| Potatoes – The Original Wholefood |
However some recent studies have challenged this notion. Eating potatoes (instead of pasta or rice) with lean meat has been found to satisfy hunger for longer, helping to reduce overall food intake, and indeed, control weight. So rather than being the cause of weight gain, potatoes may actually help us in the fight against obesity.
One recent study compared the effects of eating either potatoes, rice or pasta with meat on hunger, satiety, insulin and ghrelin levels. Ghrelin is a hormone produced in the stomach. When levels are high, it stimulates the appetite and your feelings of hunger.
The researchers concluded that compared to rice and pasta, a satisfying portion of potatoes resulted in less calories being eaten at the meal and a lower rise in insulin levels after the meal, which was not counterbalanced during subsequent meals and snacks, despite higher ghrelin concentrations. The study supported the concept that ghrelin can affect hunger sensations but not necessarily food and calorie intake.
Another study published earlier in 2007 by the same scientists found that, contrary to the belief that mashed potatoes have a high Gi value and therefore won’t help you to feel full for very long, there were no differences in the glycaemic or satiety responses between boiled or mashed potatoes. Perhaps this has something to do with the variety of potatoes used or how much fat was added to the mash. Added fat could lower the Gi of the food, but obviously would not make it healthier. More research is necessary. The same study also found that boiled potatoes are more satisfying than french fries, which we expected, because carbohydrate is more satisfying than fat.
Further research at the same institution found that cold storage of boiled potatoes increases the resistant starch content, as well as lowering the Gi value and release of insulin in healthy subjects after a potato-based meal. Adding vinegar to potatoes in the form of a vinaigrette dressing also reduced the glycaemic and insulinaemic response, suggesting that eating cold potato products may help to control blood glucose levels and help people to feel fuller for longer.
So while the humble potato may seem a tad old-fashioned or boring in comparison to exotic entrants on the fruit and veg shelves, such as pomegranates and goji berries, it remains one of the most inexpensive and nutritious foods for sale in our supermarkets. Potatoes are good sources of fibre, vitamin C and potassium, and are naturally low in salt, fat and cholesterol. The research is also suggesting that potatoes can be eaten in many ways and will help to satisfy our hunger, and indeed control our overall food intake.
And in a world where we are increasingly concerned with global warming, buying Irish-grown potatoes means we don’t have to worry about food miles, with family run businesses such as Country Crest providing us with potatoes.
Owned by Michael and Gabriel Hoey, the brothers at Country Crest can trace back their farming tradition in the area through 4 generations. They have grown their business with a passion and commitment to providing the very best of fresh produce consistently to the Irish consumer. With experience and knowledge gained from growing vegetables, Country Crest supplies the finest quality potatoes, onions and carrots to major multiples like Tesco, with a priority on full and complete traceability of all potatoes and vegetables from plough to plate.
Michael insists their ‘traceability programme is an integral part of our quality control system and enables us to have complete confidence in the quality and safety of their products’.
This ethos of ‘the best of Irish Produce’ is mirrored in the added-value section of the company, recently opened on site. Here a wide range of vegetables and potatoes are prepared and cooked in a modern, state of the art, dedicated building.
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