Potatoes sometimes get unfairly dragged into the “bad carb” conversation, but for active people, athletes, and anyone who trains regularly, they can actually be one of the best whole-food fuel sources around. They’re affordable, versatile, naturally gluten-free, and packed with nutrients that support performance and recovery. Even better, there’s a simple kitchen trick that can make potatoes more blood-sugar friendly and more filling without sacrificing flavor.
The Simple Potato Trick
To lower the glycemic impact of potatoes and increase satiety, try this easy three-step process:
- Cook the potatoes (boil, bake, roast, steam — any method works)
- Chill them in the refrigerator for 12–24 hours
- Reheat and enjoy
When cooked potatoes cool, some of their starch changes into something called resistant starch. Resistant starch behaves more like dietary fiber in the body. It isn’t digested as quickly in the small intestine, which means:
- Slower glucose release
- Less dramatic blood sugar spikes
- Longer-lasting fullness
Research suggests that this cooling process can reduce the glycemic impact of potatoes by roughly 25–40%. Translation: better sustained energy and fewer spikes and crashes.
Even better — reheating the potatoes doesn’t destroy the resistant starch, so you can still enjoy them warm in many of your favorite dishes.
Why Potatoes Are Great Fuel for an Active Lifestyle
For athletes, runners, and anyone who trains regularly, potatoes check a lot of nutritional boxes.
1. High-quality carbohydrates for energy
Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred fuel for exercise, especially endurance training and high-intensity workouts. Potatoes provide easily accessible carbs that help replenish glycogen stores after training.
2. Potassium powerhouse
One potato contains more potassium than a banana, ounce for ounce. Potassium plays a key role in muscle contraction, hydration, and nerve function, all essential for active people.
3. Naturally fat-free and whole-food based
Potatoes are a simple, minimally processed carbohydrate source that pairs well with protein and healthy fats to create balanced meals.
4. Surprisingly filling
Potatoes rank very high on the satiety index, meaning they help keep you satisfied longer compared to many other carb sources. The resistant starch trick can boost that effect even more.
This Potato Hack Works with Variety
The cooling method works with all varieties of potatoes. So whether you’re meal prepping roasted potatoes, boiling them for potato salad, or baking a batch for the week, the cook → chill → reheat method still works.
- Russet
- Yukon Gold
- Red potatoes
- Baby potatoes
- Purple potatoes
- Sweet potatoes (which also contain resistant starch when cooled)
How to Use Chilled Potatoes in Everyday Cooking
Once your potatoes have been chilled for 12–24 hours, you can use them in almost any recipe that calls for a softer cooked potato. Here are a few easy ideas:
Mashed potatoes
Bake or boil potatoes, chill overnight, then reheat and mash with your favorite add-ins.
Baked potatoes
Bake ahead, refrigerate, then reheat the next day for a quick meal prep side.
Roasted potatoes
Cook and chill whole potatoes, then cube and roast the next day for crispy edges.
Soups and stews
This is one of my favorite tricks. I often make my entire pot of soup with the potatoes boiled in, then chill overnight before eating. It still delivers the resistant starch benefits even though cooked alongside the other ingredients.
Notes About Raw Potato Storage
One important tip: don’t refrigerate raw potatoes before cooking them. The FDA and potato industry guidelines recommend storing raw potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place rather than the refrigerator.
The reasoning for not chilling raw potatoes is that when they are stored in cold temperatures, some of their starch converts to sugar. When those potatoes are later cooked at high temperatures, the extra sugar can contribute to the formation of acrylamide, a compound that researchers monito because it may pose carcinogenic health risks in very high amounts.
But, refrigerating potatoes after they’ve been cooked, however, is perfectly safe and is exactly what creates the resistant starch benefit.