Potatoes aren’t getting a lot of credit these days. In fact, for many, they are at the top of the banned foods list as people try to focus on low-carb diets to lose weight faster. It’s somewhat unfair how quickly potatoes went from delicious side dish to energy of good health. The fact is we really do not understand the value these simple starches have in our daily diet and we need to take a deeper look into it as we try to find a healthy and tasty combination of foods for our daily lives. Let’s first discuss the aspects of the potato that are not so great.
Potatoes are high in carbohydrates which can make it more difficult for you to lose weight if you are combining your diet with a high level of sugars and fats. Your body will have too much to breakdown and the excess becomes weight. They also are one of the unhealthiest side dishes based on how they are most prepared and consumed. This includes French fries, tater tots, a baked potato with bacon, cheese, butter and sour cream, hash browns also prepared in butter and then smothered with ketchup and so forth. Consuming the potato in these ways will not be good for any diet, not just low carb.
On the other hand, when prepared the right way, potatoes are something we need to include more often in our diets. Did you know that they absorb cholesterol and excess stomach bile during digestion? Imagine being able to eat something natural, that literally comes from the earth and it helps lower your cholesterol and helps settle some digestive issues. How many people are on medications to fix those exact conditions right now? This is the key to eating healthy foods that are naturally grown in nature. It’s not about whether it’s good for you, it’s about how they are prepared.
There are dozens of ways to turn the potato into the enemy of all diets that must be avoided. However, there are also ways to start utilizing this natural wonder so that it’s still delicious, but also gives us the health benefits we need from it on a regular basis.