Why do white potatoes have such a bad Rep?

halimaiqbal00

They're not like white bread or white pasta so why are they frowned upon, nutritionally speaking?

singingflutelady

Because the popular media demonizes white carbs? BTW there is nothing wrong with white bread or white pasta either.

zyxst

Because food "racism" is popular and an easy way to cut down calories to lose weight.

What's wrong with white bread and white pasta?

CattOfTheGarage

Yes, the whole "carbs are bad" mythology has hit them hard. They're actually surprisingly high in vitamin C and lower in calories than I thought, a baked potato is genuinely a pretty good meal choice if you're losing weight, depending on the amount of toppings. And for me, there's nothing that satisfies like a big fat potato.

I also find white pasta keeps me going really well. White rice doesn't fill me up for as long, although combined with other food it does. All this stuff gets oversimplified.

MommyMeggo

Whats the bad rap you've heard?

cathipa

Most "white" foods (bread & pasta) are made from enriched wheat products which have been stripped of nutrients. Same with white rice (really no nutritional value there either). Carbs aren't the devil, but since everyone went "low carb" years ago they are thought to be the root of the problem (pun intended). Potatoes are great. High in fiber, low in fat and a great source of potassium. So as long as it fits your nutritional and caloric needs there is no need to avoid any food.

GottaBurnEmAll

I adore potatoes. I love to make a meal of a nice big baked potato topped with a scoop of cottage cheese with some broccoli on the side. Very, very filling.

If I had to pick one food to live on forever, it would be potatoes. I can eat them just plain, boiled. Even without salt. Even cold. I love them.

CattOfTheGarage

I made a veg curry tonight, with chickpeas, carrots, onions, peppers, green peas - and potatoes. When I first came across the idea of potatoes in curry (looking at Japanese recipes) I thought it was weird, but then I had a Massaman beef curry with potatoes and aubergines and it was so gorgeous. Now I always add potatoes to curry. Such a nice texture, and so satisfying, especially in a veg curry.

Three cheers for potatoes!

I like sweet potatoes too, but they're a completely different thing.

stealthq

Probably because white potatoes are often consumed as french fries, potato chips, as mashed potatoes made with lots of butter/milk/cream, and as loaded baked potatoes. So, often found in high calorie dishes and associated with being fat/gaining weight (I'll have a biggie fry with that ...).

Plus, they got lumped in with the 'avoid all white carbs' thing.

Nothing wrong with potatoes. They're a pretty good source of nutrients and many people find them satiating in reasonable amounts when they're not loaded with so much extra stuff that a reasonable amount means 'one or two bites'.

CattOfTheGarage

I think I read in a cookbook somewhere that it said "potatoes are very healthy, the problem is the company they keep".

NewGemini130

My nutritionist dissed my baked potato meal and I fired her. And no it wasn't loaded w/fat or anything- she dissed the actual potato part. Bye bye lady!

I love em- being a root veg they have some good trace minerals too (eat the skin!). Yum. Looking forward to mashies in a few days!!

Evamutt

I love potatoes, have at least one a day and I hate whole wheat bread, I eat buttermilk or i love the white 12 grain bread

TavistockToad

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

I think I read in a cookbook somewhere that it said "potatoes are very healthy, the problem is the company they keep".

Cheese and butter?! :laugh:

ninerbuff

No "white" food is bad. It's the disparaging from "naturalists" that make it sound bad.

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oocdc2

They are a lot of calories for not much protein/fiber bang. But they're yummy and filling, so I have them when I can fit them in.

AnvilHead

halimaiqbal00 wrote: »

They're not like white bread or white pasta so why are they frowned upon, nutritionally speaking?

Because you're reading the wrong nutritional sites.

cerise_noir

halimaiqbal00 wrote: »

They're not like white bread or white pasta so why are they frowned upon, nutritionally speaking?

None of these foods should be frowned upon. There is nothing wrong with bread, pasta or potatoes.

And yes, I agree with this:

AnvilHead wrote: »

halimaiqbal00 wrote: »

They're not like white bread or white pasta so why are they frowned upon, nutritionally speaking?

Because you're reading the wrong nutritional sites.

There is so much derp and woo out there...

SideSteel

White potatoes are generally a fantastic food for many people.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/15701207_A_Satiety_Index_of_common_foods

cerise_noir

SideSteel wrote: »

White potatoes are generally a fantastic food for many people.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/15701207_A_Satiety_Index_of_common_foods

I love potatoes as they are SO satiating, as well as their nutrition.

JaydedMiss

I go through 10-20 pounds of potatoes a week, I love potatoes XD They get a bad rep because people deepfry them and coat them in oil and butter and pile high fat toppings on top.

halimaiqbal00

Why are white pasta and white rice bad? Because they're stripped of their nutrients but I shouldn't worded that better-I mean they're not as healthy as their wholewheat and wholegrain counterparts

halimaiqbal00

*shoulve

halimaiqbal00

Gosh, *SHOULD HAVE. Sorry, it's been a long day

jmp463

If you dont over-eat them they are fine in simple baked or mashed form. However the problem once you start to say this is ok and oh some pasta wont hurt and some rice - before you know it you have a diet very high in carbs. Which is fine if you can balance it and not gain weight - but I offer as evidence majority of our population which seems to have a problem with the balance part. Everything is fine in moderation. But most people tend to suck at the moderation part of that statement. Otherwise this site and this thread would not exist.

cathipa

The only bad foods are the ones that have a funny odor or are past their expiration. If it fits your macros/calories then eat it. If comparing, for example white rice to brown rice, then yes one has more nutritional value, but neither are bad.

singingflutelady

White rice and brown rice have a pretty similar nutritional profile.

And I hate the "not as healthy" label. There are people like me where white bread and white pasta are "healthier" than whole grain

rsclause

They are calorie dense, and that's before I put sour cream and butter on them. If you eat a half of a potato you can cut the calories in half so that's what I try to do if I have one. For me I don't go on a all out ban but try to reduce the amount of potatoes, breads and pastas I eat. I do eat more sweet potatoes than I used to and once again I cut them in half too.

halimaiqbal00

singingflutelady wrote: »

White rice and brown rice have a pretty similar nutritional profile.

And I hate the "not as healthy" label. There are people like me where white bread and white pasta are "healthier" than whole grain

Seriously?

LAWoman72

I don't know, because actually, potatoes are indeed nutritious.

I think they became the devil in the 70s when everyone was avoiding "starches," with all sorts of mythology attached. I don't know why that has never died down, but it hasn't.

cerise_noir

halimaiqbal00 wrote: »

Why are white pasta and white rice bad? Because they're stripped of their nutrients but I shouldn't worded that better-I mean they're not as healthy as their wholewheat and wholegrain counterparts

There is not that much difference, nutritionally, between brown and white rice. The same goes for brown and white pasta. The white versions are not stripped of their nutrients, they just have less fiber, slightly more carbs, slightly more fat, slightly more protein, and slightly less in the micro department.

JeromeBarry1

It's not so much that potatoes are bad, but the process of converting potatoes into a pile of salty, fatty calorie bomb decadence that engenders so much hate.