Potatoes: Good or Bad?

The TOP 3 Foods to cause yearly weight gain spikes were:

• Potato chips
• Potatoes (any type of serving)
• Sugar-sweetened beverages

Something I've been really conflicted about lately is potatoes. I used to think that if it came out of the ground it was safe to eat, but now I'm not so sure. I know there are different forms of potatoes... like french fries obviously are not "good" for me. But what I've been hearing lately is that I need to stay away from potatoes because they are full of starch! So what is starch and why is it so bad for me??

Starch is a complex carbohydrate. What puts into question whether potatoes are healthy is the breakdown to sugar. For example... something with 90 carbohydrates, such as a 2 cup serving of spaghetti is equivalent to 22 teaspoons of sugar in your blood! (We'll talk about natural sugars in future blogs...)

According to Diet and Fitness Expert Dr. Melina Jampolis, "Potatoes do have a higher glycemic index, which means that they raise blood sugar more quickly than other vegetables, but they are also an excellent source of potassium, which is important for maintaining healthy blood pressure, and the skin of a baked potato is a very good source of fiber. So as long as you skip the high-fat toppings such as butter, bacon bits and sour cream, including a baked potato in your diet on occasion is fine."

So in the grand scheme of things, potatoes are fine! Just don't eat them everyday.... and don't smother them in cheese, butter, and bacon.