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UnitedHealthcare Ask the Expert Kathleen Zelman Nutrition Expert White foods have been getting
a bad rap in the media lately, and one of our viewers wants to know, "Are potatoes bad
for you?" Answer, absolutely not. A recent conference of nutrition experts looked at
the contributions of white vegetables, including potatoes to the American diet, and found that
white vegetables can help fill in the nutrient gaps where Americans don't get enough. So,
a white potato, this is a red skin one, but it's white on the inside. If you eat the entire
potato, including the skin, you can get about three grams of fiber, which is a hefty amount.
Most breads, a slice of bread maybe has about one. It also contains lots of potassium. About
the equivalent of two bananas in one small potato. And a small potato has about 130 calories.
So, potatoes are good for you. They're nutritious. They can add to the American diet. And they
can also be gateway foods, so that you can pair potatoes with other vegetables. The problem
with potatoes tends to come with what we put on top of them. So, if we do a loaded baked
potato and you slather on the sour cream, and grated cheese, and butter, and bacon,
well, indeed, you're going to somewhat sabotage those nutritional benefits. Or the nutritional
goodness of the potato. But if you keep it simple. Mashed potatoes. Roasted potatoes
with healthy olive oil. Roast them with some vegetables. Mix in some spinach with your
mashed potatoes. Look at potatoes as a way to incorporate other nutritious foods and
go easy on the toppings. And go easy on the extra calories. And you can make potatoes
be a wonderful asset to your diet. UnitedHealthcare