Food News: Potato Edition

Save PDF

Potatoes

Potatoes were in the news because of a new Harvard study that showed they can be fattening. However, potatoes are the highest satiety food when prepared as “skinny” meaning without added fat.

We took a look at a variety of potato foods in the grocery store and we were surprised that there are a lot of potato foods that are processed and high in fat. Here is the scoop - from the best scenario to the worst:

Calories Per 5 Ounces:

Lowfat mashed 106

Boiled 121

Baked 131

Stuffed 165

Potato salad 202

Hash browns 379

French fries 447

Potato Chips 750

Fun comparisons:

Calories Per 5 Ounces:

Chef salad 124

Hamburger 357

Apple pie 500

Cheesecake 541

Obviously the boiled potatoes and the mashed potatoes that use lowfat ingredients are the very best choices. Baked are a great choice, too, as long as you pick the right toppings. Potato chips surprised us but then again they are thin slices of potatoes that are fried so you are probably eating more oil than potato. And who can eat just one? We used the 5 ounce serving to compare the calorie density on each dish. Plus 5 ounces is a little less than half of a bag so it would not be that outrageous to eat that many while watching TV.

The biggest surprise? You would do better to eat a 5 ounce slice of cheesecake versus 5 ounces of potato chips! But the lowfat mashed potatoes are low in calories than a chef salad.

Our suggestion?

Fill a potato with steamed broccoli and top with a little Parmesan cheese.

Visit http://www.healthypotato.com/ or http://foodandhealth.com/recipes.php for more potato ideas.

Potato Guide

Russet

The classic baked potato. High in starch; light and fluffy when cooked; great for baking, mashing, and roasting.

Fingerlings

Finger-sized potatoes that are firm and come in different colors—red, gold, yellow and purple. These make wonder- ful boiled or roasted potato dishes.

White

These are the most versatile potato for any dish. They are medium in starch level and have a creamy texture.

Yellow

These potatoes look like they are buttered because of their yellow color and they are deli- cious when roasted, baked or mashed.

Red

Rosy red skin and white flesh. Well suited for salads, roasting, boiling and steaming. Round reds are often referred to as “new potatoes.”

Blue

Originated in South America; now popular in the U.S. Subtle, nutty flavor and flesh ranging from dark blue or lavender to white. Microwaving best pre- serves color, but steaming and baking are also recommended.

Source: healthypotato.com