and Roasting: When prepared with a healthy fat like olive or avocado oil and seasoned with herbs, roasted potatoes are a flavorful and nutritious option. Be mindful of high-fat, high-sodium toppings like excess cheese or butter, which can negate the health benefits.
Air-Frying: For a crispy texture without excess oil, air-frying is a great alternative to deep-frying.

Always Keep the Skin On

The skins of potatoes are a treasure trove of nutrients, including fiber, potassium, and vitamins. Peeling removes a significant portion of these beneficial compounds. For small potatoes with their naturally thin skins, it's effortless to leave them intact, ensuring you get the most nutritional value from every bite. The skin also adds a pleasant texture and rustic flavor to dishes.

Small Potato Nutrient Comparison


Potato Variety	Key Antioxidants	Standout Nutrients	Best For	Cooking Method
Purple	Anthocyanins	Vitamin C, Potassium	Lowering inflammation, blood sugar control	Roasting, steaming
Red	Flavonoids (quercetin, rutin)	Vitamin C, Potassium	Heart health, digestion	Boiling, roasting, salads
Sweet Potato	Beta-carotene (Vitamin A)	Fiber, Vitamin C, Potassium	Eye health, gut health	Baking, roasting, steaming
Fingerling/New	Varied (depend on specific type)	Vitamin C, B6, Potassium	Salads, side dishes	Boiling, roasting, steaming

The Best Practices for Healthy Potato Consumption

Incorporating potatoes into a balanced meal is simple. Instead of pairing them with another high-carb item like rice or pasta, serve them alongside a lean protein and plenty of non-starchy vegetables. For example, a healthy plate could feature roasted red potatoes with grilled chicken and a green salad. The potato's filling nature and resistant starch content can also help with appetite control, which is beneficial for weight management.

Conclusion: Choosing the Healthiest Small Potatoes

The perception of potatoes as unhealthy is largely due to how they are prepared. When cooked properly, especially small varieties with their skins on, they are a nutrient-dense and versatile food. To get the most nutritional value, colorful varieties like purple and red offer the highest antioxidant content, while sweet potatoes provide a massive boost of vitamin A. Ultimately, variety is the spice of life—and of healthy eating. Incorporating different colored small potatoes into your meals ensures a broad spectrum of nutrients and health benefits. By choosing the right potato and cooking it wisely, you can fully enjoy this satisfying and nutritious staple.

For more healthy eating ideas, you can explore guides from sources like Healthline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, small or 'baby' potatoes are often harvested young and tend to have a higher nutrient density relative to their size compared to mature, large potatoes. Eaten with the skin on, they provide a great dose of fiber and vitamins.

Yes, deeply colored potatoes like purple and red varieties contain higher levels of antioxidants, such as anthocyanins and flavonoids, compared to white or yellow potatoes. These antioxidants offer anti-inflammatory benefits.

Both boiling and roasting are healthy cooking methods. Boiling, particularly with the skin on, preserves vitamins and keeps fat content low. Roasting with a minimal amount of healthy oil, like olive oil, also maintains a high nutritional profile and adds flavor.

Cooking methods that involve water, like boiling, can cause some water-soluble vitamins (e.g., Vitamin C) to leach out, though cooking with the skin on helps prevent this. Baking and roasting with healthy fats are also good, but deep-frying adds significant unhealthy fats and calories.

Yes, when prepared healthily. Potatoes are very filling on a per-calorie basis, which can help curb appetite and reduce overall calorie intake. Pairing them with protein and fiber enhances this effect.

The skin contains a high concentration of nutrients, including dietary fiber and potassium, which are important for digestion, heart health, and regulating blood pressure. Leaving the skin on boosts the overall nutritional value.

Both are healthy, but they offer different nutrient profiles. Sweet potatoes are superior in vitamin A content, while some regular potatoes, like purple and red varieties, are higher in specific types of antioxidants. It’s best to eat a variety to get the full range of benefits.