Carbohydrates: A 60 Day Potato Diet
The tuber.
It has been demonized by the GI (Glycemic Index) and loved by sour cream and chives; but is the potato really a health food?
At age 45, Chris Voigt, who is head of the Washington State Potato Commission, embarked on his 60 Day Potato Diet in an attempt to show that the vegetable is high in nutrients and can promote optimal health. His claim is that the Atkins, Zone and South Beach diets are crushing the sales in potatoes of all varieties. This is something he literally can't afford to happen.
His stated concern lies with the reputation of his beloved crop; he's willing to put his health, and blood panel results, on the line to prove the superiority of the spud.
During the diet, he ate 400 pounds of potatoes, roughly about 20 a day. Chris was eating red, yellow, boiled potatoes, fried, russet, purple, white, steamed, mashed, baked, fingerling, and grilled potatoes, etc…
After 60 days his results are as follows-
Total Cholesterol 204 to 147- Down 57
LDL 142 to 84- Down 58
197 to 176- Body Weight loss of 21 Lbs
Although his post diet results initially look great, they are just a prime example of what caloric deficit and metabolic rate can do to the body…
Make it smaller!
Were there any skin fold and circumference measurements done to ensure no lean body mass reduction? We can't seem to find those results. Basically in plain English- he starved himself. Beware of the claims of any restricted calorie diet program where you eat one, two or even a handful of foods as it will always scientifically end in failure and massive weight re-gains.
The real meaning behind the event: The potato commissioner was a genius as his diet became national headlines and swept over the Internet! After this holiday season there are going to be a lot of people looking to lose weight. This campaign has been cleverly laid down in perfect timing for people to get more potatoes in their diets for 2011- a marketing masterpiece.
This recent major media attention to the idea of eating one type of food or even junk food, as in the case of Professor Mark Haub who teaches at Kansas State University, sadly points to the same “I want it now” mentality I see in the fitness industry over and over again:
Instant gratification and the next new and easy way out of being fat.
Years of science have taught us that when it comes to food, unfortunately most humans are a lot like electricity and water: They ALWAYS take the path of least resistance!
Mark lost 27 pounds in two months eating approximately 1,800 calories a day. Calories came from foods like snack cakes, candy bars and even potato chips– basically anything he could get from a vending machine. These stories are pushed heavily by the national media in order to place a haze over your views on health and making good diet choices. Remember, this is the same media that puts out stories funded by Budweiser titled- “Cheers! Why booze is good for your heart!”
This cleverly pulls your attention from the real mater at hand of everyone gaining weight faster than you can say “add the fries with that.”
So why is the potato made out to be the bad guy again? Is it made of gold or is it cheap to grow? What is the crop yield’s return on investment?
Well, the California WIC pre 4/5/10 (Women Infants and Children) program funded for by our government seems to think they are the ONLY vegetable worth paying for. There are a total of ZERO vegetables pre 4/5/10, besides the spud, on the WIC approved list. Do the political math for yourself when it comes to school lunches at-
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/federal-government-makes-moves-against-p
Ah, but I digress. We can get into agricultural policy another month but for now just stay healthy by eating a real applicable metabolic typing diet designed for you!
The potato isn't the enemy, it's just a food. I like Yams or Sweet Potatoes post work out for glycogen replenishment. As for the 60-day potato diet and why we are as a nation becoming more and more addicted to carbs, it goes further than just common sense.
The root cause of malnutrition and obesity is deeper than just a potato diet America; it is a policy issue. As I wrote in September's newsletter- Monocrops of any kind, when they become the main source of foodstuffs without diversification, are very dangerous to a population as they become highly susceptible to infestation and disease. (Irish Potato Famine) In addition to potential blight, all monocrops are usually sprayed with heavy toxins and pesticides to kill any invaders but are then ingested by humans increasing our toxic loads and waistlines via adrenal fatigue.
Questions? Start here