How starch in potatoes can help you lose weight with ‘little effort’

Researchers have found that one pantry staple, long considered a guilty pleasure, may actually help you “lose weight with little effort”.

Potatoes could be a secret weapon when trying to ‘lose weight with little effort’, a new study has found.

Researchers have discovered that one delectable starch – long a guilty pleasure – just might be a secret weapon when trying to “lose weight with little effort”.

As reported by the New York Post, a new study by the team at Pennington Biomedical Research Centre in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, have discovered the surprising health benefit of potatoes – which, as it turns out, are incredibly nutrient-dense and could be a crucial “part of a healthy diet”.

The root vegetable has long been snubbed as too starchy for people with insulin resistance, and was once thought of as a contributor of type 2 diabetes. But the spud’s bad rap might be rectified now that scientists claim it can be part of the ideal diet.

This is great news for those who plan to load up on roast potatoes at feasts over the holiday period.

Because the starch is low calorie but very filling, researchers found that filling a plate full of potatoes can contribute to a shrinking waistline.

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The versatile root vegetable once gained a bad rap for diabetics and the obese, as it was previously thought to contribute to weight gain and insulin resistance.

“People tend to eat the same weight of food regardless of calorie content in order to feel full,” Professor Candida Rebello, a co-author of the study, told SWNS.

“By eating foods with a heavier weight that are low in calories, you can easily reduce the number of calories you consume.”

The study included 36 people between the ages of 18 and 60 who were overweight, obese or had insulin resistance. Participants were given two different diets, both high in fruits and veggies and swapped 40 per cent of the typical American meat consumption with beans, peas or potatoes.

Beans have been touted as a diabetes superfood, as doctors once crowned the legume the best at keeping blood sugars stable – but these researchers were putting that theory to the test.

“The key aspect of our study is that we did not reduce the portion size of meals but lowered their caloric content by including potatoes,” Prof Rebello continued.

“Each participant’s meal was tailored to their personalised calorific needs, yet by replacing some meat content with potato, participants found themselves fuller, quicker and often did not even finish their meal.”

This starch staple doesn’t have to be banned from your dinner table after all.

‘We demonstrated that contrary to common belief, potatoes do not negatively impact blood glucose levels. In fact, the individuals who participated in our study lost weight.’

The main takeaway from Prof Rebello? “In effect, you can lose weight with little effort.”

Potatoes contain vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, folate and fibre, which all promote health, and have also been found to have antioxidants.

The potatoes were boiled – with the skins on – then placed in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours to maximise their fibre. The spuds were then included in lunch and dinner for the participants in the form of mashed potatoes, shepherd’s pie, wedges, salad and scalloped.

Upon nutrient comparison, scientists discovered potatoes were just as healthy as beans and peas.

“We demonstrated that contrary to common belief, potatoes do not negatively impact blood glucose levels,” Prof Rebello stated.

“In fact, the individuals who participated in our study lost weight.”

The study, which was published in the Journal of Medical Food, confirmed that people can still maintain a healthy diet and indulge in some potatoes, challenging what was previously believed about the once-damned starch.

“People typically do not stick with a diet they don’t like or isn’t varied enough,” Prof Rebello continued.

“The meal plans provided a variety of dishes, and we showed that a healthy eating plan can have varied options for individuals striving to eat healthy.”

While chips are not regarded as the healthiest way to eat potato, there is no need to keep spuds out of your diet.

Obviously carb lovers can’t only chow down on potatoes, but foregoing them altogether also isn’t necessary. In fact, potatoes are “fairly inexpensive”, and are easily incorporated into everyday meals.

Dr John Kirwan, the study’s lead investigator and the executive director of the Pennington Biomedical Research Centre, used the study to research the effects of food on diabetes and obesity, saying there is more to know about “complex disease” and how to solve it.

“Obesity is an incredibly complex disease that we are tackling on three different fronts: research that looks at how and why our bodies react the way they do, research that looks at individual responses to diet and physical activity, and policy-level discussions and community programs that bring our research into strategies our local and global communities can use to live healthier lives,” he said.

“These new data on the impact of potatoes on our metabolism is an exciting addition to the arsenal of evidence we have to do just that.”

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission