When potatoes become a health hazard

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Potatoes are one of the foods that is often debated. Some claim that eating potatoes can help you lose weight, while others are 100% sure of the opposite. Some claim that any potato is harmful. For others, it is a favorite food. Of course, it's not a superfood, but it has strong arguments in its favor and should not be blamed for most "sins". ⠀

Let's find out how healthy potatoes are and whether dishes made from them can harm our health and shape.

If you don't want to gain weight or are losing weight, what do the Internet experts advise you to remove from your diet in the first place?

Sweets, bakery products, potatoes, pasta, white rice... I agree with sweets and bread, but what does this have to do with potatoes or durum pasta?

I want to defend this vegetable right away and tell you why.

• The energy value of 100 g of peeled potatoes without additives is 86 kcal. Proteins - 2 g, carbohydrates - 17.1 g, fats - 0.1 g, dietary fiber - 2 g.
• Let's compare its chemical composition with buckwheat porridge, for example.

The energy value of 100 g of cooked buckwheat porridge without additives is 102 kcal. Proteins - 3.6 g, carbohydrates - 17.1 g, fats - 2.2 g, dietary fiber - 1 g.

Everyone knows that it is more beneficial to eat complex carbohydrates. Have you ever wondered what are complex carbohydrates? That's right: fiber and starch!

So why is it that with almost the same starch content in buckwheat porridge and potatoes, potatoes are removed? They say the glycemic index is high.

Did you know that there is also a concept called glycemic load (hereinafter referred to as GL)?

It is calculated simply:⠀

Glycemic load = (glycemic index x carbohydrates, g): 100 г.⠀

In potatoes, the GI load is 11, in buckwheat porridge - 8.5 per 100 g of product.

In dietetics, the following scale of GI levels of individual food portions is accepted: a GI (glycemic load) of up to 10 is considered low, an average of 11 to 19 is considered medium, and a high of more than 20. The daily GI load of a healthy person should not exceed 100 units in total.

It all depends on the portion and cooking method. So these potatoes are not so bad.

Potatoes become dangerous for the figure when they turn into:

• into ... chips. It is pressed starch soaked in oil, thickly salted, and peppered, often with artificial flavors and flavorings. There are no vitamins, and the minerals are in such a form that it is better not to eat them. In addition, chips cause thirst and fluid retention in the body, which immediately affects weight. The calorie content of 100 g is off the charts: 500 - 550 kcal.⠀

• in... French fries. Vitamin C and minerals are preserved in them, but still, this dish is highly discouraged for those who care about a healthy stomach and weight. Calorie content - at least 400 kcal per 100 g of product. Frying is the worst way to cook and not only potatoes. When heated above 120 degrees, the carcinogen acrylamide is formed from potato starch. And the darker the color of the crust, the more harmful it is. In addition, fried potatoes are a source of dangerous trans fats.
• in... mashed potatoes with butter, milk, and egg. ⠀

All such potato dishes should be excluded from your diet! It's not the potatoes themselves that are harmful to the figure. First of all, it's the uncontrolled consumption of fats and fatty sauces that are usually added to them. Secondly, the amount of potatoes. If you cook it this way, you can eat quite a lot of it.