Why potatoes aren’t as bad as you think (+ how to make them taste amazing)

Written By Unknown on Friday, 16 March 2018 | 14:08

St Patrick’s Day is upon us, and so is the craving to eat potatoes. But they’re so unhealthy, right?

Although delicious, the starchy white tuber is much-maligned in the diet world. This is because they are high in carbohydrates and can spike your blood sugar levels if you eat too many in one sitting.

Yet, while we usually opt for the more nutrient-dense sweet potato, there’s nothing wrong with the white ones here and there, especially when paired with a big helping of veggies, protein and healthy fats.

Pots of potassium.

Did you know that there’s more potassium in potatoes than bananas? Of course, you only ever hear about the latter. One small potato provides around 20 per cent of your daily potassium needs, which is essential for many cellular functions.

“Potassium is needed for muscular contractions, including those in your heart,” says IQS nutritionist Emily Seddon. “It’s an electrolyte, which means it helps your body stay hydrated. Technically, you’d be better off eating a potato than a bottle of Gatorade.”

Vital vitamin C.

Just 100g of potatoes gives you more than 30 per cent of your daily vitamin C requirement. Which, if you know your nautical history, is vital… we don’t want to get scurvy!

“Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is essential to good immune function,” says Emily. “It also helps you absorb iron, so it’s not a bad idea to serve your red meat with a small side of potatoes and vitamin-rich greens.”

They’re also really good for, um, moving things along.

Potatoes contain a high amount of resistant starch, especially when cooked and cooled (think potato salad!). Resistant starch is a carbohydrate that acts like a fibre, in that it reaches the bowels intact, feeding your probiotics.

“The good gut bacteria produced increase the colon pH to become more acidic, which improves your overall gut health and decreases the risk of leaky gut,” says Sarah. “Plus, it improves stress resistance and reduces the risk of inflammatory conditions of the bowel.”

The key is to eat potatoes in a healthy way.

Clearly, we don’t think that McDonald’s French fries will be good for you, no matter how much potassium or vitamin C stays intact during their processing. But a fresh spud paired with lots of vegetables, protein and healthy fats won’t do you any harm.

“We do keep some carbs in our diets, and we think it’s much better to get them from a fresh, nutritious source like potatoes than sugar, for example,” Emily says. “If we don’t have sweet potato on hand, or simply want a different flavour, the white variety is fine once in a while.”