potatoes good or bad

gilramirez14
gilramirez14 Posts: 104 Member
edited November 14 in Food and Nutrition
I've limited eating potatoes to once a week . they say there are alot of empty calories in them . anyone else eat potatoes often
«1345678

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Who are they?

    I eat potatoes 1-3 times a week.
  • Sweets1954
    Sweets1954 Posts: 507 Member
    I wouldn't say the calories from a potato are empty, it's what you put on them that drives the calorie count up. A medium potato has 163 calories but has 4.7 grams of fiber, 70% of your vitamin C and other nutrients. It's once you add the butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon bits, or whatever that adds to the calories.
  • gilramirez14
    gilramirez14 Posts: 104 Member
    I
    Who are they?

    I eat potatoes 1-3 times a week.

    I have just read that mayby its not true
  • Blair2374
    Blair2374 Posts: 50 Member
    Being from Northern Ireland we would have ate them at least 4 nights a week. The last few weeks I'm down to just once a week.
  • gilramirez14
    gilramirez14 Posts: 104 Member
    Sweets1954 wrote: »
    I wouldn't say the calories from a potato are empty, it's what you put on them that drives the calorie count up. A medium potato has 163 calories but has 4.7 grams of fiber, 70% of your vitamin C and other nutrients. It's once you add the butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon bits, or whatever that adds to the calories. [/quot

    So I could eat like small little red potatoes more then once a week I eat like six small potoes you microwave them there made by Lil potatoes company. Without butter or anything they contain 70 calories per serving . but I do add I can't believe its not butter light to them . the butter has 40 calories a tabl espoon .
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    edited March 2015
    They are only bad if you add too much butter, cheese, bacon and sour cream, etc. to them and it makes you go over your calories.

    You can have all that stuff if it fits though.
  • gilramirez14
    gilramirez14 Posts: 104 Member
    They are only bad if you add too much butter, cheese, bacon and sour cream, etc. to them and it makes you go over your calories.

    You can have all that stuff if it fits though.

    Yeah I think I could add them back in
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Potatoes are delicious! They're a great source of vitamin C and B6 and also potassium. If you don't choose overly large potatoes, they don't have a lot of calories. You just need to watch what you top them with, because traditional additions like butter and sour cream have a lot of calories which add up quickly. A small 5 gram pat of butter only has about 40 calories, though.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Sweets1954 wrote: »
    I wouldn't say the calories from a potato are empty, it's what you put on them that drives the calorie count up. A medium potato has 163 calories but has 4.7 grams of fiber, 70% of your vitamin C and other nutrients. It's once you add the butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon bits, or whatever that adds to the calories.

    So I could eat like small little red potatoes more then once a week I eat like six small potoes you microwave them there made by Lil potatoes company. Without butter or anything they contain 70 calories per serving . but I do add I can't believe its not butter light to them . the butter has 40 calories a tabl espoon .

    You can have potatoes as often as you want if they fit into your calorie and nutrition goals. For the record, potatoes have a lot of vitamins in them. So check out their nutrition facts and decide for yourself whether or not they fit into your diet.

    :flowerforyou:

  • blktngldhrt
    blktngldhrt Posts: 1,053 Member
    Good or bad? Depends on your body and how well they round out your overall diet.

    Personally, they (white potatoes) are not so good for me. However, I produce too much insulin.
  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
    boAuvFW.gif

    I love potatoes. Potatoes are magical.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    You will lose as long as CI<CO.

    The only bad food is something poisons to you. Hitting your macros will help you keep a balanced diet. There are lots of ways to have a balanced diet and there are lots of benefits to it as well. Make sure you also account for any toppings used.

    Personally I love sweet potatoes, french fries, home fries, scalped potatoes and that's about it.
  • LovingLife_Erin
    LovingLife_Erin Posts: 328 Member
    I have a potato almost every day and I've lost 60lbs. I just stick one in the microwave and then plop some low fat cottage cheese on top. It's usually around 200-275 cals of goodness (depending on the size and such). Potatoes have nutrients, and are great to fill you up. You can't go wrong unless you overeat them and go over your calories.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    All the lovely nutrients are just under the skin to eat them with the skin (well-scrubbed).
  • This content has been removed.
  • Red potatoes are better for you, its all portion control
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Man...you really need to stop reading whatever it is that you read for your nutrition information...

    http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=48

    Here's just a few tidbits.
    ...a baked potato is an exceptionally healthful low calorie, high fiber food that offers significant protection against cardiovascular disease and cancer.
    a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of potassium, copper, vitamin C, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, dietary fiber, and pantothenic acid.

    Potatoes also contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity. Among these important health-promoting compounds are carotenoids, flavonoids, and caffeic acid, as well as unique tuber storage proteins, such as patatin, which exhibit activity against free radicals.



  • JohnBarth
    JohnBarth Posts: 672 Member
    I roast yukon gold potatoes regularly. 10oz of potatoes are roughly 190 calories. Roast sliced or diced at 425 for 20-25 minutes, turning once. I'll use 5oz of potatoes and a 1/4 or so of onion, sautee in a bit of olive oil, add a bit of seasoning.
  • MaitreyeeMAYHEM
    MaitreyeeMAYHEM Posts: 559 Member
    Red potatoes are better for you, its all portion control

    Roasting red potatoes with oil, salt, pepper and herbs is amazing!

  • tinascar2015
    tinascar2015 Posts: 413 Member
    No, potatoes are not a lot of empty calories. That would be highly processed foods with lots of added sugars and overly processed grains. Potatoes are great, just higher in carbs than most vegetables. They're great just boiled, with a tad bit of butter and parsley, too. You don't need to pile cheese and bacon on a potato to make it delicious.
  • CA_Underdog
    CA_Underdog Posts: 733 Member
    edited March 2015
    I've limited eating potatoes to once a week . they say there are alot of empty calories in them . anyone else eat potatoes often
    "They" are silly! Potatoes are a good source of fiber, potassium, carbs, and Vitamin C.

    You needn't worry about classifying foods as good or bad. To lose, you just need to master this vocabulary: yummy, yucky, fits my macros, doesn't fit my macros.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited March 2015
    I eat potatoes 1-3 times a week, and sweet potatoes a similar amount. I mostly roast them with olive oil, and don't see why they would be considered "empty calories." (I believe a decent amount of the nutrients are in the skin, however, so I typically prefer to eat them in ways that leave the skin on. This also fits with my inherent laziness, so is a win-win. On rare occasion I mash them, usually without adding anything, sometimes with a bit of butter or milk. Usually mixing them with the accompanying meat and meat fat provides enough extra, though.)
  • Eliz_99
    Eliz_99 Posts: 85 Member
    What is an empty calorie? Surely calories are just calories. Anyway I think potatoes are nutritious and filling and so versatile can't think of anything bad about them.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    When people say "empty calories" I assume they mean no micro-nutrients and little fiber. That's not true for the potato, especially if you keep the skin on.
  • CA_Underdog
    CA_Underdog Posts: 733 Member
    edited March 2015
    jgnatca wrote: »
    When people say "empty calories" I assume they mean no micro-nutrients and little fiber. That's not true for the potato, especially if you keep the skin on.
    I've been snacking on potato chips lately, once a week or so, after a nutritionist pointed out they beat out the more common but less stigmatized tortilla chips and pretzels. The kettle chips I buy have 2g of fiber and 650mg of potassium per 120 kcal serving. Not the worst snack. :)
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    JohnBarth wrote: »
    I roast yukon gold potatoes regularly. 10oz of potatoes are roughly 190 calories. Roast sliced or diced at 425 for 20-25 minutes, turning once. I'll use 5oz of potatoes and a 1/4 or so of onion, sautee in a bit of olive oil, add a bit of seasoning.

    Oh, YES to Yukon Golds! They also have a lovely flavor and texture that makes the sparing use of toppings more palatable. (They are moister and richer tasting than russets, and creamier and less waxy than red potatoes. Mmmmm. Perfect potato)
  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
    EWJLang wrote: »
    JohnBarth wrote: »
    I roast yukon gold potatoes regularly. 10oz of potatoes are roughly 190 calories. Roast sliced or diced at 425 for 20-25 minutes, turning once. I'll use 5oz of potatoes and a 1/4 or so of onion, sautee in a bit of olive oil, add a bit of seasoning.

    Oh, YES to Yukon Golds! They also have a lovely flavor and texture that makes the sparing use of toppings more palatable. (They are moister and richer tasting than russets, and creamier and less waxy than red potatoes. Mmmmm. Perfect potato)

    I like the way you phrased that. Now i want some taters. Its your fault you know. ;)
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    MrCoolGrim wrote: »
    EWJLang wrote: »
    JohnBarth wrote: »
    I roast yukon gold potatoes regularly. 10oz of potatoes are roughly 190 calories. Roast sliced or diced at 425 for 20-25 minutes, turning once. I'll use 5oz of potatoes and a 1/4 or so of onion, sautee in a bit of olive oil, add a bit of seasoning.

    Oh, YES to Yukon Golds! They also have a lovely flavor and texture that makes the sparing use of toppings more palatable. (They are moister and richer tasting than russets, and creamier and less waxy than red potatoes. Mmmmm. Perfect potato)

    I like the way you phrased that. Now i want some taters. Its your fault you know. ;)

    MY WORK HERE IS DONE.
  • MrCoolGrim
    MrCoolGrim Posts: 351 Member
    edited March 2015
    EWJLang wrote: »
    MrCoolGrim wrote: »
    EWJLang wrote: »
    JohnBarth wrote: »
    I roast yukon gold potatoes regularly. 10oz of potatoes are roughly 190 calories. Roast sliced or diced at 425 for 20-25 minutes, turning once. I'll use 5oz of potatoes and a 1/4 or so of onion, sautee in a bit of olive oil, add a bit of seasoning.

    Oh, YES to Yukon Golds! They also have a lovely flavor and texture that makes the sparing use of toppings more palatable. (They are moister and richer tasting than russets, and creamier and less waxy than red potatoes. Mmmmm. Perfect potato)

    I like the way you phrased that. Now i want some taters. Its your fault you know. ;)

    MY WORK HERE IS DONE.

    200w.gifk
  • tinascar2015
    tinascar2015 Posts: 413 Member
    Eliz_99 wrote: »
    What is an empty calorie? Surely calories are just calories. Anyway I think potatoes are nutritious and filling and so versatile can't think of anything bad about them.

    Some calories come from foods that don't really do us much good and can negatively impact our health: spike our blood sugar, clog our arteries, raise blood pressure, etc. If I eat a piece of Edwards cream pie that's 400 calories, those calories aren't going to do anything positive for my health. That pie contains miniscule amounts of vitamins, a lot of potassium, a tiny amount of protein and 12g of saturated fat. Yikes. Oh, and 46g carbohydrates which includes 32g sugar. And that's added, white, processed sugar, not the kind you get from fruit. The pie is absolutely delicious. It is also empty calories, and I don't care what others do; I've cut all that out so I can eat more of the foods that provide...what's the word? Oh yeah --

    Nourishment.

    If I eat some broiled fish, a potato and some salad that adds up to 400 calories, that's a better quality meal: Lean protein, good oil, vitamins, minerals, fiber. Sure, the idea that CICO determines weight loss has merit, but are we just talking about losng weight and not about staying healthy while we do it?
This discussion has been closed.