Potatoestotatos

[Budiak]

Are potatoes alright to eat or are they just empty carbs? I've noticed that a regular sized baked potato with a can of tuna (or for that matter, a small chunk of lean beef) is a good tasting and fairly filling little meal.

I bought a fat bag of brown rice today, I know thats good. I also hear that sweet potatoes and yams are supposedly better for you than white potatoes, but I just plain dont like yams.

[Chris Rodgers]

I always eat them. I've never heard anything negative about them. I would like to hear other's opinions on this.

[gflexx]

well as for the potatos go i eat them (white) and they fill me up pretty good. i think they'll be alright for you they wont kill ur diet, plus my buddy whos a nutrionist said that they are the carbs. But i also eat the yams & sweet potatos damn they are good.

[The_Chicken_Daddy]

I fink that there is a potato called russet or something like that which isn't so good because the carbs it contains are really simple and you're hungry again within the hour.

[Joe Black]

I eat plenty of white potatoes..

As far as I am aware they are a quilaite source of carbs (complex carbs)

[Spiderman]

From what I have seen, White Potatoes are simple carbs. They're not to bad or high on the GI, but Sweet Potatoes (whole Baked NOT canned in sugar) or Yams are a much better source of carbs. They're more nutrient dense and they are a good complex carb source. Hope this helps some.

[Wizard]

Baked potato has a GI of 85/100(glucose based index) while yam has 51/100 and sweet potatoe has 54/100.Here's the difference.

[Frankster]

I dont know the difference between a sweet potato or a yam, can someone enlighten me?

[Anthony]

I don't have any documents in front of me, so this is coming from memory ... my apologies if the info is incorrect.

White potatoes are mostly complex carbs.
White potatoes aren't as calorie dense as yams.
White potatoes don't contain as much fiber as yams.
White potatoes don't contain as many vitamins/minerals as yams.
White potatoes have a higher GI rating than yams.

Other than that, I feel they are a good source of carbs.

PS - yams and sweet potatoes are the same thing, as far as I know.

[Savannah]

I've actually heard that these two are noot the same but I'm noot sure .
Dooes anyone know this exactly?

[Frankster]

Ok time to bring the diet expert out of the closet, Miss Abs, is there a difference between yams and sweet potatoes? I so, what is it?
And Anthony, so what you are saying is that sweet potatoes are overalll better than white potatoes, if they have a higher Gi rating than yams, does that mean that they contain more simple carbs?

[Anthony]

Yams and sweet potatoes are different, but for all intensive purposes, they are the same.

http://www.sallys-place.com/food/col...iszer/yams.htm

I'm not sure how many simple carbs potatoes contain (if any), but simple carbs are not relevant when talking about the GI (ie, a simple carb food can have a lower GI than a complex carb food).

And yes, yams are definitely better than white potatoes overall, but white potatoes are still a good choice for complex carbs, in my opinion.

[Frankster]

What defines the GI then? and what good doest it do to know what it does?

[Maki Riddington]

The glycemic index is a specific ranking of various foods based on their immeadiate effect on blood glucose levels.
Just because a food has a hight GI rating does not mean you have to fully avoid.Everything in moderation.

[Budiak]

I find white potatoes quite filling, partly because I'm such a small guy and it doesnt take much (good food) to fill me up. Funny...I can down a whole box of lucky charms but a single potato and some broccoli fills me up.
Remember, I'm not exactly trying to "lose" weight here. I gues I'm going to have to try sweet potatoes...damn I hate them... I think the only difference between sweeties and yams is the price.

[Frankster]

Ok then what defines the imediate effect in blood sugar, if its not that simple carbs, have a quicker effect, and complex a slower effect?

[Anthony]

Franco, it's measured by the Glycemic Index ... it really has nothing to do with simple carbs VS. complex carbs.

[Frankster]

REally? im confused, what is the glycemic index then? and what defines it?

[Maki Riddington]

Frank,read my post
If you want to know more let me know.

[Anthony]

Franco: http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm

That lists all of the foods that have been rated in the Glycemic Index.

[Frankster]

Thanks mac, but I also wanted to know what defines.
Thank you also Anthony, but im still a bit confused.
Can someone answer me here:
I always thought that complex carbs digested slower and simple carbs faster... i think im right on this, am I ?
for the same reason, I thought that simple carbs raised blood sugar faster than simple carbs, is this true?
It seems as if i was way off, i based everything on the category of carbs that food contained ( i.e. Complex/simple)
But it looks as if i should base my decisions on the GI index.
What defines the GI index? does anyone know, or is it just not known? ( iknow they test to see how quickly it raises blood sugar, thats not what i mean, i mean: why does certain food raise blood sugar quicker than others)
Does sweet potatoes contain more simple carbs than white?
thanks again

[Maki Riddington]

Frank,there are many factors when it comes to why some foods raise blodd sugar levels faster than others.

Here are just some.........
Physical form of the food
Fiber
Sugar
Acidity
Fat

If you are inetrested about this I would suggest going out and buying the book called "The Glucose Revelution"
It will give you a better understanding of the GI and it;s role.
Of course you may not agree with everything in the book but it's a start to understanding GI.
A sweet potatoe has lower rating than a white potatoe.
Sweet potatoe is aprox 54 while white potatoe is around 85.
Just because one has a high GI rating does not mean you can't eat it.Take carrots for example they have a high GI rating yet if you look at them they are comprised of water mainly so you would need to eat alot of them to spike your insulin levels.

[Frankster]

HEhe, *frankster eating 52 carrots with his creatine*
Thanks man, thats what i wanted to know!

[Anthony]

"I always thought that complex carbs digested slower and simple carbs faster."
- Not necessarily. One of the fastest carbs to be released in the blood stream is maltodextrin, which is considered a complex carb.

"But it looks as if i should base my decisions on the GI index."
- The Glycemic Index is more important for diabetics than it is for us. There are many factors that can change how fast the carb is released (ie, how the food is cooked, what temp it is, what you are eating it with, etc). Like mac said, everything in moderation.

"Does sweet potatoes contain more simple carbs than white?"
- I'm not sure. They are both excellent sources of carbs, imo.

[Frankster]

Thanks