- Carb types affect nutrients
- Potatoes vs. rice study
- Nutrient deficiencies in US
According to a new study, not all carbohydrates are created equal.
Researchers from Montefiore Medical Centre in New York have found that substituting rice for potatoes may result in a deficiency of essential nutrients.
Deficiencies in the USA
An exhaustive analysis of the nutritional composition of typical American meals unveiled that substituting potatoes for bread and rice twice daily could increase potassium by 21%, vitamin C by 11%, and fibre by 10%; doing so could potentially mitigate the risk of developing colon cancer.
Diverse Carbohydrate Profiles
According to available data, approximately 95% of individuals in the United States fail to consume the recommended amount of fibre, a dietary component that is essential for proper digestion.
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The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that 98% of individuals do not consume sufficient potassium, a mineral that is essential for optimal blood pressure and muscle contraction.
Potatoes and Nutrient Density
The results, according to nutritionist and study director Dr. Keith T. Ayoob, demonstrate that carbohydrates are “not interchangeable” and possess “vastly distinct vitamin and nutrient profiles.”
In order to conduct the research, Dr. Ayoob et al. compared the fibre, vitamin B6 and C, and potassium content of a medium-sized potato to those found in white rice and whole wheat bread.
Subsequently, they determined the total daily difference in nutrients between the three distinct carbohydrates found in two typical American diets.
In addition to potassium and fibre deficiencies, the researchers observed a reduction of 17 percent in vitamin B6 in the rice and potato dishes. Vitamin B6, which is also present in poultry and pork, is an essential nutrient for maintaining healthy blood vessels.
The research, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, revealed that a medium-sized potato contains fifteen percent of the daily recommended amount of potassium, while whole wheat bread contains only three percent.
“It’s tempting to think of all carbohydrate foods as interchangeable, but these foods are categorised within different food groups for a reason—perhaps most importantly, they tend to have vastly different vitamin and mineral contents,” said Dr. Ayoob, a paediatric nutritionist at Montefiore Hospital and Medical Centre.
Potatoes are an excellent source of potassium, a “nutrient of concern” according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), as stated by Dr. Ayoob.
Moreover, while whole wheat bread lacks vitamin C, which is essential for repair processes, a medium-sized potato contains 30% of the recommended daily allowance.
The results, according to Dr. Ayoob, indicate that potatoes are more nutrient-dense than cereals such as white rice and bread.
He did not, nevertheless, examine the nutritional value of brown rice.
In addition, he recommended augmenting the starchy vegetable consumption with a variety of foods, including sweet potatoes and yams, rather than relying exclusively on potatoes.
