Those seeking to reduce weight have long been advised to avoid foods high in carbohydrates.
However, contrary to popular belief, scientists now believe that starchy potatoes could be the key to weight loss.
This is because, regardless of the calorie content, people prefer to consume the same amount of food at each meal to feel full.
According to researchers, those who add thick, carbohydrate-rich potatoes to their plates become full more quickly, preventing them from consuming more caloric meals.
Potatoes have approximately 80 calories per 100g, which is more than twice as much as carrots and broccoli.
In the same quantity, however, they contain up to half the calories of bread, pasta, and rice.
Researchers were quick to note, however, that the way of cooking and preparing potatoes is crucial, and that chips and crisps should be avoided because frying reduces their nutritional content.
Professor Candida Rebello, a dietician at the Pennington Biomedical Research Centre in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, stated: ‘To feel full, people prefer to consume the same amount of food regardless of its caloric value.
By consuming meals with a higher density that are low in calories, you can quickly minimize your caloric intake.
“The most important feature of our study is that we did not reduce the portion size of the meals, but instead decreased their caloric content by adding potatoes.
‘Each participant’s meal was matched to their caloric demands, however by substituting some meat content with potato, they felt fuller, faster, and frequently did not finish their meal.
Effectively, you can reduce weight with less effort.
Potatoes are believed to contribute to weight gain, which can lead to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
But because food weight is a cue that influences how much individuals eat, the researchers hypothesized that those consuming the low-energy-dense food — that is, containing few calories per gram — would feel filled more quickly.
In addition, they believed that, if properly prepared, potatoes could offer the same health benefits as pulses, which are known to regulate blood glucose.
Researchers recruited 36 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 who were overweight, obese, or exhibited insulin resistance, which is the inability of the body to absorb glucose from the blood.
During the eight-week research, each participant consumed 85g of meat or fish with either 57g of potatoes or 57g of cooked pulses with bread, rice, or pasta.
Both diets were rich in fruits and vegetables, and participants substituted 40% of their regular meat consumption for the vegetable sides assigned to them.
Those who consumed potatoes boiled them with their skins on and then refrigerated them for 12 to 24 hours, with the cooling process increasing their fiber content and decreasing the blood glucose response that potatoes typically elicit.
Potatoes were served as sides for lunch and dinner, including mash, oven-roasted wedges, and potato salad.
The results, which were published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, indicate that the diets had comparable health advantages, independent of whether the participants consumed potatoes or pulses.
Those who consumed potatoes dropped an average of 5.8 kg (12.8 lb), whereas those who consumed beans lost an average of 4 kg (9.8 lb) (8.8 lbs).
And both groups experienced improvements in insulin resistance.
Professor Rebello stated, “Contrary to popular perception, we demonstrated that potatoes have no deleterious effect on blood glucose levels.”
Those who participated in our study experienced weight loss.
She continued, “People often do not adhere to a diet that they do not enjoy or that has sufficient variety.”
‘The meal plans offered a variety of meals, and we demonstrated that a healthy eating plan may include several options for those attempting to eat healthily.
In addition, potatoes are a relatively affordable vegetable to include in a diet.
