Is it possible to eat potatoes on a diet? How does it affect the body?

For many people, the process of weight loss involves the exclusion of certain products from the diet. And most often the “forbidden” list includes potatoes. But is this vegetable so harmful? And is it possible to achieve the figure of dreams without giving up your favorite dish? Let’s find out together with fitness trainer Ivan Krasavin.

Table des matières

What is potato useful?

Potatoes are a treasure trove of useful components. First, it is rich in vitamin C, which stimulates the immune system, prevents tissue destruction and plays an important role in the absorption of iron.

Secondly, this vegetable has a lot of starch – a kind of “natural energizer”. Thirdly, the tubers contain potassium, which is necessary to normalize blood pressure. It also contains a lot of phosphorus, magnesium and calcium. And if you eat young potatoes with the peel, you can increase fiber intake by two times, says the expert.

Ivan: Researchers evaluated the relationship between potato consumption and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Scientists noticed that replacing one serving of potatoes with one serving of rice increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 30%.

Are potatoes harmful to the body?

How can potatoes be harmful if they contain so many useful elements? Many people are sure that tubers contain pesticides, which, if exceeded, poison the body. However, this assumption is nothing more than a myth.

Specialists of “Roskachevo” checked the vegetables sold in the markets. In most samples, no harmful substances were found. And in a few exceptional cases, the amount of pesticides did not exceed the permissible norm. Therefore, fears about this are unfounded.

Do potatoes interfere with weight loss?

The potential danger of the vegetable is not the only reason for the wary attitude of thinners. Some believe that the use of potatoes contributes to weight gain. However, this is also a misconception.

In 100 grams contains about 77 kcal: 2 grams of protein, 0.4 grams of fat and 16.3 grams of carbohydrates. The energy value of three medium potatoes will be about 200 kcal, which can easily fit into the daily norm. Moreover, for one such meal, the body will receive 42 milligrams of vitamin C (about 70% of the daily allowance). To get even more benefits from the dish, the expert recommends eating potatoes chilled.

Ivan: Potatoes are composed of starch – they are two primary carbohydrates: amylase and amylopectin in the ratio of 1/3 respectively. The branched structure of amylopectin is much easier to digest. This is why potatoes have a high glycemic index. Amylase resistant starch is less susceptible to our food enzymes, so it is a more complex carbohydrate. Resistance to digestibility decreases with heat treatment. However, when we cool potatoes, their structure crystallizes and the glycemic index is lowered.

Potatoes interfere with weight loss only if you incorrectly take into account its caloric content. In addition, the method of cooking plays an important role.

Here is the energy value of the most popular dishes from potatoes (the average value per 100 g dish is indicated):

boiled potatoes – 82 kcal;
baked potatoes (with a drop of oil) – 97 kcal;
mashed potatoes (with milk and butter) – 110 kcal;
fried potatoes – 192 kcal;
pancakes – 190-220 kcal;
French fries – 240 kcal.

The caloric content of some dishes made of potatoes is almost three times higher than the caloric content of the vegetable in its pure form. In addition, if you abuse some dishes, for example, French fries, you can really harm the body. So remember: potatoes are different from potatoes.

No matter whether you are in the process of losing weight or not, there is no need to exclude potatoes from the diet. However, you should pay attention to the form in which you eat them. You should minimize the use of oil during cooking or prefer boiled and baked potatoes.