Which is healthier – potato mash or oven fries?

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The humble spud is the perfect accompaniment to a mid-week meal — but their healthfulness depends on how they’re prepared.

Here’s the difference between two crowd favourites: mash and oven fries.

Potato mash

Per cup of mash made with butter and milk:
996kJ (238cal), 5.7g protein, 12.5g fat, 8.2g sat fat, 24.2g carbs, 4.7g sugar, 2.2g fibre, 125mg sodium

Oven fries

Per 200g serve:
1152kJ (276cal), 5.8g protein, 7.2g fat, 0.6g sat fat, 44.2g carbs, 0.4g sugar, 86mg sodium

Potatoes are...

a source of fibre, vitamin C and potassium.

For more advice on potatoes, we recommend:

➜ Why you should eat potatoes
➜ How to choose potatoes
➜ How to cook potatoes to perfection

The verdict?

Oven taters triumph!

Oven fries are lower in saturated fat and sodium, which should be minimised with heart health in mind. Mashed potato can send your intake of saturated fat soaring, but you can make better-for-you mash by skipping the butter or using good-for-you extra virgin olive oil instead.