Rice, baked potato or pasta? The lesser of the evil

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  • chubbygirl253
    chubbygirl253 Posts: 1,309 Member
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    The only evil thing you're doing is going on a low carb diet.

    ^^^truth

    and the answer is potatos... veggie carbs have more micronutrients in comparrison.

    potatoes are quite good for you. they are higher in carbs and calories than most vegetables but if you eat the peeling especially they are full of nutrients. for example, potatoes have more potassium than a banana. they also contain iron and protein.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    So you are saying that you eat rice, past & potatoes all along with bread and you're losing / lost weight? I'm curious to know how much are you eating at one time? If I'm reading this right you've lost 81lbs. Is that correct?
    Moi? I usually eat a wheat tortilla wrap every day for lunch, and then either pasta, potatoes, couscous or maybe rice noodles as part of my evening meal. If I have pasta, I usually have 75 g, slightly more or less depending on how many calories/carbs I have left in my diary. If potatoes, maybe 1 large potato. I'm finding they're great for getting more potassium in. On top of that, some days I might have a slice of sourdough bread, toasted, as a snack - maybe about 50 g worth. That's only a few days a week though. I also have carbs in fruit, veggies and about 3 days a week I have porridge (oatmeal) for breakfast. I eat some chocolate most days too. At the moment, my macros are set so that I aim for 45 % carbs, which works out somewhere between 150-200 g of carbs a day, and I usually come under that number.

    I've lost 81 lbs in total; 50 lbs since joining MFP and calorie counting.
  • Dodgers33089
    Dodgers33089 Posts: 27
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    The only evil thing you're doing is going on a low carb diet.

    ^^^truth

    and the answer is potatos... veggie carbs have more micronutrients in comparrison.

    potatoes are quite good for you. they are higher in carbs and calories than most vegetables but if you eat the peeling especially they are full of nutrients. for example, potatoes have more potassium than a banana. they also contain iron and protein.

    compared to other vegetables, potatoes are very poor in nutrient density. The skin of the potato contains the majority of the nutrients, more so than the rest of the potato!
    A variety of vegetables and fruits come at fewer calories and more nutrients (phytochemicals, antioxidants). Potatoes do not provide much, I easily dismiss them from foods that I eat.
  • zoukeira
    zoukeira Posts: 313 Member
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    (so many hot guys commenting on this thread... hehe)

    Do you have any sweet potato? YUM! They're a tad lower in carbs than potato, and have extra nutrients. Oh and did I mention they taste sooooo good!!
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    So you are saying that you eat rice, past & potatoes all along with bread and you're losing / lost weight? I'm curious to know how much are you eating at one time? If I'm reading this right you've lost 81lbs. Is that correct?

    I know this wasn't aimed at me but I'm going to answer anyway. lol I eat bread every day, at least once. I eat pasta twice a week. I don't eat many potatoes but only because of the calories, not because of anything inherent in the potato. I've lost over 30 lbs and am still losing. The trick is to log accurately and only eat the serving size.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    If you limit them in general anyway, then when you have a craving or are giving yourself leeway, eat the one you want the most and don't worry about it.

    I hear you on limiting grains; they don't fill me up enough for the amount of room they take up so I limit them too. (Then they are an amazing treat when I do eat them.) But if you like potatoes, keep in mind that you can get itty bitty ones that wouldn't take up so much room in your day, and there's lots of ways to prepare potatoes to keep some variety going. I don't limit potatoes at all.
  • phillips0911
    phillips0911 Posts: 41
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    This post made me want some rice, baked potatoes and pasta.. I love carbs. I keep them moderate. Sweet potatoes are my fav, but I'd say just eat what gives you a "carb fix feeling" so you won't feel deprived
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
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    The only evil thing you're doing is going on a low carb diet.

    Yup, choosing to eat a particular way for whatever reason is clearly 'evil'.

    All those battling blood sugar issues should be locked up.

    Who the hell are you to make such a dumb comment?

    On topic ... Go the potatoes, lovely things full of good stuff.
  • lyndalpn
    lyndalpn Posts: 151 Member
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    The only evil thing you're doing is going on a low carb diet.

    Yup, choosing to eat a particular way for whatever reason is clearly 'evil'.

    All those battling blood sugar issues should be locked up.

    Who the hell are you to make such a dumb comment?

    On topic ... Go the potatoes, lovely things full of good stuff.

    I personally avoid pasta, rice and potatoes (and most breads) because they play havoc with my blood sugar -- but if I was to choose one it would be the potato or the rice for all the reasons previously mentioned. None of them are evil and if you have no medical condition where you should be avoiding them then it is all about balance and moderation. Enjoy!
  • GiGiBeans
    GiGiBeans Posts: 1,062 Member
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    Instead of rice I make "cauliflower rice", which is just cauliflower pulsed in a food processor til it looks like rice.

    I use to be a pasta junkie but now I make zucchini into pasta shapes like fettucine or lasagna noodles with a spiral slicer or mandolin.

    Recently bumped up my carbs to 60 - 70 net and am having small portions of white potato and sweet potato.
  • JaceyMarieS
    JaceyMarieS Posts: 692 Member
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    Because I have diabetes and some food intolerances 9wheat, corn and soy amongst others) , I avoid grains - period. For me, they are most certainly "evil".

    A low-carb livestyle has lowered high blood sugars ( from an A1c of 7.3 to 5.5 and a fasting blood sugar of 183 to 97), and has removed eczema, arthritis and various digestive issues that were wreaking havoc in my life.

    I don't eat pasta at all anymore and don't like the effect that even 1/4 and 1/2 c servings of rice (regardless of type) have of my blood glucose levels. I will, on occasion, have a small red potato or two or 1/2 a sweet potato.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
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    Because I have diabetes and some food intolerances 9wheat, corn and soy amongst others) , I avoid grains - period. For me, they are most certainly "evil".

    A low-carb livestyle has lowered high blood sugars ( from an A1c of 7.3 to 5.5 and a fasting blood sugar of 183 to 97), and has removed eczema, arthritis and various digestive issues that were wreaking havoc in my life.

    I don't eat pasta at all anymore and don't like the effect that even 1/4 and 1/2 c servings of rice (regardless of type) have of my blood glucose levels. I will, on occasion, have a small red potato or two or 1/2 a sweet potato.

    Wow... I went on the "crazy low carb" diet aka "The Dukan Diet" but counted calories and on phase III, when I was to add back bread daily I added an apple instead. The main reason I didn't want to eat bread, rice , pasta or potatoes is that I am a carboholic. But guess what? I had blotchy skin, and I don't anymore since those items were eliminated from my diet in less than a month. I do eat yogurt, apples, avocados and bananas, and they seem to keep former digestive issues at bay.

    As to the original poster, go with new potatoes.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    The only evil thing you're doing is going on a low carb diet.

    Mwah ha ha!
  • Car0lynnM
    Car0lynnM Posts: 332 Member
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    Potatoes or pasta (they make pasta with extra fiber and other nutrients). Eat rice if you're having a dish that really begs for it, but skip white rice altogether. (unless it's sushi, then definitely go for it). So, any of them are fine in moderation. Really. Try to avoid cutting out food groups unless it's necessary. If you 'just think they're bad for you', do some more research.
  • NocturnalGirl
    NocturnalGirl Posts: 1,762
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    I don't believe evil belongs in the same sentence as rice, potato or pasta.
  • Lorlei25
    Lorlei25 Posts: 36 Member
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    I think the key, like others have said is balance and portion control vs. elimination of any food. Baby red potatoes have a lower glycemic impact that regular white potatoes, so I try to use them when I just have to have a potato side, eating quinoa salads for a little meal while on midnight shift and it really stays with me and keeps me alert till I am done. I am on board with the philosophy that you should try to balance out the glycemic impact by eating healthy protein and fat when you consume carbs, works to keep me on a more even keel. I am not diabetic but my mother and brother are so I know that I have to head it off at the pass and I am carb sensitive, tend to gain my weight in the midsection etc, BUT if I have found if I try to limit my carbs to much I get lethargic and "brain fog". It is basically getting to know your body and figuring out what works for you as an individual. We have to keep tweaking and evolving!
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    How about sweet potatoes?
    I eat fairly low carb and they are great as a side dish and way better than regular potatoes, pasta or rice!

    Sweet potatoes are great! I made a baked one the other day, which I had with tuna. I also mash them sometimes, or roast them.

    Someone else mentioned quinoa - that's a good alternative too.

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