Idaho Potatoes and Iceberg Lettuce! Really?

Foods made with white flour like breads and pasta, white rice and sugar are on the healthy eating “hit list” and for good reason. Those foods convert quickly to sugar in your body and spike insulin levels. However, ALL white foods are not nutritional villains. While brightly colored vegetables are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants and I recommend you focus your meals on them, you don’t have to ban Idaho potatoes from your diet completely.

While I recommend practicing moderation with all starchy carbs – even the healthiest whole grains – moderation doesn’t mean total elimination. The pride of Idaho actually has much to boast about. Potatoes are filling, moderate in calories, nutrient-dense and non-fattening, and loaded with vitamins, minerals, flavanoids and fiber! They actually contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, which keep you regular, lower cholesterol and keep you full longer by slowing down digestion.

They contain just about every nutrient except vitamin A (go to sweet potatoes for that!), provide almost 20% of your daily requirement of vitamin B6 which is critical for heart health and like all vegetables, they’re loaded with potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure.

What makes the humble potato “bad” is how it is prepared and the toppings used on it. That’s what morphs a healthy vegetable into a diet disaster. One large (3-4”) baked potato with the skin on only has 278 calories, 1 gram of fat, no cholesterol, 6grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein, as well as a whopping 1,627 milligrams of potassium.

Iceberg Lettuce
The other nutritional “pariah” I want to address is iceberg lettuce. While I agree, other lettuces like romaine and leafy greens like spinach, kale and chard have more nutritional value and for the most part are better choices. However, iceberg lettuce is still a green, leafy vegetable with zero fat, zero cholesterol, and only 15 calories per serving. It actually contains 6% of our daily vitamin C requirement, 2% each of iron and calcium, 4% of vitamin A, and one gram of protein per serving. It’s also high in fiber and has traces of omega fatty acids. All in all, not exactly a total nutritional slouch.

The other thing it has is a juicy crispness other leafy greens don’t have and that many people really enjoy.

Take a Step: Don’t feel you have to shun Idaho potatoes totally! As long as you limit the amount of carbohydrates in your daily meals, you can enjoy a delicious baked potato. And instead of slathering on butter and sour cream – why not try a couple of tablespoons of salsa (my favorite topping) or a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (a much healthier fat) and some healthy seasoning like Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper or even a chili lime seasoning? Instead of sour cream - try lowfat, plain Greek yogurt.

Instead of totally avoiding iceberg lettuce why not mix your greens to get the best of all? A salad of half iceberg and half romaine or leaf lettuce gives you the juicy crispness without sacrificing the high nutrition of the darker greens! That's what I call the best of both worlds!

Until next time I wish you vibrant health! Ann