The potato weight loss diet is real, here are the secrets and the science. One man lost over 50 kg on a potato-only diet in just under a year. There is mounting evidence suggesting that a diet of potatoes can aid in weight loss goals.
Eating potatoes for weight loss is scientifically justified and fulfilling. So it seems the humble spud has found its way back into our healthy eating good books!
A Nutritional Superfood
Not only can it contribute to weight loss, but this simple white tuber is said to be so packed with goodness that some have been touting the simple spud as a superfood.
Long before the Irish adopted the potato as a national dish, tribes in South America had been cultivating this simple tuber for millennia, enjoying potatoes as a major part of their diet.
Today, the so-called Potato Weight Loss Diet, with potatoes as the basis for every meal, is gaining traction across the world as a sensible approach to cutting body fat.
Potato Nutrition
This wonderfood contains vitamin C, essential for good skin and a healthy immune system, as well as potassium.
Potassium is the mineral which helps us to regulate water and one that we quite literally cannot get enough of.
Potatoes are also packed with soluble fibre which helps us to maintain a healthy digestive system as well as vitamin B6 which helps with blood formulation and hormone balance.
You certainly can’t say the same about white bread or white rice.
Potato Calories
Despite being touted as calorific, potatoes are surprisingly low in calories for their weight.
A medium sized jacket has around 130 calories in it; the same amount as a thick slice of bread.
Most people will attest to being suitably full after a medium sized jacket, but by comparison, who stops at one slice of bread?
Many health professionals now agree that it’s not about eliminating food groups or single items, but rather reducing overall calorie intake that will reduce weight.
This is what makes jackets such a clever idea for lunch.
Not only that but one medium jacket will also provide more potassium than a banana and half your daily vitamin C needs, hence the new ‘superfood’ label.
Potato Glycaemic Index
Another thorn in the side for spuds is their position on the glycaemic index.
They are said to spike blood sugars and this has been one of the reasons why they have been snubbed in recent years.
Evidence now strongly suggests consuming them does not have a detrimental effect on weight control and those who eat plenty of spuds do not gain weight in comparison with those who avoid them.
Potato’s Weight Loss Ability
Are potatoes good for weight loss? Actually yes, because a potato also contains proteinase inhibitors.
These act as appetite suppressants, working wonders for those looking to reduce food intake.
Unlike the much maligned grain-based carb options, a spud is a ‘whole food’, thereby adhering to the principles of any of the clean eating advice that is currently in vogue.
A simple spud from the grocers has had nothing added, and nothing taken away.
It has not been doctored, processed or changed in any fashion.
That’s about as pure a food as you can get.
SpudFit
Andrew Taylor is a potato diet poster boy and advocate from Melbourne.
He was featured in world media when he lost 55 kg / 117 lbs in just under one year by eating mostly only potatoes – mostly boiled, mashed or baked – for three meals a day.
Although he now eats a whole foods plant based diet including fruits, vegetables and grains, with an emphasis on potatoes of course.
His website SpudFit documents the process and support others to do the same.
The Potato Diet is Already a Staple in Ireland
The potato remains a staple part of the diet in Ireland with family favourites like Colcannon, as opposed to the bread-based cuisines of the UK and other western countries.
As a possible result, obesity rates in Ireland have historically been lower than those in the UK and it seems the Irish have been onto something all this time.
Unhealthy Potato Options
So why have potatoes suffered so badly at the hands of diet advisers in the last couple of decades? One of the problems is the way in which they are cooked.
Chips for example, have been fried, often in undesirable fats and are usually accompanied by fatty, sugary condiments.
Jackets and mash are often laden with butter, cheese or mayo.
Hash browns again, are deep fried; rosti is shallow fried and wedges are frequently fried, dipped in sauces and covered in melted cheese.
Adjusting the way in which we prepare potatoes and changing what we add to them could be the breakthrough to weight loss.
Healthy Potato Weight Loss Options
Boiled potatoes are an ideal accompaniment to a simple meal of meat or fish with vegetables.
Mash potatoes don’t always need butter, instead a spoonful of skimmed milk and a touch of olive oil can have beautiful results.
Jackets potatoes can be dressed with low fat coleslaw; tuna with low fat mayo; chilli con carne; baked beans; or even cottage cheese for a much lighter alternative to melted cheese.
In fact, cooking a spud whole in its skin is the best way in which to retain all those important nutrients.
The Irish Had it Right All Along
There’s no ‘lowly’ or ‘humble’ when it comes to the modest potato anymore.
In fact the answer to weight loss, diet and healthy eating may have been staring us the face for some time.
When it comes to the potato, it really is what you do with it that counts.