Have a potato question

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Have a potato question
4
Mon, 11-15-2004 - 9:33pm
I am still in Phase one, Day 9, but we will be at Phase 2 before we know it. Anyway, I know white potatoes are to be avoided. My question is more for my son than me. He won't eat the sweet potato, but if I do occasionally make a potato for him, what is the best way? I know in the book, it talks about whole foods being better, but then also talks about how baking a potato is like making a sugar pie of sorts. So that kind of confuses me in regards to the whole foods in potato terms. Would boiled, then mashed be okay? Any advice or opinions are greatly appreciated.

Lynnie

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2004
Tue, 11-16-2004 - 6:45am

Lynnie,


This might help answer your question:










Which spud's for you?







(Published 7/2/03) How you prepare a potato determines how fattening it is. Take a look:


Baked: This is the worst way of eating a potato, from the glycemic-index perspective. The process of baking it renders the starches most easily accessible to your digestive system.


Believe it or not, that baked potato will be less fattening topped with a dollop of low-fat cheese or sour cream. The calorie count will be slightly higher, but the fat contained in the cheese or sour cream will slow down the digestive process, thereby lessening the amount of insulin that potato prompts your body to make.


Mashed or boiled: This is better than baked, due to the difference in the cooking process, but also because you'd probably eat them with a little butter or sour cream, and the fat slows the digestive process.


Fried: Even French fries are better than baked, believe it or not, because of the fat in which they're cooked. But don't be misled-none of these are good choices for someone on the South Beach Diet™.


Potato type: The type of potato you eat is also a big factor in all of this. Red-skinned potatoes are highest in carbs. White-skinned are better. New potatoes, better yet-in every vegetable or fruit, the younger when picked, the lower the carb count. If you must indulge, do so sparingly. And try sweet potatoes instead of white


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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-22-2004
Tue, 11-16-2004 - 8:24am
If you can find them, your son might be more willing to try purple sweet potatoes. The skin is a dark purple and the inside is white like a regular potato. They still taste like a sweet potato, but not as strong. They are very mild.

Purple sweet potatoes are from Asia and may not be readily available in your area. I was lucky enough to know someone who planted them this summer. But you might keep your eye out for them.

Good luck.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 11-16-2004 - 11:01am
Great idea! I have some local asian food stores in my area, might have better luck there than the regular ole store.

Lynnie

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-19-2002
Tue, 11-16-2004 - 1:07pm

Hi Lynnie,


Boiled/mashed is better than baked, yes.