The history of cooking knows many cases when this or that product, through the efforts of overly zealous nutritionists, fell into disgrace for many years. And absolutely undeservedly! Thus, tomatoes were considered in some places almost a poisonous plant, “useless” fiber was at one time intensively removed from foods, and potatoes, pasta and bread were declared the number one enemy for a slim figure. And each time it turned out that the gentlemen Experts in Healthy and Proper Nutrition were unforgivably mistaken. So what are the benefits of potatoes, and can they be used in weight loss diets to benefit the body?
The benefits of potatoes for weight loss...
One thing that has received a lot of damage (and continues to do so to this day) from nutritionists is potatoes. A huge number of specialists, when advising their patients to eat more vegetables, do not forget to make the standard clause “except potatoes”. It causes both obesity and constipation... Let's see what we are depriving ourselves of by refusing a vegetable that is “dangerous” for our waistline.
Potatoes contain:
- Minerals - phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, zinc, iron, iodine, cobalt, copper. And we haven’t yet mentioned calcium, which not only has a beneficial effect on the heart, but also prevents the stagnation of excess fluid in the body, thereby relieving us of edema and cellulite!
- Vitamins, especially group B. And in terms of the content of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), even the vaunted grapefruit cannot keep up with the modest tuber.
- Plant protein that guarantees satiety and reduces the likelihood of unplanned trips to the refrigerator.
- Fiber, the benefits of which for weight loss have not been heard only by those who, in principle, have never been interested in this topic.
- Starch. Although it has the property of strengthening the stomach, it has a beneficial effect on digestion in general and is a slow-digesting carbohydrate.
- Water.
There is no point in denying yourself the pleasure of eating potatoes.
With all this, potatoes contain a minimum of fat and very few harmful “fast” carbohydrates. And its calorie content is only 80 kcal per 100 g. For comparison, the favorite of experienced “dieters,” buckwheat, contains three and a half times more, and pearl barley four times.
Is it possible to eat potatoes while losing weight or just to eat: all the secrets
Many people who are losing weight and following healthy eating exclude potatoes from their diet. It is believed that due to the high concentration of starch, potatoes are harmful to the figure. But this is a vegetable, and it is also available at any time of the year in our latitudes.
In addition, potatoes are enriched with useful substances and are one of the record holders for the content of potassium that is beneficial for the heart and muscles. In general, there are many nuances here. Therefore, let's carefully examine the question of whether it is possible to eat potatoes while losing weight or just to lose weight.
At the same time, I promise to debunk a couple of “potato myths.”
Benefits and harms
The beneficial effects of the root vegetable have been scientifically proven.
Its consumption has a positive effect on the heart: half a kilogram of potatoes contains the daily norm of potassium (3-5 g) and ¼ of the daily norm of magnesium (400 mg) ! Potatoes are rich in B vitamins, which contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous and muscular systems, as well as ascorbic acid (20 mg per 100 g of raw vegetable), which plays an important role in metabolism and regulation of the immune and circulatory systems.
When cooked correctly, it retains a sufficient amount of fiber (5 g in one medium potato), which promotes normal digestive tract function and the elimination of toxins.
Potatoes contain 5 essential amino acids: phenylalanine (0.19 g), tyrosine (0.19 g), lysine (140 mg), leucine (130 mg), valine (122 mg).
They participate in the synthesis of protein, thyroid hormones, and have a beneficial effect on metabolic processes.
However, this vegetable can be harmful and even poisonous.
When exposed to sunlight for a long time, a toxic substance, solanine, is formed in the peel of the root crop.
Solanine gives potatoes their green color.
It negatively affects the digestive system, causing severe poisoning; if solanine is consumed by pregnant women, it can cause deformities in the fetus.
To avoid such consequences, simply carefully inspect the tubers before cooking and do not use those that have turned green or sprouted.
And now about what worries every person who is losing weight - about dietary properties. Many nutritionists do not recommend eating potatoes on a diet because they are starchy. But this statement is partly erroneous; it all depends on the season, method of preparation and serving size. In short, there should be potatoes in the diet of a pp-schnik! But now we’ll figure out which one is possible, when and in what quantity.
Young or old potatoes
All of the above beneficial properties apply more to potatoes, which appear in stores at the end of May-June.
These are young tubers that have not had time to accumulate a large amount of starch, but are rich in vitamins and minerals.
Young potatoes can be eaten not only during weight loss, but also during weight loss. Its calorie content is 60-65 kcal per 100 g!
That is, 3-4 boiled potatoes with a drop of olive oil or a small amount of butter will fit perfectly into any menu, even a low-calorie menu of 1200 kcal! And sprinkle it with chopped dill and add a portion of okroshka - you get a delicious full-fledged lunch!
The situation is different with potatoes, which are harvested in the fall and sold throughout the winter and early spring. It's called old. During storage in “old” potatoes, carbohydrates decompose into simple sugars, and most useful micro- and macroelements are destroyed. Calorie content more than 80 kcal per 100 g.
In addition, it is the overwintered tubers that accumulate a lot of solanine. All this is the reason why you should not eat old potatoes on a diet. Although if you really want it, you can treat yourself to something baked in its uniform. Occasionally it can be used as a component for hearty salads, for example, Olivier salad or shuba. Just don’t forget to calculate the KBJU in this case.
What kind of potatoes can you eat on a healthy diet?
When properly prepared, potatoes and diet are quite compatible.
One of the important rules is that the more additional ingredients in a potato dish, the higher its calorie content.
This means that when creating a diet, it is better to give preference to boiled or baked potatoes without unnecessary additives rather than mashed potatoes made with full-fat milk and butter.
Then the question arises, how many times a week can you eat potatoes while on a diet?
A serving of 2-3 baked or boiled potatoes in their jackets will not harm your figure even if consumed daily.
At the same time, with proper nutrition, potato dishes are best combined with fresh vegetable salad with the addition of a drop of olive oil, herbs, and herbs.
This supplement will saturate the body with slow carbohydrates, unsaturated fats, vitamins and fiber.
Of course, like any carbohydrate product, it is better not to eat potatoes at night . It is ideal for a hearty and healthy lunch.
Fried potatoes and french fries, beloved by many, are strictly prohibited. In addition to the high calorie content due to the abundance of fat, such dishes also often contain harmful carcinogens.
Our traditional cuisine, by the way, is “wrong” in many ways when it comes to using potatoes. For example, soups (meat and fish) are usually prepared not only with potatoes, but also with cereals or pasta. Here it is better to choose one thing - either potatoes with vegetables or cereals. It’s not entirely appropriate to combine potatoes with fatty fish or meat.
Calorie tables for the most popular potato dishes
Finally, some dry numbers - this way you can more clearly see how “different” potatoes can be
Name | kcal per 100 g | squirrels | fats | |
steamed potatoes | 80,2 | 2 | 1,4 | 19,78 |
in uniform | 78 | 2,7 | 0,1 | 15,4 |
puree with milk | 90 | 5 | 2 | 14,1 |
stewed with meat (turkey) | 80 | 6 | 2 | 9,7 |
fried potatoes | 192 | 2,8 | 9,5 | 23,4 |
fries | 340 | 5 | 17 | 42 |
chips | 487 | 4,6 | 28,5 | 52 |
...And its harm
But it’s not for nothing that adherents of proper nutrition at one time anathematized potatoes and mercilessly crossed them out of the diet? Yes and no.
- The bad reputation of the root vegetable has been created primarily by our unhealthy eating habits. We fry it with butter (some even with cracklings!), deep-fry it, turn it into puree with a good portion of butter, crunch it with chips with gusto... And even if we bake it, we serve the potatoes with ketchup and other non-dietary sauces. As a result, a harmless 80 kcal in the blink of an eye “swells” to almost 200 for fried potatoes and more than 300 for deep-fried potatoes.
- The abundance of starch in the root vegetable can add folds to our waist if we consume the product too often, in large quantities or in the afternoon, especially for dinner.
The benefits of baked potatoes
If someone prefers vegetables from the oven, then there is great news: the benefits of baked potatoes for weight loss are no less than those of boiled ones. The same low calorie content, the same useful microelements, and in addition, the root vegetable does not need to be peeled before baking, but, unlike boiled, it is better to eat it hot, since when cold it dries out slightly.
If you are determined to quickly lose weight, then you cannot use oil when baking, otherwise the vegetable will become covered with a golden crust, as if frying. There is no need to explain how bad this is for the heart, because many people know the harm from fried potatoes or french fries. When losing weight, you can never have too many potatoes, and it’s impossible to imagine the Russian diet without them. Baked dishes based on it are rich in carbohydrates and fiber, which are so necessary for the body. In addition, proteins in the form of globulin, albumin, protein and peptone are also present in the root vegetable.
So is it possible to lose weight by eating potatoes?
Potatoes are different from potatoes
Experience shows that proper consumption of potatoes does not interfere with weight loss. Put aside the frying pan and deep fryer, replacing them with a steamer and grill that do not require the use of oil. Boil and bake potatoes in their skins - by the way, they contain many useful elements. Avoid mayonnaise and other “wrong” condiments. Finally, take the advice of supporters of separate nutrition, who prefer to consume potatoes not as a side dish for meat (animal protein + vegetable protein), but as an independent dish or part of a vegetable salad.
Calorie table for potato dishes
To ensure we don’t get into trouble, let’s check what the real nutritional value of potatoes prepared in different ways is.
Product name | Calorie content per 100 g | Squirrels | Fats | Carbohydrates |
Potato juice | 77 Kcal | 2 g | 0.4 g | 16 g |
Boiled jacket potatoes | 78 Kcal | 2.4 g | 0.8 g | 17.2 g |
Potatoes baked in their jackets | 109 Kcal | 2.4 g | 2.2 g | 20.5 g |
Stewed | 103 Kcal | 1.9 g | 2.9 g | 18 g |
Fried | 192 Kcal for cooked in oil and 224 in lard | 2.8 g | 9.5 g | 23.4 g |
Benefits of boiled potatoes
The chemical composition of boiled potatoes is enriched with vitamins B, C, E, solanine, and microelements:
- magnesium,
- copper,
- choline,
- zinc,
- selenium,
- calcium,
- chromium,
- molybdenum
- potassium.
At the same time, it is important to buy root vegetables during harvest in order to be sure of purchasing a fresh, healthy product, because in winter they often sell already sprouted ones. Storage should be in a cool place. Potatoes for weight loss have a low energy value - only 86 Kcal per 100 grams of finished dish. Thanks to such a low level, the root vegetable can be called a truly dietary product.
Is it possible to eat boiled potatoes while losing weight? Need to! When losing weight, the benefits of boiled potatoes are only beneficial: you not only eat and enrich your body with essential substances, but also quickly lose weight, because you only eat low-calorie potato dishes. In addition, preparing them is very simple: peel the vegetables, put them in a saucepan, add water and boil. In 20-30 minutes you will have a full-fledged side dish ready, which can be diluted with salad, meat, fish, vegetables
Menu and rules of the potato diet
There are many options for losing excess weight using potatoes. Here, for example, is one of the most effective, but at the same time, alas, monotonous diets...
Nine day diet
The potato diet is satisfying, tasty, but incredibly boring
Day 1–3:
In the morning, bake 1.5 kg of well-washed but unpeeled potatoes in the oven, divide them into 4-5 servings and eat them at regular intervals throughout the day. Oil, salt and spices are prohibited, but it is allowed to brighten up the taste of the dish with a sprig or two of dill or parsley.
Day 4–6:
Boil the same amount of potatoes in their skins, divide into 5 servings and eat throughout the day. During the first three meals, it is allowed to pour a small amount of olive oil over the prepared tubers or sprinkle with lemon juice.
Day 7–9:
It's time for boiled potatoes. If you wish, turn it into a puree by adding a small piece of butter, a lot of herbs and 2-3 cloves of garlic pressed into the pan.
Have dinner no later than four hours before bed, drink at least 2 liters of clean water every day and as a result you will get clean intestines, no feeling of hunger and a loss of 3, 5, and sometimes 7 kg. True, there is a risk that during this time you will hate potatoes.
Menu for 7 days: with and without kefir
What is not prepared from potatoes?
Does your diet seem too boring? Try another, more creative one. True, dinner is not provided on this diet, but every time you have a new dish for breakfast and lunch.
Monday.
- Breakfast: 150–200 g of mashed potatoes with milk, but without salt. If desired, add a sprig of parsley or half a crushed clove of garlic.
- Lunch: A bowl of soup with meat broth (use lean beef) with potato dumplings. A small portion of vegetable salad. No potatoes!
Tuesday.
- Breakfast: Potato casserole with vegetables. You can add low-fat milk, but skip the cheese and sour cream.
- Lunch: A bowl of chicken broth and a plate of vegetable salad with potatoes prepared in any of the permitted ways. One hard-boiled egg - cut it and add to the salad.
Wednesday.
- Breakfast: 2-3 dumplings with potatoes (you can add a little sour cream).
- Lunch: Rice soup with potatoes, a plate of cucumber and tomato salad.
Thursday.
- Breakfast: A couple of jacket potatoes boiled with garlic and herbs.
- Lunch: Soup based on potatoes and any cereal, cucumber salad, seasoned with a dessert spoon of butter.
Friday.
- Breakfast: Potato casserole with legumes - peas or beans. Or a couple of small boiled potatoes and, separately, a portion of beans.
- Lunch: Mushroom soup and vegetable salad with pieces of boiled potatoes.
Saturday.
- Breakfast: Vegetable casserole with potatoes again. You can add a small slice of cheese.
- Lunch: Thick mashed potato soup with tomatoes and a salad of fresh tomatoes and herbs.
Sunday.
- Breakfast: Draniki. Since you will be dealing with oil, keep it as little as possible.
- Lunch: Soup with potatoes and chicken, vegetable salad.
Instead of dinner, drink water and herbal teas. But be careful! If you suffer from edema, excess fluid in the evening will make the problem worse.
Kefir with berries will turn a diet dinner into a pleasure
Another variation of the same diet suggests eating a glass of kefir for dinner, whipped into a cocktail with herbs, garlic and fresh cucumber or a handful of berries. If you do everything right, you will get a digestive tract that works like a clock, your body is cleansed of waste and toxins and, on average, you will lose 5 kg.
Cabbage diet
If you're in a hurry and can't wait to see results, tighten your belt and stick to the potato-cabbage diet for a week. All you will eat daily is:
- potatoes - 4 medium-sized pieces, boiled or baked in their skins;
- cabbage - 500 g fresh, stewed in water or steamed;
- herbal teas without sugar, mineral water without gas, drinking water - in unlimited quantities.
Salt and spices are prohibited, except black pepper and garlic. But you will get rid of at least 7 kilos! True, along with them there is a risk of losing your good mood and well-being, so don’t get too carried away with this diet.
If you are too hungry, give yourself dinner three times a week from a 200-gram piece of boiled fish.
Potato and egg weight loss
Original idea for dinner
When just 1.5–3 kg spoils your life, there is no point in tormenting yourself with a weekly race. Set aside three days to lose weight and spend them on the following diet:
- Breakfast: 200 g of milk, kefir or unsweetened drinking yogurt.
- Lunch: 300 g of boiled potatoes, pureed using a blender, a few spoons of milk and a pinch of black pepper.
- Dinner: salad of a couple of small boiled or baked potatoes, sprinkled with vinegar, hard-boiled egg, black pepper and herbs. A nice bonus - 1 tsp. vegetable oil and a little salt.
Potassium diet
Do you want to lose weight without suffering from a monotonous diet? Easily! Just combine potatoes, cereals and dried fruits in your menu. For example, like this:
- Have breakfast with a portion of buckwheat cooked in milk.
- During lunch, eat a handful of dried apricots and a glass of carrot or any other vegetable juice.
- Have lunch with a bowl of beef broth soup with potatoes and snack on a 150-gram portion of boiled rice.
- A dietary dessert made from an apple baked with a small amount of raisins and 12 tsp will allow you to turn your diet into a real celebration of the belly. cinnamon.
- Dinner will consist of a potato cutlet with boiled beef. The piece of meat should be very small, no more than 50 g.
Menu (Power Mode)
Potato diet menu for 3 days
In 3 days of this diet method you can lose up to 3 kg.
Potato diet menu for 7 days
The seven-day menu of this method excludes dinners in order to reduce the amount of carbohydrates entering the body. But if the feeling of hunger is too overwhelming, you can eat a vegetable salad with a negative calorie content. The vegetables included in its composition do not bring with them any energy value, but the body spends a huge amount of energy on their digestion. These are cabbage, cucumber, celery, asparagus, radishes, spinach, carrots.
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An example of dietary recipes with a “dangerous” vegetable
Potatoes with tomato sauce
You can always find a replacement for harmful ketchup
You will need:
- Potato.
- Tomatoes.
- Garlic.
- Parsley.
- Dill.
- Black pepper.
All proportions are arbitrary and depend only on your taste and the number of eaters.
Preparation:
- Wash the potatoes using a hard dish sponge and boil them in their skins.
It is advisable to do without salt. While the potatoes are cooking, make the sauce. - Finely chop the tomatoes.
Immediately transfer the tomatoes to a plate to retain their juices. - Chop the greens.
Instead of parsley, you can use basil or another herb of your choice. - Chop the garlic.
If you don’t have a garlic press at hand, you can finely chop the clove - Peel the finished potatoes and cut them into pieces.
Small potatoes are easy enough to peel - Mix chopped tomatoes, herbs and garlic, season with pepper and pour the resulting seasoning over the potatoes.
Ready! If desired, add basil, finely chopped onion or other seasonings to the dish.
With pleasant sourness
Sorrel will provide the dish with vitamins and add a special taste.
You will need:
- Potato.
- Sorrel.
- Garlic.
- Olive oil or unsweetened natural yogurt.
- Pepper optional.
The proportions are arbitrary, but if you have not dealt with sorrel before, take it smaller - about 1 small bunch for 3 large potatoes.
Preparation:
- Peel the root vegetables and boil until tender.
If you absolutely don’t like unsalted potatoes, add a little salt, but you can do without it. Clean before or after cooking, it's up to you - Grind the sorrel.
The amount of ingredient depends on the tastes of the cook - Pass the garlic through a press.
The fragrant component will give the dish a spicy note - Mix with butter or yogurt.
The thickness of the sauce depends on the juiciness of the sorrel - Cut the potatoes into slices and cover with green sauce.
Tasty and unusual
With rosemary in the oven
Potatoes with rosemary - almost a classic
You will need:
- 4-5 small potatoes.
- Fresh or dried rosemary – ½ tsp.
- Vegetable oil – ½ tbsp. l.
- Black pepper.
- Salt.
Preparation:
- Mix rosemary, pepper and salt.
If you are using a fresh plant, rinse it first, pick the thin “needles” from the stem and chop it. If you want to get the perfect result, grind the ingredients in a mortar - Wash the potatoes well, pat dry with a paper towel and cut into large slices.
Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with seasonings and drizzle with oil. Lightly grease a baking sheet with oil, or better yet, line it with foil. - Place the spiced potatoes in an oven preheated to 200 degrees.
After 10–15 minutes, turn it off and leave the finished dish behind the closed door for another 10–12 minutes. Half an hour and lunch is ready
Considering the small amount of oil and salt, the recipe can safely be called healthy and dietary, but still try not to eat it for dinner.
Video: Cooking new potatoes
Reviews about losing weight on potatoes
I’ll say right away that I love potatoes. I baked it in the oven, ate it both cold and hot, about 1 kg per day. I thought I would be hungry. Nothing like that, more than enough! But it’s difficult to eat potatoes alone; I added lettuce, fresh cucumber or a little sauerkraut, and sometimes 1% kefir to my diet. In 10 days minus 7 kg.
I can say - it’s a good diet, there are results. In a week I lost 2.5 kg. Maybe not a lot, because you always want quick and reliable results, but I’m still happy that I persevered and managed to maintain the lost kilos.
Every day I ate 6 medium jacket potatoes with half a liter of kefir. Pros: it really lasts, there is an effect at 700 grams per day, no problems with stool. To be honest, I salted the potatoes a little. Cons: virtually no protein, few vitamins and minerals. I recommend it as fasting days.
I’ve been drinking potato juice 2 times a day, 150 g before meals, for two weeks now and don’t regret it. It helped me forget about stomach pains and normalized the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. As for weight, during this time I managed to lose 1 kg, although I did not change my diet. As I understand it, this is due to the fact that drinking potato juice speeds up the metabolism.
Potatoes can be both the friend and the enemy of your transformation. It all depends on how to use this difficult vegetable. You don't have to love it - fortunately, the world is full of a wide variety of diets. But if you consider yourself a true potato connoisseur and are saddened by the forced abandonment of your favorite dish for the sake of your figure, you don’t have to worry anymore. Enjoy potatoes to your heart's content and lose weight!
Boil, not fry
The myth that potatoes are an unhealthy product is due to the fact that for most people, their favorite dishes are fried potatoes, especially in lard, and chips. Their calorie content is 4-6 times (!) higher than the calorie content of simply boiled potatoes.
“Baked or boiled (preferably in the skin) potatoes 2-3 times a week in moderate portions are useful for almost everyone,” advises Tamara Popova. — Peeled potatoes should not be kept in water for a long time, as they lose up to 20% of their vitamins. For variety, you can make potato cutlets or bake potatoes with milk sauce. For the first course, you need to prepare mashed potatoes (for 400 g of potatoes - 1 egg and 20 g of butter, salt to taste), make cutlets from it, bake them in the oven, then pour sour cream on them.
For the second recipe, make a milk sauce from flour, milk and salt (per 100 g of milk - 10 g of flour). Boil the potatoes cut into slices until half cooked, drain the water, place on a baking sheet, pour in milk sauce and bake in the oven. By the way, milk is a protein product, so it goes well with potatoes.”
Read about potatoes on AiF Kitchen's Facebook or VKontakte accounts
If dishes made from carrots, zucchini and cabbage are fully welcomed by adherents of a healthy diet, then potatoes
they were mercilessly relegated to the dark side of cooking.
Absolutely unfair, and “With Taste”
will tell you why.
Potatoes can and should be included in your diet, because they contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. And if the vegetable is cooked correctly, it is also low in calories.