Potatoes Can Be Included in Weight Loss Diet

The humble spud can be included in your weight loss diet says research recently released by the University of California, Davis and the National Center for Food Safety and Technology, Illinois Institute of Technology. 

The study, funded by United States Potato Board, looked at the role of potatoes (a high glycemic index food) and the glycemic index in weight loss of 86 overweight men and women. Participants were divided into three groups each with a different diet regime that included five to seven servings of potatoes per week while reducing their daily caloric intake by 500 calories. One diet contained low glycemic index foods, another contained high glycemic index foods, the third was the control. All three groups lost weight.

“There is no evidence that potatoes, when prepared in a healthful manner, contribute to weight gain,” said lead researcher Dr. Britt Burton-Freeman, PhD, MS. “In fact, we are seeing that they can be part of a weight loss program.”

One medium-size (5.3 ounce) skin-on potato contains just 110 calories per serving, has more potassium (620g) than a banana, provides almost half the daily value of vitamin C (45 percent), and contains no fat, sodium or cholesterol.

– The United States Potato Board, a group of potato growers to promote the benefits of eating potatoes, submitted this information.