ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES. *SOURCE: STARCHY CARBOHYDRATES IN A HEALTHY DIET: THE ROLE OF THE HUMBLE POTATO, PUBLISHED IN THE MEDICAL JOURNAL NUTRIENTS, NOVEMBER 2018
Confused about potatoes? If so, it’s not surprising. They’re widely perceived as unhealthy and don’t count towards your five-a-day fruit and vegetable tally. Yet spuds are a valuable source of important nutrients and the NHS website confirms they’re a “healthy” food choice. So what’s the story?
The truth is, the simple spud is complicated. Often eaten as chips, it’s gained a reputation as a dietary devil. And the anticarbohydrate trend has seen starchy white foods like spuds blamed for everything from weight gain to Alzheimer’s disease.
But nutritionists say potatoes have a wide range of health benefits and are packed with some of the nutrients British consumers don’t eat enough of. What’s more, in countries such as the US and Australia, potatoes do count towards the recommended daily intake of fruit and veg.
FOUR FACTS TO KNOW...