Are potatoes bad for us?

I have been asked recently if potatoes are bad in a diet and we should exclude it if we want to lose weight… obviously this isn’t true…but I never knew why…and why potatoes in specific…

POTATOES

Potatoes have been valued in various countries. According to Kolasa, potato is one of the vegetables that people consume in large quantities.  It is carbohydrate-rich, with little fat. The protein content is fairly low but has an excellent biological value of 90–100. Which means a complete or mostly complete utilization of the protein via our body. Moreover, Kolasa added that potato consumption do more than giving energy. Potatoes are particularly high in vitamin C (as one medium size potato provide about 50% of US RDA) and are a good source of several B vitamins and potassium. It has small amount of zinc, copper, iodine all which have beneficial impact on health for sure. And researchers agreed that baked potatoes has more nutrients. The skins as well provide good amount of dietary fiber (3 g). Many compounds in potatoes contribute to antioxidant activity.

Still the nutrient profile varies depending on the type of potato. Red/ sweet potatoes for example contain fewer calories, carbs and fiber than Russet potatoes, as well as slightly more vitamin K and niacin. Furthermore, how you prepare the it will affect the nutrient content. Peeling the potatoes will make you lose that beneficial impact of the fiber. Frying then will increase the fat content and it is worse if you are using vegetable oil or using the processed ones (read more in Things you should know about fats post) …

Resistant starch

Resistant starch is a type of starch. Our small intestine cannot digested it. That why it is called RESISTANT “as it resist digestion”. Yet, it is digested by the bacteria in our gut. Then as a result, produce various beneficial molecules that helps to regulate our blood sugar and healthy in overall. Since this kind of starch isn’t digested by the intestines nor the gut bacteria uses it, that means it considered PREBIOTIC.  A food for our healthy bacteria… I might write a separate article about it because it has a huge impact on out healthy….

Dr. Mark Hyman, one of the advocates of low carb, recommend to take a potato starch. As “it has a remarking features including improving metabolism, blood sugar and optimize gut flow”. Which then can help in weight loss. Other food items that have resistant starch include legumes, seed, grains, potatoes, green bananas, rice…etc. All which have different degree of conversion to glucose. Some of these types can readily get converted to glucose which makes the blood sugar rise. And others are indigestible by our intestines including cooled potatoes.

Dr. Mark Hyman added that one way to increase resistant starch is cooking and cooling potatoes. This way we let the starches become resistant for the healthy bacteria in our gut to use it

Why they claim that is bad for weight loss

Potatoes are often maligned because of their suspected link to obesity, since popular potato foods often contain more fat calories than carbohydrate calories like French fries.

 I used to believe that Potatoes are like any other carbohydrates. Potatoes contain starches. Which break down to glucose in the body. Which is the first source of energy. The glucose gets burned first and fast. Then leaves you hungry after few hours from your meal. On contrast to protein and fat. All that ha happens if potatoes were consumed hot and right after cooking. If potatoes were cooled after cooking, we are allowing the starch to be converted to resistant starch as mentioned above…

Anyhow, In a study done by Erdmann et.al, about Food intake and plasma ghrelin response during potato-, rice-and pasta-rich test meals. They noticed that after eating potato rich meals, ghrelin hormone significantly rose. Ghrelin is a hunger hormone that tells you to eat. However, and surprisingly the energy intake after potato rich meals were lower compared to other starchy meals like rice or pasta. And potatoes are considered satiating.

In Randolph and his group’s study, they concluded that Potato intake did not cause weight gain. Nevertheless, some studies find that there is a positive association between the consumption of potatoes and weight gain. But these studies included processed potatoes and chips and they are the real culprits…

Bistrian stated that as cited from King and Slavin’s article “it would be unfortunate if potatoes were stigmatized and their consumption and production discouraged. The potato is too valuable to a world where population pressures, limited productive farmland, and high food costs are a present reality.”

Important to note

Potatoes have Glycoalkaloids, a toxic chemical and have adverse effects on digestive system and health overall. Anyhow, taking it in proper, moderate amount wont effect and try to minimize their exposure to light. Since light increase the Glycoalkaloids concentration. And store them at low temperature.

In sum, potatoes are not bad, and there are no association between potatoes consumption and weight gain unless it was French fries or chips where the fat is the culprit in these cases. Potatoes have resistant starch, fiber, and important micronutrients that all have promising impact on our health.

Store properly, prepare it wisely and eat it sensibly…and no worries <3

References:

• Camire, M. E., Kubow, S., & Donnelly, D. J. (2009). Potatoes and human health. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 49(10), 823-840.
• Erdmann, J., Hebeisen, Y., Lippl, F., Wagenpfeil, S., & Schusdziarra, V. (2007). Food intake and plasma ghrelin response during potato-, rice-and pasta-rich test meals. European journal of nutrition, 46(4), 196-203.
• King, J. C., & Slavin, J. L. (2013). White potatoes, human health, and dietary guidance. Advances in nutrition, 4(3), 393S-401S.
• Kolasa, K. M. (1993). The potato and human nutrition. American Potato Journal, 70(5), 375-384.
• Randolph, J. M., Edirisinghe, I., Masoni, A. M., Kappagoda, T., & Burton-Freeman, B. (2014). Potatoes, glycemic index, and weight loss in free-living individuals: practical implications. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 33(5), 375-384.

• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/are-potatoes-healthy#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5

• https://atlasbiomed.com/blog/potato-resistant-starch/