It seems like every decade there’s a new diet craze. In the 90s, it was low-fat, which eventually gave way to low-carb. Now Paleo and keto are the new diet trends in town; but it doesn’t matter how the trends change, there’s always some idea that sticks around, even when the trend is gone. One longstanding belief that has persisted since the low-carbohydrate phase is that white potatoes are bad for you.
Benefits of Potatoes
While it’s true that white potatoes are high in carbohydrates, they have a valid place in any healthy weight loss plan. One medium size potato contains only 110 calories, but nearly half your daily needs for vitamin C and more potassium than a banana. White potatoes also contain no fat, sodium, or cholesterol and are rich in fiber, magnesium, vitamin B-6 and antioxidants. Most of the carbohydrates are in the form of resistant starch, a unique type of carbohydrate that functions like soluble fiber and can help reduce appetite, lower blood sugar levels, help with insulin sensitivity, and improve digestion.
Of course, like any other food, it’s important to watch your portions, but adding white potatoes to your diet a couple times a week is not only okay, it’s beneficial.
The Recipe
One of our favorite treats is salt and vinegar chips, and while technically they’re white potatoes, the fact that they’re deep fried makes them less than ideal. We don’t like to have to give up our favorite flavors, so we created this roasted salt and vinegar potato recipe that gives you all the flavor without any of the guilt.
What You Need:
- 2 lbs red potatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
What To Do:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks. We like to keep the skin on, but feel free to peel first if you prefer them skinless.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Add potatoes to bowl and toss until potatoes are evenly coated with vinegar mixture. Spread potatoes out on a baking sheet and put in the preheated oven.
- Roast for 25 minutes, remove potatoes from oven, and flip them over with a spatula. Return to the oven for another 20-25 minutes until potatoes are crisp on the outside.
- Optional: after the potatoes are done cooking, sprinkle some additional salt or apple cider vinegar on them, to taste.
