Potato and rice: which starch fills you up

Rice is several foods as far as blood sugar goes. A systematic review of glycemic tests found the glycemic index of rice varieties ranged from 48 to 93, without pooling the studies. In two single-meal comparisons potato came out ahead on fullness. In 14 adults, 12 oz (337 g) of potato felt more filling than 5 oz (142 g) of rice carrying the same 45 g of carbohydrate, with hunger scores of 263 against 374 mm.min on a subjective scale. In a crossover trial in 26 healthy adults, meals served with baked fries or instant mashed potato led people to eat 13 to 16 percent less total energy than meals with rice. Both were single test meals, and we could not confirm whether the potato industry funded the larger one. In healthy adults, replacing a third of the rice carbohydrate with firm cooked potato lowered the blood sugar peak after a meal. Soft cooked potato made blood sugar swing more, and that abstract gives neither the number of people nor the size of the effect.

How much is actually in it

• Per 100 g boiled in UK food tables, potato has 74 calories, 17.5 g carbohydrate and 365 mg potassium, versus 117 calories, 26.5 g and 15 mg for boiled white basmati rice. — UK composition tables, cooked without salt Evidence E source
  Potato: protein 1.8 g, fiber 1.6 g, vitamin C 9 mg, water 78.9 g; rice: protein 2.8 g, fiber 0.6 g, vitamin C 0 mg, water 69.5 g
• USDA lab samples of raw peeled potatoes show vitamin C from about 7 to 30 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g) depending on variety, with russets lowest. — USDA Foundation Foods analytical samples, 8 per variety Evidence E source
  Vitamin C: red 14.2-29.6 mg, gold 16.6-30.3 mg, russet 7.44-19.8 mg; potassium 342-539 mg across varieties

What a real portion looks like

• In the US dietary survey a medium boiled potato weighs 6 oz (170 g) and a cup of cooked white rice weighs 5.6 oz (158 g). — US food survey portion weights Evidence E source
  Potato boiled (71102980): small 130 g, medium 170 g, large 300 g, 1 cup 160 g; white rice cooked (56205008): 1 cup 158 g
• In a meal trial in 14 adults, 12 oz (337 g) of potato felt more filling than 5 oz (142 g) of rice carrying the same 45 g of carbohydrate. — 14 adults, three mixed meals in random order (n = 14) Evidence B source
  Hunger AUC potato 263 vs rice 374 mm min (p < 0.01)

What cooking and storage change

• USDA retention factors keep 75 percent of vitamin C and 90 percent of potassium in potatoes boiled in their skin, and 70 percent of folate in rice cooked with the water absorbed. — Potato and rice groups, USDA retention table Evidence E source
  Potatoes boiled in skin (3307): vitamin C 75%, thiamin 80%, potassium 90%, folate 90%; rice water used (432): folate 70%, thiamin 80%, iron 95%
• In an acute randomized trial, replacing one third of rice carbohydrate with hard-cooked potato lowered post-meal glucose and insulin, while soft-cooked potato increased glucose variability. — healthy adults, single test meals Evidence B source
  HP + R reduced glucose iAUC, peak glucose and insulin iAUC; no effect at the second meal
• A systematic review found the glycemic index of rice varieties ranged from 48 to 93. — published glycemic response studies of rice Evidence A source
  GI 48 to 93; insulinemic index 39 to 95
• Laboratory data across 15 studies suggest cooking lowers arsenic in rice by about 0.04 mg/kg, with rinsing most effective. — 15 food analysis studies Evidence D source
  Arsenic WMD -0.04 mg/kg (95% CI -0.05 to -0.03)

What it does to your health

• In a crossover trial in 26 healthy adults, meals with potatoes instead of rice led people to eat 13 to 16 percent less total energy. — 26 healthy adults aged 18-45, single meals (n = 26) Evidence B source
  Treatment meal energy 23-25% lower and total energy 13-16% lower after baked fries or instant mash vs rice (P < 0.0001)
• Cohort data link French fries but not baked, boiled or mashed potatoes to type 2 diabetes, and swapping these potatoes for white rice was linked to higher risk. — 205,107 US adults followed up to 36 years; meta-analysis of 13 cohorts, 587,081 people (n = 205107) Evidence C source
  Fries HR 1.20 (1.12 to 1.28) per 3 servings a week; baked, boiled or mashed HR 1.01 (0.98 to 1.05)
• Across seven cohorts of 110,063 people, eating potatoes five or more times a week was not linked to cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, compared with no potatoes. — 110,063 adults in 7 cohorts (n = 110063) Evidence C source
  CVD HR 0.96 (0.89 to 1.04) for 5+ servings/week; fried potato HTN +10% (4% to 17%)

Safety, limits and interactions

• EFSA set 1 mg of total potato glycoalkaloids per kg body weight a day as the lowest dose with acute effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. — general population, acute exposure Evidence E source
  LOAEL 1 mg/kg bw per day total glycoalkaloids

What people believe that the data does not support

• The EU did not authorize a claim that potato protein isolate increases satiety or supports weight control. — EU health claim application Evidence E source
  Non-authorized

Who this works differently for

• Pooled studies link each daily 2.8 oz (80 g) serving of unfried potato to a 26 percent higher risk of gestational diabetes. — 6 studies, 29,288 pregnancies; 13 studies on T2D (n = 29288) Evidence C source
  GDM RR 1.26 (1.07 to 1.48) per 80 g/day unfried potato; T2D +2% per serving unfried
• Cohort data link the highest white rice intake to a 55 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes in Asian populations, with no significant link in Western populations. — 352,384 participants in 7 prospective cohorts (n = 352384) Evidence C source
  Asian RR 1.55 (1.20 to 2.01); Western RR 1.12 (0.94 to 1.33)
• A case report describes an 11-year-old who needed intensive care after suspected solanine poisoning from raw potato and recovered fully. — one 11-year-old boy (n = 1) Evidence C source
  Cardiovascular complications, full recovery
• The US FDA set an action level of 100 parts per billion for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereals in 2020. — infant rice cereals sold in the US Evidence E source
  Action level 100 ug/kg (100 ppb)

The bottom line

Per 100 g boiled, the UK food tables give potato 74 calories, 17.5 g carbohydrate, 365 mg potassium and 9 mg vitamin C. White basmati rice has 117 calories, 26.5 g carbohydrate, 15 mg potassium and no vitamin C. A medium boiled potato weighs 6 oz (170 g) in US survey tables, and a cup of cooked white rice weighs 5.6 oz (158 g). Raw peeled potatoes differ by variety, averaging 10.9 mg vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g) in russets against 21.3 mg in red and 23.3 mg in gold. By USDA group retention factors from 1975, boiling potatoes in their skin keeps 75 percent of the vitamin C and 90 percent of the potassium. For the long term there are only observational data. Across US cohorts and a meta-analysis of 13 cohorts, baked, boiled or mashed potatoes were not linked to type 2 diabetes (HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.05). Swapping them for white rice in the statistical model was linked to higher risk, with no size in the abstract. Across seven cohorts of 110,063 adults, five or more servings of potato a week were not linked to cardiovascular disease (HR 0.96, 0.89 to 1.04) or high blood pressure (HR 1.04, 0.99 to 1.08) compared with none. The highest white rice intake was linked to a 55 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes in Asian populations (RR 1.55, 1.20 to 2.01). In Western populations the link was not significant (RR 1.12, 0.94 to 1.33). Who should be careful. In pregnancy, pooled observational studies covering 29,288 pregnancies link each daily 2.8 oz (80 g) serving of unfried potato to a 26 percent higher risk of gestational diabetes (RR 1.26, 1.07 to 1.48), mostly in Western populations. Potatoes contain glycoalkaloids, and EFSA puts the lowest dose with acute effects at 1 mg per kg of body weight a day, with green and sprouted potatoes carrying more. One case report describes an 11-year-old boy treated in pediatric intensive care for suspected poisoning after eating raw potato, diagnosed from his history alone. For babies, the US FDA has set an action level of 100 parts per billion of inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereals. Laboratory data on cooked rice rank rinsing as the most effective way to reduce arsenic, ahead of parboiling. We have no cards on allergy or medicines for either food. The EU refused a satiety and weight control claim for potato protein isolate, an extract and not potato as you eat it.

Sources

1. ptrc-daily-r8-01 · reference dataset
   CoFID 13-490 Potatoes, old, boiled in unsalted water, flesh only: Energy 74 kcal · Carbohydrate 17.5 g · Protein 1.8 g · AOAC fibre 1.6 g · Potassium 365 mg · Vitamin C 9 mg · Water 78.9 g; CoFID 11-858 Rice, white, basmati, boiled in unsalted water: Energy 117 kcal · Carbohydrate 26.5 g · Protein 2.8 g · AOAC fibre 0.6 g · Potassium 15 mg · Vitamin C 0 mg · Water 69.5 g
   CoFID 2021 (Public Health England), codes 13-490 and 11-858 · checked 2026-10-02
2. ptrc-daily-r8-02 · reference dataset
   FDC Foundation Potatoes, red, without skin, raw: Vitamin C 21.29 MG, range 14.2-29.6, 8 samples · Potassium 472.0 MG, range 427.0-516.0; Potatoes, gold, without skin, raw: Vitamin C 23.3 MG, range 16.6-30.3 · Potassium 445.8 MG, range 342.0-539.0; Potatoes, russet, without skin, raw: Vitamin C 10.9 MG, range 7.44-19.8 · Potassium 450.1 MG, range 407.0-530.0
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-10-02
3. ptrc-daily-r8-03 · reference dataset
   FNDDS 2709385 Potato, boiled, NFS: 1 small 130 g · 1 medium 170 g · 1 large 300 g · 1 cup 160 g · Quantity not specified 170 g; FNDDS 2708408 Rice, white, cooked, no added fat: 1 cup, cooked 158 g · Quantity not specified 118 g
   USDA FNDDS (FoodData Central), fdc_id 2709385 and 2708408 · checked 2026-10-02
4. ptrc-daily-r8-07 · clinical trial
   The quantities of staple providing 45 g carbohydrate were: Rice, 142 g; pasta, 138 g and potato 337 g. Participants (n = 14) consumed each of the mixed meals in random order on separate days. ... In an area-under-the-curve comparison, participants felt less hungry (mean (SD)) following potato 263 (230) than following rice 374 (237) or pasta 444 (254) mm∙min
   Nutrients, 2018 · checked 2026-10-02
5. ptrc-daily-r8-04 · reference dataset
   USDA-RETN-R6:3307 POTATOES,BOILED IN SKIN: vitamin C 75% · thiamin 80% · potassium 90% · folate 90%; USDA-RETN-R6:432 RICE,WHITE/BROWN,COOKED,WATER USED: folate 70% · thiamin 80% · iron 95%
   USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6 (2007), codes 3307 and 432 · checked 2026-10-02
6. ptrc-daily-r8-06 · RCT
   HP and SP replaced one-third of rice carbohydrates. ... HP + R significantly reduced postprandial glucose iAUC, peak glucose and glycemic excursion. SP + R increased glycemic variability despite reduced iAUCglucose.
   Nutrients, 2026 · checked 2026-10-02
7. ptrc-daily-r8-12 · systematic review
   Based on a glucose reference value of 100, the observed glycaemic index values for rice varieties ranged from 48 to 93, while the insulinaemic index ranged from 39 to 95.
   Br J Nutr, 2015 · checked 2026-10-02
8. ptrc-daily-r8-13 · meta-analysis of lab studies
   Furthermore, based on the subgroup analysis the overall rank order of cooking methods in the rice was rinsed > parboiling > Kateh > high-pressure, microwave, and steaming.
   Int J Environ Health Res, 2024 · checked 2026-10-02
9. ptrc-daily-r8-05 · RCT
   In a randomized, single-blinded, crossover design, 26 (13 males and 13 females) healthy adults (age: 18-45 y; body mass index [kg/m2]: 18.5-29.9) consumed isocaloric fixed amounts of either meatballs or vegetarian-substitute balls with ad libitum access to either baked French fries (BFF), instant mashed potatoes (IMPs), or rice (control). ... Participants consumed 23-25% less treatment meal energy (kcal), 32-34% less CHO energy (kcal), and 13-16% less total energy (kcal) after the BFF and IMP than rice meals (P < 0.0001).
   J Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-10-02
10. ptrc-daily-r8-08 · cohort meta-analysis
    Intake of combined baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes was not significantly associated with T2D risk (pooled hazard ratio 1.01, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.05). ... In contrast, replacing total potatoes or baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes with white rice was associated with an increased risk of T2D.
    BMJ, 2025 · checked 2026-10-02
11. ptrc-daily-r8-10 · cohort meta-analysis
    In the primary analysis, total potato intake was not associated with the risk of either CVD or HTN: multivariable adjusted HR (95% CI) comparing 5+ servings/week to no potato intake: 0.96 (0.89-1.04) for CVD and 1.04 (0.99-1.08) for HTN.
    Nutrients, 2025 · checked 2026-10-02
12. ptrc-daily-r8-14 · agency opinion
    For these effects, the CONTAM Panel identified a lowest-observed-adverse-effect level of 1 mg total potato GAs/kg body weight (bw) per day as a reference point for the risk characterisation following acute exposure.
    EFSA CONTAM Panel, Risk assessment of glycoalkaloids in feed and food, EFSA Journal 2020;18(8):6222 · checked 2026-10-02
13. ptrc-daily-r8-17 · EU claim register
    POL-HC-7796 Potato protein isolate Increases the sense of satiety Elicit satiety Reduces appetite Supports weight control Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-7796, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-10-02
14. ptrc-daily-r8-09 · meta-analysis of cohorts
    In the dose-response meta-analysis, a significantly increased GDM risk was revealed for each daily serving (80 g) intakes of total potato (RR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.42; P for trend = 0.007) and unfried potato (RR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.48; P for trend = 0.006).
    Clin Nutr, 2021 · checked 2026-10-02
15. ptrc-daily-r8-11 · meta-analysis of cohorts
    The pooled relative risk was 1.55 (95% confidence interval 1.20 to 2.01) comparing the highest with the lowest category of white rice intake in Asian populations, whereas the corresponding relative risk was 1.12 (0.94 to 1.33) in Western populations (P for interaction=0.038).
    BMJ, 2012 · checked 2026-10-02
16. ptrc-daily-r8-15 · case report
    We came across a suspected case of poisoning by raw potato ingestion in an 11 years old Saudi boy who suffered cardiovascular complications, and was managed conservatively in pediatric ICU.
    J Family Med Prim Care, 2022 · checked 2026-10-02
17. ptrc-daily-r8-16 · agency guidance
    The guidance identifies an action level of 100 micrograms per kilogram (µg/kg) or 100 parts per billion (ppb) which protects public health by reducing infants' dietary exposure to inorganic arsenic and is achievable by industry.
    US FDA, Final guidance on action level for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereals, 2020 · checked 2026-10-02