Introducing Potatoes

[BrianF]

Due to financial constraints I'm going to be reintroducing potatoes to my diet, having dropped all types of starchy foods. I grew up consuming potatoes with every meal and certainly they didn't do me much harm. Pretty sure that vegetable oils my Mother used (due to popular medical advice that they were heart healthy) were the main culprit in any ailments my siblings and I suffered. My main concern is bacterial overgrowth and endotoxic load. I plan on mitigating this by:

1) cooking the potatoes well and creating a mash with coconut oil mixed in (I would use butter but it gives me eczema type symptoms these days) so that its easier to digest higher up the gut.

2) Add garlic to the mash for its antibacterial effect.

3) consuming orange juice afterwards to reduce endotoxins (I read that this will reduce the effect).

I will of course consume my potatoes with loads of salt (because I like salt) and an organic tomato sauce I have discovered that is entirely pufa free. Hmmmmmmmm.... orgasmic almost.

Anyone want to offer any advice on how to mitigate the effects of daily consumption of such a starchy food?

 

[theLaw]

Just want to point out that if butter is causing you problems, then reintroducing starch might be a very bad idea.

From Peat:

For people with really sensitive intestines or bad bacteria, starch should be zero.

Fat-free greek yogurt + OJ or AJ would probably be a better idea.

If you're dead-set on using potatoes, then you might consider cooked potato juice or the scramble posted on this forum as all of the starch is removed. You can add table-sugar for more calories.

Cheers!

 

[DaveFoster]

Anyone want to offer any advice on how to mitigate the effects of daily consumption of such a starchy food?

Induce vomiting following consumption.

Eat a carrot salad after every meal.

 

[squanch]

Anyone want to offer any advice on how to mitigate the effects of daily consumption of such a starchy food?

Ignore the starch haters.

I found the most important thing is cooking the potatoes well (45 min - 60 min) and chewing properly. Your saliva contains starch digesting enzymes, you really want to chew starchy foods until they're completely mushy without any clumps in your mouth, very important.

Eating the starchy foods in a whole meal together with fats and proteins (not just a big plate of mashed potatoes) seems to work better for me personally too. I usually boil them together with some vegetables or mushrooms, add gelatin to the water and eat it together with cheese and liver / seafood / eggs as a kind of stew.
It's also a lot less depressing than eating a boiled egg with a glass of orange juice, or just a slice of liver with some sugared milk or whatever other abominations some people here eat.

 

[dbh25]

Similar to squanch, I make potato soup using stock and vegetables, boiling and cooking on low heat for 45 minutes. I only add salt and have with a hard boiled egg.

 

[tara]

I found the most important thing is cooking the potatoes well ...

+1

Eating the starchy foods in a whole meal together with fats and proteins (not just a big plate of mashed potatoes) seems to work better for me personally too.

+1

Probably not a bad idea to have some carrot salad some time after a potato meal (I sometimes get around to this). Personally, I think I prefer the taste of garlic in the carrot salad rather than with the mashed spuds, but either would probably have some effect. Some people find it bothers the gut too much itself, though.

Just want to point out that if butter is causing you problems, then reintroducing starch might be a very bad idea.

I like a little butter with my spuds, but too much butter bothers me. But my gut seems to be really happy digesting well-cooked spuds.
I wouldn't assume butter intolerance = potato intolerance.

 

[Peatful]

I have better digestive luck regarding potatoes when I cook them well...refrigerate them overnight...and recook them the next day.
Something about the resistant starch content? Blah blah blah....
Sorry, not super scientific or technical...
But worth exploring.

 

[theLaw]

I like a little butter with my spuds, but too much butter bothers me. But my gut seems to be really happy digesting well-cooked spuds.
I wouldn't assume butter intolerance = potato intolerance.

I was just referring to Peat's warnings about starch and sensitive intestines/bad bacteria, but you're correct, many people do fine with them apparently.

If I were having trouble with any food, I would hesitate to add starch as a solution given all of the drawbacks, and instead focus on liver health.

 

[tara]

If I were having trouble with any food, I would hesitate to add starch as a solution given all of the drawbacks, and instead focus on liver health.

If I were having trouble with liver health (which I suspect I am), I would be reluctant cautious about relying on fat or fructose for too large a part of my energy needs.

 

[theLaw]

If I were having trouble with liver health (which I suspect I am), I would be reluctant cautious about relying on fat or fructose for too large a part of my energy needs.

Haven't seen Peat or Haidut recommend starch for those with liver issues, and it never did me any favors with losing weight, but whatever works for you.

Personal experimentation is always best! Cheers!

 

[tara]

Personal experimentation is always best! Cheers!

+1

 

[Owen B]

If I were having trouble with liver health (which I suspect I am), I would be reluctant cautious about relying on fat or fructose for too large a part of my energy needs.

Liver health is one thing I haven't got around to looking at. I don't know any of my liver function numbers but I'm going to double check and maybe get them done again. What kinds of reactions/symptoms do you get from bad liver function?

 

[tara]

Liver health is one thing I haven't got around to looking at. I don't know any of my liver function numbers but I'm going to double check and maybe get them done again. What kinds of reactions/symptoms do you get from bad liver function?

My key trouble is headaches and migraines, and many people think that liver difficulties can be a key component of those problems. I don't think I've ever thrown any liver test results tat have concerned my doctors, and I haven't learned to read them myself.
My key indicators that I've eaten too much sugar are that I feel kind of sick in a particular way, and can be hungry but eating more sugar is not satisfying. Too much fat seems to increase risk of migraine. (I don't eat a very low fat diet, just when I eat more than usual.)
My ability to store and release glycogen seems to be a bit pathetic - better than it used to be, but still I can't go very long between meals without stress.I figure that's another liver issue.

 

[cyclops]

I introduced potatoes to my wife and they ran off together...never again.

 

[Xisca]

3) consuming orange juice afterwards to reduce endotoxins (I read that this will reduce the effect).

starch and orange juice are the best recipe for digesting starches badly!