Potatoes are one of the most versatile and universal ingredients that is used in kitchens all around the world. From American mashed potatoes to Indian dum aloo and the numerous versions of our favorite French fries, potatoes appear in all shapes and forms. But, one could wonder if cooking technique has any effect on the taste and nutrition of a potato. So, here we answer the question whether boiling potatoes before frying them improves taste and nutrition?Methods to cook your potatoPotatoes can be cooked in many ways. They could be boiled, which is one of the most common ways to cook potatoes, especially for mashed delicacies and salads. Another way could be to fry them, whether deep or pan-fried. Frying potatoes gives them a crispy layer that’s hard to resist.But there’s a midway: You can also first boil your potatoes before frying them. Let’s look at how things change this way.
Taste and textureParboiling the potatoes softens them from inside. Frying it afterwards makes the outer layer crispy and golden while the centre stays soft. This is why a lot of places preparing French fries and roast potatoes use this boil-then-fry method.And it is not just about taste and texture as boiling the potatoes first, generally needs less time in hot oil to become crisp.Nutritional ImpactSurprisingly, the nutritional value also changes with the way you cook your potatoes. As per a PubMed study titled ‘Changes of vitamins and mineral retention factors in potatoes cooked by different methods‘, boiling can cause losses of water-soluble nutrients, particularly vitamin C and some B vitamins, because heat and water promote nutrient degradation and leaching. However, another study titled ‘Resistant starch analysis of commonly consumed potatoes‘ has shown that boiling followed by cooling can increase resistant starch in them, although the amount depends on the potato variety, cooking method and cooling conditions.
Further, in the study ‘Nutrient losses and gains during frying‘ it was observed that frying changes the nutritional profile mainly through added fat and heat, so boiling before frying shouldn’t be described as making fried potatoes inherently healthier. But, fried foods in themselves are generally a good source of vitamin E and while potatoes’ dietary fiber content increases after frying because resistant starch is formed, frying has little to no effect on the protein or mineral content of fried meals.The verdictSo, does boiling potatoes before frying make them better? When it comes to taste and texture, it certainly has an advantage: the result is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Nutritionally, however, it is not a simple win. It would be too strong of a claim to say there are any significant changes. In other words, boil before you fry if you love the texture, but don’t consider it a shortcut to making fried potatoes healthier.
