Fierce spud activists finally have proof of what we’ve been saying all these years: potato good.
This Back Page correspondent has always been an advocate for the humble potato.
Not for any medical reasons, but because I was raised by a couple of wartime pommies and potato was one of only three vegetables that I’ve ever seen them eat.
You have to admire the versatility and shelf-life of this under-rated staple. One can take comfort in knowing they’re always there for you in your darkest hours, in whatever form you choose.
I’m sure many of my fellow potato lovers feel as personally attacked as I do when health activists come after our beloved spuds.
But today, I have wonderful news.
People much smarter and more convincing than myself are wanting to clear the bad rap that potatoes have gotten all these years.
Oh, how long I’ve waited for this glorious day. At last, science confirms potatoes are good for us!
Well, at least better for us than white rice, which has a higher glycaemic load. But still, I’ll take it.
In a first of its kind study into the cardiovascular benefits of potatoes, 24 people with well-controlled type 2 diabetes were given either a daily baked potato with the skin on (measured to 100g, with only 20g of carbohydrates) or a portion of white rice with equivalent calories and carbohydrates. This continued for 12 weeks.
At the end, the lucky buggers in the potato group showed a modest decrease in fasting blood glucose levels as well as improvements in body composition, waist circumference, and a decrease in resting heart rate.
This reporter posits that perhaps those eating potato every day instead of rice simply had a vastly superior quality of life, leading to positive overall health outcomes. But I’m no doctor.
Study author and assistant professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Nevada, Dr Neda Akhavan, says that diabetics should not shy away from potatoes as they are the richest source of dietary potassium in Western diets.
“High potassium diets have been shown to prevent high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes development. Additionally, potato skins contain a certain type of fibre called “resistance starch,” which have been shown to improve glucose control, lipid profiles, and satiety,” she wrote.
Preparation of the potato is very important, as most of the good stuff is in the skin. And you wouldn’t want to negate any health benefits by frying them in butter and smothering them with salt.
Making a creamy mash or hot chips more of an occasional potato and opting instead for a daily baked is a sacrifice I’m willing to make if it means I’ll actually be encouraged in my potato-eating, instead of shamed and ridiculed by those who say rice is better for me.
I would never slander potato but let’s face it, baking them isn’t always the tastiest way. But these participants were allowed herbs and spices for their daily tater, as well as up to half a tablespoon of butter.
Certainly not enough for my grandad, who requires a 50:50 ratio of butter to literally any food item (including deep-fried battered fish from the chippy, which he breaks into pieces and uses as a scoop for his solidified animal fat), but surely enough for most of us to enjoy our baked potato.
And as with any style of potato, what you pair it with makes all the difference. A baked potato is an excellent base for a variety of delicious meals.
As a side note, the study was funded by the Alliance for Potato Research and Education, which I had never heard of but am genuinely thrilled exists.
There are people out there fighting for potato rights, and we live in a better world for it.
It may sound like I, too, am paid by Big Potato but I can assure you, this is an unsponsored PSA from a concerned citizen.
Eat your potatoes with pride, folks.
Send one story tip a day with just enough butter to penny@medicalrepublic.com.au
