The Truth About Potatoes
So are potatoes the culprit, the food that is making our society overweight and obese? I mean, potatoes are a very common accompaniment to many meals. Or are we unfairly thinking of these spuds as duds?
I think it is the later. In fact, potatoes are actually a versatile and healthy option for many meals. Plus, potatoes are inexpensive, have a long shelf life and are available year round.
One four ounce potato contains only 90 calories. It is a good source of complex carbohydrate and contains fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Potatoes are cholesterol and fat free and very low in sodium.
But add a tablespoon of butter or margarine to a potato and the calorie count goes up by 100 calories. A tablespoon of sour cream can add another 30 calories. One-half cup of mashed potatoes with milk and butter contains about 110 calories and 4 ounces of French fries has close to 400 calories.
Potatoes Are Nutrient Dense Bursting With Vitamins And Minerals And Provide A Great Base For A Balanced Diet
They are an important dietary staple in countries all over the world. They are 99.9% fat free and are a great source of fibre when served with their skins on. They are high in starch so will keep you feeling full for longer. Potatoes are an important source of vitamin C. They also contain B group vitamins, potassium, iron, magnesium, and phytonutrients all of which make potatoes a great choice as part of a healthy diet. Yellow flesh and red-skinned potatoes are also high in antioxidant levels. Not only are potatoes easy to cook but they are good for you!
May Help Control Appetite
Potatoes are a very filling food, which helps control your appetite, aiding in weight loss, if thats one of your goals .
In fact, studies have shown that potatoes promote greater feelings of fullness than other foods with the same carb content .
This could be due to a naturally occurring molecule in potatoes called protease inhibitor II , which may suppress appetite and inhibit food intake (
26 ).
Health authorities also recommend storing potatoes in a dark, cool place instead of the fridge. This is because refrigerating potatoes may increase acrylamide production when you cook them .
Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Baked On Grease
Even If You Have Diabetes You Can Still Eat Potatoes
Im a certified diabetes educator, and people with diabetes can and should eat potatoes, says Antonucci. The issue usually comes into view with serving sizes. A potato can be any size it wants to grow, which is why you often see really large potatoes in the grocery store, she says.
A large white potato weighs more than 10 oz and clocks in with 375 calories and 61 g of carbohydrates, per the USDA. The amount of carbohydrates in a food will affect your blood sugar, and eating a large potato may unknowingly send your glucose levels soaring when managing diabetes. Tracking your carbohydrates, on the other hand, can help you balance your intake to control blood sugar levels, notes the American Diabetes Association. A more appropriate serving is a potato that can fit in the palm of your hand. If you cant find a spud that small, then just eat half or split it between two people.
How Many Grams Of Sugar Are In A Baked Potato
There is around 1.63 g of sugar present in a single small baked potato, and there is roughly 3.47 g of protein present in a single small baked potato. For a detailed analysis of the entire nutrition that can be found in one small baked potato, kindly refer to the nutrition information label that can be located to the left.
Recommended Reading: Best Western Plus Baker Street Inn & Convention Centre
Why Youll Love This Garlic Butter Steak And Potatoes Recipe:
- Quick: Ready to serve in 20 minutes, this is a great go-to recipe after a busy day.
- One pan: The potatoes and steak are cooked together in one skillet on the stovetop making cleanup a breeze.
- Simple ingredients: Theres nothing fancy you need for this recipe and youll have a lot of them already in your pantry.
Dont Miss: How Many Carbs Are In Diet Coke
Can I Lose Weight Eating Potatoes
1. Potatoes can prevent overeating. That might explain why, in one Journal of the American College of Nutrition study, researchers found that when people followed healthy potato recipes, they lost weight eating five to seven servings of spuds per week. Do the math: Thats a serving of spuds almost every day!
You May Like: Best Natural Oven Cleaner For Baked On Grease
Are Potatoes Too High In Carbs
No, potatoes are not too high in carbohydrates. Despite the high carbohydrate content in potatoes, they are still an essential part of a balanced diet. Potatoes are rich in essential nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium.
This makes them an important source of energy for your body. Additionally, potatoes contain an array of beneficial phytonutrients and fiber, which can help support digestive health.
When it comes to carbohydrates, potatoes are actually lower in total carbohydrates than many other traditional starchy foods such as rice, pasta, and cereal. However, its important to note that potatoes are a source of simple carbohydrates, which the body absorbs quickly.
You should limit your intake of highly processed carbohydrates, such as French fries and potato chips, as they can contribute to weight gain and other health issues.
Overall, potatoes can be a healthy part of a balanced diet. Eating potatoes in moderation, alongside plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins, can help you reap the nutrition benefits they offer without compromising your health.
Baked Potato With Butter
Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman
One full tablespoon of regular butter has about 100 calories, so that brings a medium-size baked potato up to 264 calories. One pat of butter only adds about 35 calories, which would make your baked potato just under 200 calories. If you’re following a diet that encourages healthy, high-fat foods, grass-fed butter and ghee are great options.
A tablespoon of butter has 11 grams of fat, 90 milligrams of sodium, and 0 grams of carbohydrates and protein, and contains 8% of your recommended daily value of vitamin A.
You May Like: How To Bake On A Pellet Grill
How Many Carbs In Sweet Potato
Do sweet potatoes have carbs? Absolutely but how many carbs in a cup of sweet potatoes? A cup of mashed sweet potato contains a whopping 59.2 grams total carbs .
Net carbs in sweet potato arent much lower. Since they contain a small amount of fiber, the same serving size clocks in at 54.9 grams net carbs.
What Are Some Decent Potato Substitutes
It is critical to keep overall carb consumption in mind while snacking or eating potatoes. Other veggies can be substituted for potatoes to assist you to maintain a healthy blood glucose level. Alternatively, if youre eating potatoes, take into account the portion size and carb level.
Instead of baking, boiling, or frying normal potatoes, make yams or sweet potatoes. Both are low in fat and calories, and they assist to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Sweet potatoes and yams, unlike potatoes, have a low to medium GI depending on how theyre prepared. Because of the fiber content, keeping the peel on the sweet potato reduces the GI even further.
If you crave mashed potatoes, try mashed sweet potatoes instead. Consider cauliflower mashed potatoes as an option.
Cauliflower puree has the look and feel of mashed potatoes, however, it has a low GI rating. Even half-pureed cauliflower & half-mashed potatoes might help to reduce the post-meal blood-sugar surge.
Recommended Reading: Super 8 Motel In Baker City Oregon
Baked Potato With Salsa
Sian Irvine / Getty Images
A simple way to add nutrients and flavor to a baked potato is a generous serving of your favorite salsa. A half-cup of salsa has about 48 calories, which brings a medium-baked potato to about 210 calories in total.
A 1/2 cup serving of salsa adds 10 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of sugar, 581 milligrams of sodium, and 12 milligrams of vitamin C.
Salsa typically contains healthful ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, garlic, onion, and peppers. This provides vitamins A, B, and C, along with potassium and lycopene.
Serve These Classic Oven
Now, you can dig in! If you want to keep these baked potatoes classic, just stick with the butter and pepper. But, Brookes also provides a few additional serving suggestions in case youre looking to spice things up even more. I like to serve these with toppings such as tuna, sour cream and bacon, chili or cheese, she suggests.
And, these also make great bonus sides. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge up to 3 days and reheated in the oven, Brookes says. We know this classic side will make the perfect addition to your main!
Read Also: Gp And J Baker Fabrics
Top 10 Keto Potato Substitutes
If youre craving potatoes, theres a keto potato substitute for you. Depending on the recipe, these swaps might make you think youre really eating potatoes on keto!
How Many Calories Are In An Average Jacket Potato
A medium-sized baked potato has 161 calories. Its not hard to burn off those calories by walking around the block once or going for a run!
Here are some other low-calorie food options that you could have instead:
120 calories per slice of pizza
115 calories per hamburger and well done
110 calories per hot dog
101 calories per scone
96 calories per chocolate chip cookie
91 calories per brownie
80 calories per piece of cake
76 calories per pudding
70 calories per couscous dish
65 calories per angel hair pasta dish
60 calories per risotto dish
55 calories per churro dessert
50 calories per frozen yogurt dessert
45 calories per cubed pineapple with sugar included in the name
Don’t Miss: Nutri Grain Soft Baked Breakfast Bars
The Bottom Line On How Sweet Potatoes And White Potatoes Differ
If you like potatoes, feel free to eat the types that you like the most. In other words: Dont feel like you need to eat a sweet potato just because its garnered a reputation as being healthier than white. Change things up for both personal satisfaction in your diet and to get a variety of nutrients, says Darsa.
New potatoes are a particular favorite of Antonuccis because they have an innate smooth, buttery flavor that doesnt need anything added to taste great. Simply boil the small spuds until tender and enjoy.
The poor potato has gotten such a bad rap, says Antonucci. Its a food that grows in the ground that has fiber and is filling. Weve gotten so confused that many people are afraid to eat potatoes. They are easy to cook and healthy, she says. In other words: Eat the potato.
Also Read: What Foods Are Good For You
The potassium content of foods varies depending on the type of vegetable or fruit they are. For example, bananas, beans, carrots, spinach, and tomatoes are all rich in potassium. Milk, eggs, fish, meat, nuts, and vegetables contain less potassium than fruits.
Average Americans eat about two thirds of their total daily potassium intake from food alone, with the remaining third coming from beverages. Thats more than whats recommended by the National Institute of Health. If you dont get enough potassium youre at risk of developing kidney stones, heart problems, and fatigue. Adding some potassium-rich foods to your diet can help prevent these issues occurring.
It is important to obtain most of your dietary potassium from healthy sources. The amount of potassium in foods depends on how they are grown or raised.
You May Like: Easy Baked Ziti No Meat
How Many Carbs Should I Have A Day
How much carbs do you need? According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the percentage of total daily calories that should come from carbs should range from 45 to 65 percent. Therefore, if you consume 2,000 calories per day, you should acquire between 900 and 1,300 of those calories from carbs. That comes out to somewhere between 225 and 325 grams of carbohydrates on a daily basis.
Baked Potato With Tuna And Mayo
Another way to turn a baked potato into a meal is to top it off with some canned tuna for a dose of protein and omega-3s. Add a dollop of mayonnaise to your baked potato with tuna for creaminess and flavor. This meal with mayo will contain about 350 calories.
You can also try a reduced-calorie mayonnaise with your tuna baked potato, or mix half your mayo with plain, non-fat Greek yogurt. You could try making your own mayo from scratch, or substitute yogurt for mayo altogether, which would put you at about 300 calories.
Choose tuna packed in water rather than oil if youre monitoring your fat intake. Otherwise, olive oil is an excellent source of healthy fat.
Half a can of tuna packed in water contains 76 calories, 16 grams of protein, less than 1 gram each of fat and carbohydrate, 15 milligrams of calcium, and 19 milligrams of magnesium. A 1/4 cup serving of Greek yogurt contains 67 calories, 8 grams of protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 4.7 grams of sugar, 100 milligrams of calcium, and 160 milligrams of potassium.
Don’t Miss: Urgent Care Baytown Baker Rd
Boosts Intake Of Antioxidants
Sweet potatoes, especially the variety with orange flesh, are high in beta carotene, a provitamin that your body uses to make vitamin A. Beta-carotene is considered a powerful antioxidant that can help reduce free radical damage in your body.
Antioxidants can help keep the immune system healthy and may help reduce chronic diseases. Food sources such as sweet potatoes are preferred over supplements for boosting your intake of antioxidants.
You May Like: 1200 Calorie Daily Meal Plan
How To Cook A Baked Potato
To cook a baked potato is pretty simple. Firstly, you need to get yourself a potato. Ideally, you should get one that is straight from the supermarket. This will be a pre-prepared potato, meaning that it has had the skin removed. This is done to ensure that the skin doesnt start to turn when it is in the oven. In order to cook the potato, you should carefully remove the skin. Next, you should cut the potato in half. Then you should cut each half into four pieces. You should place the potato pieces into a baking dish, cover with a lid, and put in a hot oven. You should turn the oven to 450F. You should leave the potato in the oven for 30 minutes. This is the ideal time to cook a baked potato. You should then turn the temperature down to 350F and leave the potato in the oven for another 30 minutes. The oven should now be ready for cooking your mashed potato. You should remove the lid, then add a small amount of milk to the pan. The milk is to keep the oven from drying out the potatoes. Then you should mash the potatoes in the pan. You should add salt to taste.
Also Check: Baked By The Ocean Long Beach
Baked Potato With Chili
A generous portion of chili can turn a baked potato into a full meal. Youd also get extra protein from meat or a plant-based substitute, fiber from beans, and antioxidants such as lycopene from the tomatoes. One medium baked potato with a quarter cup of chili should have around 250 calories.
A 1/4 cup serving of chili contains about 90 calories, 5 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat, 3 grams of carbohydrates, and 280 milligrams of sodium. It also contains 15% of your recommended daily value of saturated fats.
Dont Miss: Carbs In 1 2 Cup Blueberries
Are Potatoes Safe For Diabetics
Because potatoes are a starchy vegetable that is high in carbs, they canraise an individuals blood sugar levels. Eating too many potatoes can present problemsfor blood sugar control in people with diabetes. It is recommended thatdiabetics consume non-starchy foods alongside a moderate portion of potatoes tohelp balance out their glycemic load.
Don’t Miss: Baker’s Mark Baking Supplies
How Many Calories Are In A Small Baked Potato
There are around 156 calories in a single small baked potato , of which there are 28 calories derived from fat. The amount of total fat that is included in one small baked potato is 3.15 grams. When it comes to the fat content, one small baked potato has 0.61 grams of saturated fat, as well as other types of fat.