Are Potatoes Good for Weight Loss? The Controversial Truth!
Many assume that potatoes are the unhealthiest food to consume when trying to lose weight. Nevertheless, you must regard the most straightforward weight loss method. While potatoes might aid in weight loss, there are better ways to begin your quest from big to lean than potato crisps and chips.
It is a fallacy that potatoes don’t always aid in fat loss, and most of us would hesitate to classify them as just nutritious dietary items. Calories and carbs don’t necessarily translate to weight loss, do they? What if we convinced you that adding cold-cooked potato to your meals may be the one-ingredient magic that rapidly boosts your progress?
Nutritional Statistics for Potatoes
In addition to being somewhat high in carbs, potatoes are also high in starch and fiber. Micronutrients, including potassium, vitamin C, and B-complex, antioxidants, including polyphenols, carotene, tocotrienols, zinc, etc., are also plentiful in potatoes. Rich in anthocyanins, an antioxidant, it is also present in red potatoes.
The USDA has provided the following nutritional information for 100 grams of uncooked, skin-on-white potatoes.
| Nutrients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Energy | 70 kcal |
| Water | 81 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15.8 g |
| Sugar | 1.17 g |
| Starch | 13.6 g |
| Fiber | 2.5 g |
| Protein | 1.69 g |
| Total Lipids (Fats) | 0.1 g |
| Potassium | 409 mg |
| Sodium | 15 mg |
What Are The Advantages Of Potatoes For Losing Weight
Potatoes aid with weight reduction since they –
Encourage Satiety
Compared to spaghetti, bread, oats, and fruits like pears, berries, and tangerine, baked potatoes are thought to be more filling. This is due to potatoes’ high fiber and resistant starch content, which prolongs your feeling of fullness. Both soluble and non-soluble fiber may be found in potatoes.
You feel satisfied because soluble fiber causes your stomach to contain water and grow. Insoluble fiber produces minimal to no calories while boosting fullness since it passes through the digestive gradually or none at all.
Additionally, potatoes have significant starch levels, which function similarly to dietary fiber. Resistance starch helps you to feel satisfied and provides fewer calories than regular starch, which enables you to avoid overindulging. Potato-resistant starch encourages the development of good intestinal flora.
Reduce Hunger
In your gut, cholecystokinin is released due to a substance known as PI2, which is plentiful in potatoes. A peptide called cholecystokinin enables people to feel full and lessens food cravings. You eat less, which lowers the number of calories you take in.
Are Calorie-Efficient
Due to their low caloric value, potatoes are beneficial for weight loss. Because of the techniques used to prepare them, potatoes are sometimes wrongly assumed to be fatty. Despite being tasty, fried potatoes are very calorie-dense because of the additional fat and oil used. To consume fewer calories, consider boiled, baked, or roasted potatoes rather than frying them.
Anthocyanins
Blood sugar control and fiber are two benefits of the anthocyanins that offer multi-colored potatoes their vivid hue. Further, they may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Losing weight can often be challenging if your body’s sensitivity to digesting glucose is impaired. So, deciding on meals that can regulate glucose can be particularly advantageous. Besides, fiber can help digestion, intestinal wellness, appetite, and weight control.
So, the conclusion is that potatoes can help you lose weight. And it’s important to remember that, like other dishes, it all comes down to quantity and preparation methods.
Do Potatoes Help You Lose Weight?
Unquestionably. Since they contain few calories, potatoes are calorie-friendly and suitable for weight loss. Even though minuscule variations in fiber and glucose quantities occur biologically and in micronutrients, these riffs do not influence losing weight. White potatoes are highly nutritious and have a little loss in calories.
Red potatoes are strong in phytochemicals but light in calories and substantially lower in fiber. Sweet potatoes have more calories but also provide a lot of fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants. The potato variety you want is ultimately up to you, but make sure to consume the skin, which contains the most fiber and minerals.
Controlling portions is critical. Like any diet, weight loss mandates a calorie deficit between what you eat and what you expend. To control appetite and prevent overeating, having potatoes with balanced fat and leaner proteins might be beneficial.
Additionally, since the peel of potatoes provides additional nutrients, such as fiber, we advise consuming potatoes with their peel on.
Can You Lose Weight By Eating Potatoes Every Day
Yes! If you enjoy potatoes, you can eat them every day. Just be mindful of the dishes’ portion sizes, methods of preparation, and additional components.
It is also advisable to incorporate grain and other complex carbohydrates, such as multigrain bread, oats, and whole wheat pasta, to guarantee that it provides a range of micronutrients.
How Can You Lose Weight Eating Potatoes
- Potatoes’ nutritious skins, which provide several nutritional effects for weight loss, are the primary source of these advantages. Potatoes should be scrubbed with a brush to remove dirt, but the skin should be left on.
- Rather than using oil or butter, you may boil several potatoes until they are cooked thoroughly, mash them, and add condiments like basil, garlic, cilantro, or rosemary.
- An entire big potato can be baked until it is well done. With a spatula, pierce the potato and scoop out the flesh. Add extra low-calorie cheddar and your preferred spice.
- Potatoes can be roasted with a drizzle of sesame or sunflower oil rather than fried, necessitating a significant amount of fat. Oil usage for roasting is significantly lower than for frying.
- Potatoes may also be added to stews, side dishes, and sandwiches to improve their flavor and satiety.
Avoid eating processed potato snacks like hash browns, french fries, and potato crisps that may also include preservatives and need excess fat to prepare.
What Other Health Advantages Do Potatoes Possess
- Antioxidants found in potatoes, particularly red, help shield cells from oxidant strain and cell damage.
- By lowering insulin sensitivity in your cells, the resistant starch in potatoes stabilizes your blood glucose levels.
- Further, the starch in potatoes might assist your healthy digestion. By consuming complex carbohydrates and converting them into butyrate, the beneficial bacteria in your stomach assist in lowering inflammation in the digestive tract and your chance of colon cancer.
- When eaten proportionally, potatoes’ somewhat high potassium content can help decrease blood pressure.
What Are The Dangers Of Eating Too Many Potatoes To Lose Weight
Potato overeating can result in weight gain, just like overeating other foods. Your desire for carbs may also grow if you consume too many potatoes. Eating too many potatoes may raise your chances of acquiring Type II Diabetes. In addition to causing bloating, gas, and other stomach discomforts after bingeing, potatoes also contain fiber.
What Is The Ideal Method Of Cooking Potatoes For Weight Loss
The way potatoes are typically boiled is one of the grounds they are linked to weight gain. The use of oils to sauté potatoes, the use of many other fats while mashing them, or the addition of toppings all contribute extra fats and calories and are not helpful for weight loss.
Without excess oil’s extra fat and calories, cooking on baking parchment is a terrific choice if you’re craving crispness. However, steaming or boiling potatoes is ideal if losing weight is the objective.
In contrast to roasting or frying, which dries the potato and increases its calorie density, these aids keep the water level, leaving them extra satisfying. High quantities of starch, believed to control metabolism, increase satiety and satiety, and discourage snacking, are also produced by cooking or steaming, followed by chilling.
Purchase a large box of potatoes and cook some on the burner to make consuming them simple. To eat them with roasted veggies or add them to salad, let them chill, then store them in a jar in the refrigerator. You’ll be shocked by how nicely potatoes may suit your diet and how content you’ll feel if losing weight is your objective.
Final Note
Don’t judge a food item based on hearsay; each food has unique significance and advantages. Try to eat it all in the right amounts to ensure a balanced meal, which will aid in weight reduction and maintenance, as well as the prevention of many illnesses and the promotion of fitness and an active lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when consumed in excess. Because potatoes are somewhat heavy in carbs, they can contribute to weight gain if taken in excess, like any meal. However, potatoes can aid in weight loss when consumed in balance and correctly.
No, if done in proportion. Among the most filling meals you can include on your menu is boiled potatoes, which encourage satiety and reduce food cravings and binging. Cooked with no oil or butter, it is among the best potato varieties. Boiling potatoes might help you lose weight. However, consuming them excessively might result in weight gain.
Although potatoes are a filling and healthy food, they have been linked in certain studies to an elevated risk of hypertension and Type II Diabetes. Eating a range of fresh, healthy nutrition is vital for general wellness, so avoid eating the same thing daily.
To reduce weight, usually increase to one medium potato every day. However, keep your consumption to 3 times per week and supplement your diet with potatoes and meals high in protein.
