Is weight loss always a good thing? Nutrition myths busted, part 6
We’re back with another edition of busting nutrition myths! There are so many myths out there and I’m always seeing new ones pop up.
This time we’re going to be unpicking:
- Why sweet potato isn’t automatically healthier than white potato
- Why weight loss isn’t always a good thing
- Why snacking isn’t bad
Are sweet potatoes healthier than white potatoes?
Sweet potatoes have really exploded in popularity. Hailed as
the healthier sister of the common white potato, restaurants are offering sweet
potato fries or mash as the more nutritious choice, and at a premium price. But
it doesn’t really matter which one you go for.
I thought I’d compare 100g of each potato boiled so you can
see the difference between them.
|
Nutrient |
White potato 100g |
Sweet potato
100g |
|
Calories |
74 |
84 |
|
Carbohydrate |
17.5g |
13g |
|
Sugar
(naturally occurring) |
0.8g |
9.4g |
|
Fibre |
1.6g |
2.3g |
|
Vitamin C |
9mg |
3mg |
|
Vitamin A |
0 |
625µg |
|
Potassium |
365mg |
350mg |
Depending on what nutrient you’re looking at, one potato
could seem better than the other. White potatoes are a good source of vitamin
C, while sweet potatoes have lots of vitamin A. Or sweet potatoes are higher in
sugar, hence the name, compared to white potato.
This doesn’t mean one is healthier than the other, it just
means they contain different things. Both potatoes contain nutrients that our
body needs, and one isn’t better than the other. You should pick the one you
prefer, not the one you think is healthier.
Is weight loss always good?
Diet culture has made us think that any and all weight loss
is a good thing that we should praise. There’s a constant pressure to be thin
as thinner is meant to be better. It’s ingrained us and we might not even
realise.
Whenever I meet new people and tell them I’m a dietitian
they say one of two things. It’s either ‘what should I eat to lose weight?’ or
‘I’ve been trying to lose weight for ages’. It’s normally said in jest but the
constant need to be watching our weight is clear.
But weight loss isn’t always something to praise. Weight
loss can be a symptom of disease. Conditions like depression, heart failure,
cancer, overactive thyroid, and coeliac disease can all appear with
unintentional weight loss. The weight loss is often a result of the disease
causing malnutrition or malabsorption of some kind. It’s worth thinking twice
before you compliment someone for their weight loss. They could have a life threatening
illness.
Even if someone has intentional weight loss, the methods
they’ve taken to lose the weight might not be something to cheer for. A study
found that 30% of women had taken extreme measures to control their weight.
This included things like vomiting and taking laxatives. 40% of women had taken
diet pills to help manage their weight. These behaviours classify as disordered
eating. And although they may be losing weight, it isn’t a healthy way to do
it.
Weight loss isn’t always a good thing and commenting on someone’s
weight loss isn’t helpful. You could be praising their disordered eating habits
or invalidating their disease.
Is snacking bad?
I always see diet advice telling people to cut back on
snacking as this leads to weight gain. There’s nothing wrong with snacking. You
may have long gaps between meals and so need some food to keep you going, or
you might just be feeling extra hungry on some days.
Of course, if you’re snacking on things like crisps and sweets
regularly, then you’d want to consider reducing this. But a healthy balanced snack
can be a great source of nutrients and keep you from getting too hungry.
When snacking, you want to include a source of protein.
Protein takes longer to digest and so keeps you full for longer. This will also
help balance your blood sugar levels and stops a sharp rise in blood sugars
after snacking. A balanced snack will keep you satisfied until your next meal.
Balanced snack ideas:
- Hummus and veg sticks
- Wholegrain crackers and cheese
- Popcorn and a handful of nuts
- Banana slices with nut butter
- Greek yoghurt with berries
- Dark chocolate and a handful of nuts
That’s it for this edition of busting nutrition myths! I
hope that clears some things up.
Key points:
- Weight loss isn’t always a good thing. It can be a symptom of disease or could be caused by disordered eating habits.
- Sweet potato isn’t healthier than white potato. They contain different nutrients and both are a good choice.
- Snacking doesn’t automatically mean you’ll gain weight. Having a balanced snack with a source of protein can keep you satisfied until your next meal.
I hope this post has given you some food for thought. If
there are any other myths you’d like me to bust, please comment below.
Bye for now! 👋
References:
https://quadram.ac.uk/UKfoodcomposition/foods/sweet-potato-flesh-only-boiled-in-unsalted-water/
https://quadram.ac.uk/UKfoodcomposition/foods/potatoes-old-boiled-in-salted-water-flesh-only/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612547/
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