Are potatoes good or bad for you?

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  • BevsCalerieCount
    BevsCalerieCount Posts: 14 Member
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    White potatoes are ok but yams or sweet potatoes are better. I would also say it depends on what you are putting on it. My method is too eat what I want or have a taste for and put it in my tracker, so if I run out of calories before the end (which I havent' yet) of the day I would eat veggies to ensure I don't go too far over my calories.
  • kbw414
    kbw414 Posts: 194
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    As long as you don't have diabetes or blood sugar control problems, they are fine.
    They are more nutritious with the skin on.
    Just remember that most of those nasty Russets in the conventional grocery stores are about 2.5 servings a potato, so you're not really intended to eat the whole thing.
    I love to get smaller, organic, heirloom potatoes from my CSA and from local growers. They taste MUCH better than Russets.
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
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    If they fit in your macros then they are good.
  • cbirdso
    cbirdso Posts: 465 Member
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    I think it is simplistic to say any FOOD is BAD. We are all individuals when it comes to the nutrition we need. Due to many factors, not every body needs the same set of micro nutrients. For example, if someone is allergic to peanuts or gluten, then that food is bad for them, but for others, they are healthy additions to a balanced diet.

    I find that eating white potatoes makes me feel overly hungry because they spike my blood sugar, so I'd say they are bad for me, but I do eat them occasionally and overall in moderation are probably good for my overall health because of the vitamins and minerals they provide. Yams and sweet potatoes do NOT give me the same blood sugar problem, however, so I try substitute them in place of white potatoes if possible.
  • ctime
    ctime Posts: 4
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    Anything natural can be "Good" for you. Potatoes aren't the worst thing on the planet that we could eat, but they do contain large amounts of starch. When potatoes are eaten, this starch is quickly broken down into Glucose and triggers an insulin response. Elevated insulin levels is known to cause fat creation in the body by the liver. The point is, like everything else, moderate the amount of calories you eat from Potatoes and you'll be fine. Are you trying to lose fat? Don't eat potatoes in my opinion. Eat a nice steak or salad or anything that isn't high GI or "processed" as a rule of thumb.
  • ishallnotwant
    ishallnotwant Posts: 1,210 Member
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    I love potatoes, and eat them a few times per week usually. I haven't had any problems from it.

    Yesterday I had fried potatoes, bacon, over medium eggs, whole wheat toast and salsa for breakfast. One of the other days this week I had a biscuit and gravy, hash browns, over medium potatoes, sausage patties and salsa for brekkie. I seriously couldn't live without my potatoes. :drinker:
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
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    I agree with the previous poster, nothing wrong with a good old baked potato, but it's the smothering in crap that makes it bad, you can easily add 500 calories or more to a smothered baked potato, lol. So, like everything else, we have to rethink the toppings.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I ate one once and my head exploded.

    Really? How much of a weight loss did that cause?
  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
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    I don't have many white potatoes though I do like them, every few weeks I allow 2 small roast ones (just par-boiled and cooked in meat juices no butter or goose fat etc) with sunday dinner and other weeks i replace it with carrot & swede mash.. haven't had baked white potato with baked beans on for ages and loved them with brown sauce on!!!

    I do make sweet potato chips in oven though and love sweet potato, can you microwave it same as white ones and eat it like a jacket potato?
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,887 Member
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    I ate one once and my head exploded.

    Really? How much of a weight loss did that cause?
    The average human head weighs 8 pounds. if it exploded, some of the matter would probably still be there, so I am going to guess they lost about 5.72673 pounds.
  • nitepagan
    nitepagan Posts: 205 Member
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    Most diets frown on potatoes because the starch is easily turned into sugar or fat. But in small quantities they are ok for you. Anything that tastes really good is generally not good for your diet.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    Are they good or bad? Mainly jacket potatoes with the skin on. I know there I fiber in ther but I'm not sure if it's something I should eat a very small portion of or not.
    I'd say they're "OK" - not super healthy but not junk food either.
    I avoid them in my diet for the most part.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Most diets frown on potatoes because the starch is easily turned into sugar or fat. But in small quantities they are ok for you. Anything that tastes really good is generally not good for your diet.

    Oh, I'd be one fat lady if that were true. I'm all about flavor.
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
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    The worst thing you can do with potatoes is probably deep fry them. Then you end up high in both carbs and fat, a particularly bad combination.

    Otherwise they are a natural whole food, I'd eat them in small doses.
  • bookyeti
    bookyeti Posts: 544 Member
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    I eat potatoes several times a week...

    I am going to go out on a limb and say they didn't hinder my weight loss or fat loss (I used to have a whopping 56% body fat, now I have around 23%).

    The thing is, try to eat an actual potato and not the greasy potato skins, french fries, etc that are processed beyond all recognition as an actual, nutrient-rich food (although it's not going to kill you to indulge in a treat every once in a while - just fit it into your goals)

    THIS!
    I love potatoes!
  • TotalTiger
    TotalTiger Posts: 74
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    I heard a dietician on TV the other day say that food is just food - neither good or bad. You have a daily calorie intake limit and if potatoes fit into it, go for it.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Most diets frown on potatoes because the starch is easily turned into sugar or fat. But in small quantities they are ok for you. Anything that tastes really good is generally not good for your diet.
    Please, please where do you get your info from?

    Read
    http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_good_the_bad_and_the_assfattening_the_new_starchy_carb_food_pyramid

    ESPECIALLY READ THE BOTTOM. White potatoes and white rice are one of best carbohydrates to consume.

    This is why people are fat (It's not due to carb intake, it's due to how the body uses insulin)
    http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/5_ways_to_improve_insulin_sensitivity
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    Potatoes are one of the healthiest carb sources out there, packed with vitamins and minerals. Eat up.
  • funkycamper
    funkycamper Posts: 998 Member
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    Well, on a regular basis I don't eat them because I do need to watch my carb intake (blood sugar issues). If you don't have any metabolic problem with carbs, enjoy them as long as they fit in your calorie target. If you do have a metabolic problem with carbs, then I would suggest getting your carbs in with less-starchy vegetables and dairy.

    I do disagree a bit with the others posters here about one thing. Since fat doesn't make you fat, if you're going to eat a potato, enjoy it with all the butter and sour cream you want to make it be tasty. I only eat 1-2 potatoes a month but, when I do, it's on a spike day and I enjoy them to the hilt with all the goodies on 'em. That's how they taste good to me and I don't see any reason to eat something that doesn't taste good. Of course, you probably couldn't do that daily and stay in your calorie targets while still getting in your protein but, once in awhile, go for it. Enjoy.
  • sabinecbauer
    sabinecbauer Posts: 250 Member
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    Potatoes are great, sweet potatoes are better. If you like the taste go with sweet potatoes. Similar to green-tipped bananas, they contain a type of fiber your body can't digest. This type of ballast makes your digestive system tick over really nicely ;)

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