RE: Why are potatos bad for you?

[Guest guest]

Because they raise your blood sugar a lot. And when your blood sugar goes up, then comes back down you crave "bad" foods to eat. Carol

Why are potatos bad for you?

Ok, I know the reasons white flour, sugar, etc are bad for you. But why are potatoes bad for you too, and for that matter, white rice – I mean scientifically/physiologically? Does anyone know of any research/studies on this? I mean they aren’t processed or just invented – been around for a long time.

Thanks,

Amie

[Guest guest]

Because they raise your blood sugar a lot. And when your blood sugar goes up, then comes back down you crave "bad" foods to eat. Carol

Why are potatos bad for you?

Ok, I know the reasons white flour, sugar, etc are bad for you. But why are potatoes bad for you too, and for that matter, white rice – I mean scientifically/physiologically? Does anyone know of any research/studies on this? I mean they aren’t processed or just invented – been around for a long time.

Thanks,

Amie

[Guest guest]

I mean, I know they say they raise your blood sugar a lot. But I guess what i'm looking for are some scientific studies on physiologically why (sorry i'm research-bent).

thanks!

Amie

From: Carol Parsons Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 9:10 AMTo: South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-Right Subject: Re: Why are potatos bad for you?

Because they raise your blood sugar a lot. And when your blood sugar goes up, then comes back down you crave "bad" foods to eat. Carol

Why are potatos bad for you?

Ok, I know the reasons white flour, sugar, etc are bad for you. But why are potatoes bad for you too, and for that matter, white rice – I mean scientifically/physiologically? Does anyone know of any research/studies on this? I mean they aren’t processed or just invented – been around for a long time.

Thanks,

Amie

Reminder: The South Beach Diet is not low-carb. Nor is it low-fat. The South Beach Diet teaches you to rely on the right carbs and the right fats-the good ones-and enables you to live quite happily without the bad carbs and bad fats. For more on this WOE please read "The South Beach Diet" by Arthur Agatston, MD. ISBN 1-57954-814-8

[Guest guest]

>Ok, I know the reasons white flour, sugar, etc are bad for you. But why

>are potatoes bad for you too, and for that matter, white rice – I mean

>scientifically/physiologically? Does anyone know of any research/studies

>on this? I mean they aren’t processed or just invented – been around for a

>long time.

It sounds counterintuitive, doesn't it? Potatoes and rice -- nature's

all-natural food. Used for centuries by everyone and anyone for a good,

staple diet.

Well, there's a few problems with potatoes. One, I'm sure they are much

bigger now and have a higher starch content than back in, say, the

1900s. As with almost all vegetables, modern farming and genetics have

made them larger and better. Unfortunately, that means that when we eat a

potato now, we're eating the equivalent of a bunch more potatoes back in

those days.

Two, we don't use the calories we intake because our lifestyle is

easier. No longer are we up at 5am and toiling all day on a farm, sweating

and puffing to get the crops in or out or to survive. If we did, eating

potatoes and cookies galore wouldn't be an issue -- we'd be burning off

those calories so fast, we'd be *glad* to have the extra fuel. However,

nowadays, with our desk jobs and mostly sedentry lifestyle, few people need

that many calories, and potatoes are PACKED with them. They're little

powerstores, and we, frankly, don't need them.

Three, as the previous reply mentioned, the real danger that potatoes have

in the SBD is that they are full of starch. Starch breaks down to

sugar. Sugar isn't good on SBD because it makes your blood sugar levels

spike. In response to that spike, your body compensates by releasing

insulin, but it over-compensates and your sugar levels plummet, giving you

massive cravings which make it hard to avoid eating, say, an entire

container of Haagen-Daas.

White rice is similar except with white rice, the issue is that it has been

processed too much. Rice is not naturally white -- it is brown. It is

only white because it is milled and the harder, fibrous outsides are

stripped away to reveal the white inside. That white part is almost 100%

starch, just like the white of a potato, and acts the same way.

This is why, on the SBD, you are encouraged, when you put potatoes and rice

back into your menus, to use sweet potatoes and brown rice. Sweet potatoes

have less sugars than regular potatoes (strange, isn't it?) and contain

more fiber. Brown rice contains the fiber of the original rice and also

all the vitamins and other nutrients. Still, you are encouraged to not eat

much of either one -- but if you have to, that's what they recommend to

keep your blood sugars (and therefore, cravings) down.

Hope that helps.

-----------------------------

Maybe we met yesterday...

www.nathanpralle.com

-----------------------------

[Guest guest]

>Ok, I know the reasons white flour, sugar, etc are bad for you. But why

>are potatoes bad for you too, and for that matter, white rice – I mean

>scientifically/physiologically? Does anyone know of any research/studies

>on this? I mean they aren’t processed or just invented – been around for a

>long time.

It sounds counterintuitive, doesn't it? Potatoes and rice -- nature's

all-natural food. Used for centuries by everyone and anyone for a good,

staple diet.

Well, there's a few problems with potatoes. One, I'm sure they are much

bigger now and have a higher starch content than back in, say, the

1900s. As with almost all vegetables, modern farming and genetics have

made them larger and better. Unfortunately, that means that when we eat a

potato now, we're eating the equivalent of a bunch more potatoes back in

those days.

Two, we don't use the calories we intake because our lifestyle is

easier. No longer are we up at 5am and toiling all day on a farm, sweating

and puffing to get the crops in or out or to survive. If we did, eating

potatoes and cookies galore wouldn't be an issue -- we'd be burning off

those calories so fast, we'd be *glad* to have the extra fuel. However,

nowadays, with our desk jobs and mostly sedentry lifestyle, few people need

that many calories, and potatoes are PACKED with them. They're little

powerstores, and we, frankly, don't need them.

Three, as the previous reply mentioned, the real danger that potatoes have

in the SBD is that they are full of starch. Starch breaks down to

sugar. Sugar isn't good on SBD because it makes your blood sugar levels

spike. In response to that spike, your body compensates by releasing

insulin, but it over-compensates and your sugar levels plummet, giving you

massive cravings which make it hard to avoid eating, say, an entire

container of Haagen-Daas.

White rice is similar except with white rice, the issue is that it has been

processed too much. Rice is not naturally white -- it is brown. It is

only white because it is milled and the harder, fibrous outsides are

stripped away to reveal the white inside. That white part is almost 100%

starch, just like the white of a potato, and acts the same way.

This is why, on the SBD, you are encouraged, when you put potatoes and rice

back into your menus, to use sweet potatoes and brown rice. Sweet potatoes

have less sugars than regular potatoes (strange, isn't it?) and contain

more fiber. Brown rice contains the fiber of the original rice and also

all the vitamins and other nutrients. Still, you are encouraged to not eat

much of either one -- but if you have to, that's what they recommend to

keep your blood sugars (and therefore, cravings) down.

Hope that helps.

-----------------------------

Maybe we met yesterday...

www.nathanpralle.com

-----------------------------

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much for the information! The average potato though has 100 calories. But I guess that's not like what most people would get at a Sam's Club potato or what you'd get at Outback Steak House, or they probably mash them and don't know how many they've eaten.

I am half asian, so I think the thing about white rice is odd, that Asians have one of the healthiest diets in the world. I asked a nutritionist about this and she said it's most likely because they pair the white rice with proteins - sushi, kelp, etc that keeps the blood sugars down as it slows digestion. When I was a kid though we'd eat white rice balls (rice, bit of water and salt). So that's rather confusing to me. I don't eat it now, but I've eaten it my whole younger life. My mom is 65 and has better health that I do - she says it's because she eats everything!

-thanks!

Amie

From: E. Pralle Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 9:38 AMTo: South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-Right Subject: Re: Why are potatos bad for you?

>Ok, I know the reasons white flour, sugar, etc are bad for you. But why >are potatoes bad for you too, and for that matter, white rice – I mean >scientifically/physiologically? Does anyone know of any research/studies >on this? I mean they aren’t processed or just invented – been around for a >long time.It sounds counterintuitive, doesn't it? Potatoes and rice -- nature's all-natural food. Used for centuries by everyone and anyone for a good, staple diet.Well, there's a few problems with potatoes. One, I'm sure they are much bigger now and have a higher starch content than back in, say, the 1900s. As with almost all vegetables, modern farming and genetics have made them larger and better. Unfortunately, that means that when we eat a potato now, we're eating the equivalent of a bunch more potatoes back in those days.Two, we don't use the calories we intake because our lifestyle is easier. No longer are we up at 5am and toiling all day on a farm, sweating and puffing to get the crops in or out or to survive. If we did, eating potatoes and cookies galore wouldn't be an issue -- we'd be burning off those calories so fast, we'd be *glad* to have the extra fuel. However, nowadays, with our desk jobs and mostly sedentry lifestyle, few people need that many calories, and potatoes are PACKED with them. They're little powerstores, and we, frankly, don't need them.Three, as the previous reply mentioned, the real danger that potatoes have in the SBD is that they are full of starch. Starch breaks down to sugar. Sugar isn't good on SBD because it makes your blood sugar levels spike. In response to that spike, your body compensates by releasing insulin, but it over-compensates and your sugar levels plummet, giving you massive cravings which make it hard to avoid eating, say, an entire container of Haagen-Daas.White rice is similar except with white rice, the issue is that it has been processed too much. Rice is not naturally white -- it is brown. It is only white because it is milled and the harder, fibrous outsides are stripped away to reveal the white inside. That white part is almost 100% starch, just like the white of a potato, and acts the same way.This is why, on the SBD, you are encouraged, when you put potatoes and rice back into your menus, to use sweet potatoes and brown rice. Sweet potatoes have less sugars than regular potatoes (strange, isn't it?) and contain more fiber. Brown rice contains the fiber of the original rice and also all the vitamins and other nutrients. Still, you are encouraged to not eat much of either one -- but if you have to, that's what they recommend to keep your blood sugars (and therefore, cravings) down.Hope that helps.-----------------------------Maybe we met yesterday...www.nathanpralle.com-----------------------------Reminder: The South Beach Diet is not low-carb. Nor is it low-fat. The South Beach Diet teaches you to rely on the right carbs and the right fats-the good ones-and enables you to live quite happily without the bad carbs and bad fats. For more on this WOE please read "The South Beach Diet" by Arthur Agatston, MD. ISBN 1-57954-814-8

[Guest guest]

Quick answer is they turn to sugar (A LOT) very quickly in your body.

Kris

Why are potatos bad for you?

Ok, I know the reasons white flour, sugar, etc are bad for you. But why are

potatoes bad for you too, and for that matter, white rice - I mean

scientifically/physiologically? Does anyone know of any research/studies on

this? I mean they aren't processed or just invented - been around for a long

time.

Thanks,

Amie

[Guest guest]

Amie, do a search on Google.com and I'm sure you'll find TONS of facts!

)

Kris

RE: Why are potatos bad for you?

I mean, I know they say they raise your blood sugar a lot. But I guess what

i'm looking for are some scientific studies on physiologically why (sorry

i'm research-bent).

thanks!

Amie

[Guest guest]

At 08:27 AM 12/9/04, you wrote:

>I mean, I know they say they raise your blood sugar a lot. But I guess

>what i'm looking for are some scientific studies on physiologically why

>(sorry i'm research-bent).

Potatoes are a starch, a complex carbohydrate. The strings of molecules in

starches are long strands and are unprocessable by the human

body. However, our digestive enzymes break apart those strands into

smaller and smaller strands. These smaller strands of molecules are the

simple sugars. Eventually, these sugars are all broken down into glucose,

which is simple blood sugar, and is the kind used by our body cells for fuel.

It used to be thought that the more complex carbs took longer to break down

and therefore didn't have as much impact on blood sugar as the simpler ones

(IE: eating a tablespoon of table sugar was worse than eating a tablespoon

of mashed potatoes). However, it seems now, from recent research (and no,

I don't have specific references, you'd have to search on it) that this

isn't the case -- potatoes and similar still make glucose levels rise quickly.

A good, informative site:

http://www.empowerfoods.com.au/news/?article_id=20

It all relates to the glycemic index, which is what Dr. A talks about in

his book. Foods rated higher on the index have a greater impact on blood

sugar levels. The whole point of the SBD is to keep those levels at a

constant height -- you don't want blood sugar to spike and dip, you just

want waves. Having it like this a) makes it easier to avoid cravings and

therefore gorging on food you don't really need and doesn't put your

body into 'starvation' mode, where it packs fat away for later. Hence, you

lose weight.

I'm afraid I don't have specific whitepapers on all this, but I guarantee

there's a lot of resources on the web about things such as the GI and

digestion.

-----------------------------

Maybe we met yesterday...

www.nathanpralle.com

-----------------------------

[Guest guest]

At 08:47 AM 12/9/04, you wrote:

>Thanks so much for the information! The average potato though has 100

>calories. But I guess that's not like what most people would get at a

>Sam's Club potato or what you'd get at Outback Steak House, or they

>probably mash them and don't know how many they've eaten.

Well, that's true that a potato only has 100 calories, but the point of the

glycemic index is how FAST that 100 calories can get to your blood stream.

Bacon is about 211 calories per slice (12 slices/lb), but it is a better

food for SBD than a 100-calorie potato. Why? Because due to the fat

content of bacon, that 211 calories will take a long time to seep into your

blood stream. The 100 calories from the potato will hit your blood stream

like a Cadillac. 100 calories of sugar will hit your blood like a freight

train.

Look at it this way: You and I go out for drinks. We each have 6 shots of

vodka, but I drink one an hour for 6 hours, and you drink all 6 in one

hour. Who is going to be most affected? And yet, it's the same amount of

alcohol.

Sugar is like your blood's vodka shots. Eating bacon is like sipping your

drink, eating a potato is like having a shot after a meal, and eating sugar

is like doing shots on an empty stomach while your college buddies cheer

you on.

SBD is all about spreading out the impact of the sugar so that it doesn't

hit your blood hard and make your sugar level and insulin spike. Fiber,

fat, acid, and other factors slow down sugars and those are the foods that

SBD encourages.

-----------------------------

Maybe we met yesterday...

www.nathanpralle.com

-----------------------------

[Guest guest]

AMEN

What a fantastic image to remind me of the stupidity of going back

to eating sugar! LOL

<tarsi@b...> wrote:

> eating sugar is like doing shots on an empty stomach while your

college buddies cheer you on.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for such a GREAT explanation.... make me think about sugar in a WHOLE different way!

This should be added to the files! Great explanation!

~Smiles~*~* Stech*~* Georgia, VermontIndependent Consultantwith Southern Living at HOME

Love our products? Become a customerLove FREE products?? Become a hostess!Love ALL our products and need some extra money???~JOIN MY TEAM OF CONSULTANTS~ WWW.SouthernlivingatHome.com/Stech

Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring and integrity, they think of you.

H. Browne, Jr.

[Guest guest]

A lot of ppl are just plain LUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!

Kris

RE: Why are potatos bad for you?

Thanks so much for the information! The average potato though has 100

calories. But I guess that's not like what most people would get at a Sam's

Club potato or what you'd get at Outback Steak House, or they probably mash

them and don't know how many they've eaten.

I am half asian, so I think the thing about white rice is odd, that Asians

have one of the healthiest diets in the world. I asked a nutritionist about

this and she said it's most likely because they pair the white rice with

proteins - sushi, kelp, etc that keeps the blood sugars down as it slows

digestion. When I was a kid though we'd eat white rice balls (rice, bit of

water and salt). So that's rather confusing to me. I don't eat it now, but

I've eaten it my whole younger life. My mom is 65 and has better health that

I do - she says it's because she eats everything!

-thanks!

Amie

[Guest guest]

Hi, thanks again! But I know a lot of the GI and have read several books on it, and have communicated with Dr. Liz Applegate (author) and Jennie Brand (one of the pioneers of the GI research) about this as well. Probably why my diet was already in line with south beach before i even learned about it (actually south beach lets you eat a lot of foods that i don't eat!). I guess I am looking for the white papers. I know I can find them eventually, just didn't know if anyone could send me a link offhand

[Guest guest]

I know the points about the glycemic index, I was just responding to the parts of the previous email that said potatoes were loaded with calories. I didn't think that was necessarily true.

I think what also needs to be looked at are the Glycemic Loads of foods, too, not just GI. Potatos still have a moderately high glycemic load, but not nearly as high as once believed. Also if you pair eating them with a protein, the glycemic load of the entire meal drops as well. I guess too, I'm not a proponent of banning natural foods from a person's diet. Maybe if one ate potatoes alone each meal six times a day for months, it would be bad. But I don't think having a potato or even white rice as part of a balanced meal every once in a while will hurt anything - they are loaded with nutrition, too.

I am not saying when a person is dieting - be as strict as you want. i'm talking in everyday life. Something like fast food is another story. I would not eat nor do I recommend to my clients eating fast food EVER.

-Amie

From: E. Pralle Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 10:11 AMTo: South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-Right Subject: RE: Why are potatos bad for you?

At 08:47 AM 12/9/04, you wrote:>Thanks so much for the information! The average potato though has 100 >calories. But I guess that's not like what most people would get at a >Sam's Club potato or what you'd get at Outback Steak House, or they >probably mash them and don't know how many they've eaten.Well, that's true that a potato only has 100 calories, but the point of the glycemic index is how FAST that 100 calories can get to your blood stream.Bacon is about 211 calories per slice (12 slices/lb), but it is a better food for SBD than a 100-calorie potato. Why? Because due to the fat content of bacon, that 211 calories will take a long time to seep into your blood stream. The 100 calories from the potato will hit your blood stream like a Cadillac. 100 calories of sugar will hit your blood like a freight train.Look at it this way: You and I go out for drinks. We each have 6 shots of vodka, but I drink one an hour for 6 hours, and you drink all 6 in one hour. Who is going to be most affected? And yet, it's the same amount of alcohol.Sugar is like your blood's vodka shots. Eating bacon is like sipping your drink, eating a potato is like having a shot after a meal, and eating sugar is like doing shots on an empty stomach while your college buddies cheer you on.SBD is all about spreading out the impact of the sugar so that it doesn't hit your blood hard and make your sugar level and insulin spike. Fiber, fat, acid, and other factors slow down sugars and those are the foods that SBD encourages.-----------------------------Maybe we met yesterday...www.nathanpralle.com-----------------------------Reminder: The South Beach Diet is not low-carb. Nor is it low-fat. The South Beach Diet teaches you to rely on the right carbs and the right fats-the good ones-and enables you to live quite happily without the bad carbs and bad fats. For more on this WOE please read "The South Beach Diet" by Arthur Agatston, MD. ISBN 1-57954-814-8

[Guest guest]

guess i was looking for technical information rather than magazine articles! thanks for the suggestions though!

Amie

From: e Sheehan Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 9:56 AMTo: South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-Right Subject: Re: RE: Why are potatos bad for you?

Amie, do a search on Google.com and I'm sure you'll find TONS of facts!)KrisRE: Why are potatos bad for you?I mean, I know they say they raise your blood sugar a lot. But I guess whati'm looking for are some scientific studies on physiologically why (sorryi'm research-bent).thanks!AmieReminder: The South Beach Diet is not low-carb. Nor is it low-fat. The South Beach Diet teaches you to rely on the right carbs and the right fats-the good ones-and enables you to live quite happily without the bad carbs and bad fats. For more on this WOE please read "The South Beach Diet" by Arthur Agatston, MD. ISBN 1-57954-814-8

[Guest guest]

At 10:30 AM 12/9/04, you wrote:

>Hi, thanks again! But I know a lot of the GI and have read several books

>on it, and have communicated with Dr. Liz Applegate (author) and Jennie

>Brand (one of the pioneers of the GI research) about this as well.

>Probably why my diet was already in line with south beach before i even

>learned about it (actually south beach lets you eat a lot of foods that i

>don't eat!). I guess I am looking for the white papers. I know I can find

>them eventually, just didn't know if anyone could send me a link offhand.

Sorry, Arnie, I can't help you there. I'm sure there's actual clinical

papers out there somewhere but probably are buried in some sort of medical

journal or otherwise.

-----------------------------

Maybe we met yesterday...

www.nathanpralle.com

-----------------------------

[Guest guest]

No problem. I am glad you pitched in to help. I have been active in health and fitness ever since I first joined a gym almost eighteen years ago at the young age of thirteen! I have 'officially' worked in the fitness field for the past twelve years with eight or nine certifications in the areas of group exercise, personal trianing, and lifestyle management. Group ex is my love though - I have choreographed and taught all over the world. Also, since being diagnosed with several medical conditions, I do a lot of research on health, new trends in treatment, and anything (including foods, vitamins, minerals and supplements) that may help me to get off the meds I am currently taking. I am a marathoner (have run eight marathons and countless races of other distances) and triathlete/multisport athlete, and a former bodybuilder. So sports performance/nutrition is another interest of mine. This is why when I gained weight, and further had trouble losing it, I KNEW there was something wrong.

Everyone asks why I don't get a masters in exercise science or the like - sometimes I am tempted and I am as good as in here at the University. It's because I was meant to travel the world - I found out I love journalism and so am pursuing a career in that - doing a masters degree in Journo/Photojournalism (tonight I photographed Willie ). I could not imagine myself working in a gym or office again all day, every day, I would go crazy. I tried to work full time in a health facility once and started to burn out. You can have too much of a good thing! So right now, I am a masters student, work at the YMCA, teach for the School of Kinesiology, and shoot photos for the paper. Keeps me busy.

-Amie

From: E. Pralle Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 12:26 PMTo: South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-Right Subject: RE: Why are potatos bad for you?

At 10:42 AM 12/9/04, you wrote:>I know the points about the glycemic index, I was just responding to the >parts of the previous email that said potatoes were loaded with calories. >I didn't think that was necessarily true.Fair enough, I wasn't probably entirely right with that statement. I have to constantly remember that there isn't always a direct correlation between GI and caloric content.>one ate potatoes alone each meal six times a day for months, it would be >bad. But I don't think having a potato or even white rice as part of a >balanced meal every once in a while will hurt anything - they are loaded >with nutrition, too.Oh, absolutely. Esp. with skins intact. And I don't think SBD ever advocates never having a potato again, it just says that if you want to lose weight or maintain it, for those of us (which is most of us) that seem to be very efficient with carb digestion and get fat easily from them, we should keep our intake to a dull roar vs. other people (lucky suckers) who can eat them with wild abandon.What sort of work do you do, Arnie? Are you a dietician or similar? You seem to know a lot about these sorts of things.(which also makes me want to say, "sorry if I sounded like I was talking down to you or something about these things, I had no idea of your background")-----------------------------Maybe we met yesterday...www.nathanpralle.com-----------------------------Reminder: The South Beach Diet is not low-carb. Nor is it low-fat. The South Beach Diet teaches you to rely on the right carbs and the right fats-the good ones-and enables you to live quite happily without the bad carbs and bad fats. For more on this WOE please read "The South Beach Diet" by Arthur Agatston, MD. ISBN 1-57954-814-8

[Guest guest]

Many people do that! Or, more commonly will call me "Annie" for the same reason!

-Amie

From: E. Pralle Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 12:33 PMTo: South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-Right Subject: RE: Why are potatos bad for you?

At 11:23 AM 12/9/04, you wrote:>Yes, I'm sure I'll have to look there. And it's Amie, not Arnie btw.ACK! I'm so sorry! The blue font makes the 'M' look like "RN"! My bad!*sheepish*-----------------------------Maybe we met yesterday...www.nathanpralle.com-----------------------------Reminder: The South Beach Diet is not low-carb. Nor is it low-fat. The South Beach Diet teaches you to rely on the right carbs and the right fats-the good ones-and enables you to live quite happily without the bad carbs and bad fats. For more on this WOE please read "The South Beach Diet" by Arthur Agatston, MD. ISBN 1-57954-814-8

[Guest guest]

I haven't eaten potatoes in a long, long time. but i'm dropping a lot of the chains on my diet starting after I finish phase 1, if I stick with phase 1. It's not the foods, I just can't have my sports performance or mental capacity degraded!

-Amie

From: Carol Parsons Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 3:07 PMTo: South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-Right Subject: Re: Why are potatos bad for you?

I think that every person has to find what is right for them. Some people can't live without other things. If potatoes don't cause you to crave bad foods and they don't make you gain or stall in weightloss, then you could for it. But for someone like me that can't eat things like that or they get cravings or gain 3 pounds by morning, then we can't do that. I think it's just a matter of if it's right for you, then you can choose to have it. Carol

RE: Why are potatos bad for you?

I know the points about the glycemic index, I was just responding to the parts of the previous email that said potatoes were loaded with calories. I didn't think that was necessarily true.

I think what also needs to be looked at are the Glycemic Loads of foods, too, not just GI. Potatos still have a moderately high glycemic load, but not nearly as high as once believed. Also if you pair eating them with a protein, the glycemic load of the entire meal drops as well. I guess too, I'm not a proponent of banning natural foods from a person's diet. Maybe if one ate potatoes alone each meal six times a day for months, it would be bad. But I don't think having a potato or even white rice as part of a balanced meal every once in a while will hurt anything - they are loaded with nutrition, too.

I am not saying when a person is dieting - be as strict as you want. i'm talking in everyday life. Something like fast food is another story. I would not eat nor do I recommend to my clients eating fast food EVER.

-AmieReminder: The South Beach Diet is not low-carb. Nor is it low-fat. The South Beach Diet teaches you to rely on the right carbs and the right fats-the good ones-and enables you to live quite happily without the bad carbs and bad fats. For more on this WOE please read "The South Beach Diet" by Arthur Agatston, MD. ISBN 1-57954-814-8

[Guest guest]

We eat too much and exercise too little. I know I'm guilty of it. If we

followed the Asian diet AND their lifestyle we'd be healthier too.

Hugs,

Diane S.

61 years young

170 lbs. 10 years ago

156 lbs. 3 years ago-on low fat diet down to 120 then up to 134 (

SBD started 11/30/2004

134/132/131