Potatoes are a common dish in our daily lives. Some people say that eating potatoes can help with weight loss. Is this true? Let's first understand potatoes. The sweet substances in potatoes can satisfy our taste buds, making it a simple and easy method.
Can eating potatoes really help with weight loss?
Why do we gain weight? It's because hunger prompts us to eat continuously. The dietary fiber in potatoes can make us feel full, and carbohydrates provide us with a source of energy.
Potatoes contain a type of starch that is not digested by amylase, similar to dietary fiber, which gives a sense of satiety. This type of starch is called "resistant starch". However, once this resistant starch is cooked, it becomes digestible and absorbable. Therefore, if you want to eat potatoes for weight loss, you can wait for the cooked potatoes to cool before consuming them. This will generate enough satiety and reduce energy intake, thus controlling weight gain.
Potatoes contain dietary fiber, which can increase satiety and prevent excessive energy intake. Potatoes are rich in potassium ions, which can maintain the transmission of nerve impulses and prevent muscle spasms, making exercise during weight loss more effective.
Potatoes are a good source of vitamin C, which can help with antioxidant effects and maintain skin elasticity during weight loss. Especially in winter when fresh fruits and vegetables are scarce, eating potatoes can provide a source of vitamin C.
Can you eat sprouted potatoes?
Sprouted potatoes contain toxins. This is because fresh potatoes contain a small amount of solanine, which is not harmful to the human body. However, during storage, the solanine content gradually increases. When potatoes turn black, green, or sprout, the solanine content inside increases significantly. Ingesting a small amount of sprouted potatoes at this time can cause food poisoning.
Incorrect ways of eating potatoes
1. Eating potatoes as fries:
Take, for example, the fries from a fast food restaurant. Every 100 grams contains about 200-300 calories and around 10 grams of fat. Compared to regular meals during weight loss, choosing to eat such potato fries is undoubtedly adding insult to injury. The energy and fat content will increase, making it impossible to lose weight.
2. Eating potatoes as a side dish:
In our daily diet, we are used to making vinegar stir-fried potato strips as a side dish. Potatoes themselves are high in starch, and having rice as the main dish along with this plate of food means consuming additional energy from the main dish, making it difficult to control weight.
3. Eating potatoes as the main staple food for a long period of time:
Some people have heard that eating potatoes as the main staple food can help with weight loss, so they eat steamed potatoes every day as their main staple. However, this is not advisable. Consuming only one type of food can affect the intake of essential nutrients, leading to abnormal metabolism. Weight loss requires a combination of diverse foods, exercise, and increased water intake to increase metabolism.
