THE starchy foods are too often considered as “enemies” that must be kept away from in order to lose weight and regulate blood sugar.
However, using analysis, nutrition expert Keith Ayoob, EdD, RDN, associate professor emeritus at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (USA), demonstrated why it can be risk to eliminate starchy foods in the diet.
A day without starchy foods would result in a 21% decrease in potassium
According to the study published in Frontiers in Nutrition, just one day without any starch would result a 21% reduction in potassium, 17% in vitamin B6, 11% in vitamin C and 10% in fiber.
“ It’s tempting to think high-carb foods aren’t essentialexplains Keith Ayoob. But these foods are classified into different food groups for a reason: perhaps more importantly, they tend to have very good vitamin and mineral levels. “.
Potatoes, starchy vegetables rich in potassium
It is sometimes tempting to replace starchy foods with cereals for their richness in fiber and their lower impact on blood sugar levels. It turns out that the carbohydrate content of pasta and potatoes causes some people to ban them from the plate. Cereals are, in fact, an excellent alternative for health. However, it is not recommended to eliminate starchy vegetables.
Keith Ayoob emphasizes Potato. Compared to grains, starchy vegetables like potatoes tend to be higher in potassium. We remind you that an inadequate intake is associated with increased health risks. Potassium contributes in particular to the functioning of the nervous system, to your muscle function and to the maintenance of normal blood pressure.
In addition, potatoes can also constitute an excellent source of vitamin C.
Furthermore, while neither potatoes nor cereals are considered a major source of proteinsthe protein quality of potatoes is significantly higher than that of cereals.
“ As is so often the case in the world of nutritionthe advice boils down to balance, variety and moderation, which may sound boring, but these three elements are essentialadds the nutrition researcher. It’s important to get the right mix of vegetables and grains and include both starchy and non-starchy vegetables to meet our macronutrient and micronutrient needs “.
Clearly, we are not saying that you have to eat potatoes with every meal either. They remain a food rich in carbohydrates. Choose your cooking method carefully: prefer to cook them in water or steam to reduce their impact on the line and blood sugar levels.
Source: Keith T. Ayoob, Carbohydrate confusion and dietary patterns: unintended public health consequences of “food swapping”, Frontiers in Nutrition (2023), DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1266308
