What's the Deal With Potatoes?

Potatoes have received so many bad reviews here lately.  And by “lately”, I mean decade.  If potatoes were an Uber driver, no one would ride with them because they’d get 1 star if they’re lucky.  

Because well, french fries
And Lays.
And all the fast food joints that put the word “loaded” in front of potato.

But spuds themselves?  They’re one of the most nutritious and stomach filling things on the planet.  That’s also true if you’re trying to lose weight or had bariatric surgery.

Here’s what the problem really is:  For most (if not many, many, many) consumers of food, it means chips, fried potatoes, loaded potatoes or mashed potatoes with lots of butter and sour cream.

Calling out potatoes for being fattening is like thinking the issue with creamed spinach is the spinach.

Here’s the deal:  When you add all the fat (butter and sour cream) and salt to a potato, it can make it impossible to stop eating.  It’s the same story for flour-based foods and when you add lots of salt and sugar to fat-based foods).

But when you start incorporating potatoes into a healthy eating pattern like the boiled or roasted or baked potato varieties or using a small amount of olive oil and herbs...well, then you’ve got something gooood.

Here’s the positive swing...

There’s no reason to add potatoes to some sort of don’t-eat list.  That’d make for a sad, sad world.

And let’s be real:  “sad” isn’t typically part of an effective eating plan.

Here’s some quick takeaways*:

• The carbs in potatoes are mostly resistant starch and fiber, which contribute to satiety and support gut health.

• Resistant starch and fiber get fermented in the gut, producing short-chain fatty acids that increase mineral absorption, decrease inflammation, and more.

• Like sweet potatoes, white potatoes fall in the middle of the glycemic load (GL) scale, not at the highest end as some believe.

• To enjoy potatoes as part of a health-conscious diet, separately potion out add-ons like butter, sour cream, cheese and bacon.

• Potatoes are a good source of vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin C, and a host of additional vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.

*adapted from a Precision Nutrition article on the benefits of potatoes.

In the end, it’s the manner in which you consume the potato.

Did this resonate with you and help move the needle on how you think about potatoes in general?  Hit reply on this email and let me know.  I love hearing from you and I respond to each and every one.

Until next time, know that...The Best Is Yet To Come!

-Coach Michael Tew