Are Potatoes bad for you if you Have High Cholesterol or not?
If you have been wondering, “I have to lower my cholesterol, and I’m trying to watch what I eat, is there a type of potato that is best?” You should know there are many ways in which potatoes can help you.
Potatoes prepared in the right ways are unlikely to contribute to bad cholesterol levels because they have the necessary nutrients people need and can be used for healthy cooking.
Potatoes have vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They do not have cholesterol or significant amounts of fat, and you can eat any variety you wish. I use the Yukon gold more often since it has a lot of fiber, seems less prone to spoilage, and is excellent for boiling.
The white variety is one of the most popular, affordable ones and may contribute to keeping healthy cholesterol levels. In addition, large white potatoes are ideal for baking, which is one of the most beneficial ways to cook a potato.
Optimal ways to cook potatoes to reduce the loss of nutrients are baking, boiling, and steaming. Avoid adding high-fat toppings such as bacon or beef to reduce the chances of increasing your cholesterol. Instead, eat potatoes with other vegetables to make you feel full for longer if you like.
Can Potatoes Affect Triglycerides?
Triglycerides are similar to cholesterol but aren’t quite the same. They are a type of fat originating from fatty foods such as butter, oils, and meats.
These fats may also appear after consuming too many calories. Your body can turn excess calories into triglycerides to keep them as an energy reservoir inside the cells.
Whenever there is a great demand for energy that the body has a hard time dealing with, triglycerides are released to help you out.
The very-low-density lipoprotein or VDL takes those triglycerides to all tissues in your body. Now, if these fats increase too much, it may damage several organs in the body, such as the heart, liver, and pancreas. Ideally, triglycerides should remain at levels below 150 mg/dL.
Triglycerides increase if you overeat fats or calories. So as long as you don’t overdo your portions, potatoes should be perfectly fine.
Are Potato Chips bad for Cholesterol?
How about potato chips. Are they bad for cholesterol? Well, if you are talking about the standard huge bag you get at the supermarket, the answer is quite likely. But, again, it all depends on how much you eat.
If you partake in a family-sized bag every day, that will not help you. The main problem with those chips is the amount of salt, additives, fats, and even sugar poured into them, not to mention the intense deep-frying.
So is it really bad to enjoy potato chips without guilt? Eating them now and then shouldn’t be a significant problem. However, if you have cholesterol issues, you have the choice of making them yourself.
Potatoes by themselves are sodium-free and have a lot of potassium, which is a crucial mineral to keep your cardiovascular system working in good shape. So cutting them into thin slices and placing them in a non-stick pan with a layer of olive oil is your best bet. Add sea salt to taste, and voila! Cholesterol-free potato chips.
Baked Potatoes are Safe
Are baked potatoes high in cholesterol? No way. As you know, potatoes have 0 mg of cholesterol and around 0.2 g of fat. Moreover, the baking process doesn’t add any fat to the potato, so all baked potatoes are cholesterol-free by default.
They won’t remain without cholesterol, though, if you add a ton of butter, sour cream, cheese, or bacon to them. That’s where all the cholesterol and saturated fat may come from. So if you want to keep them low or fat-free, go easy on the toppings.
Eating Boiled Potatoes for Health
You don’t have to worry about boiled potatoes having too much cholesterol as they don’t have any. You can use them for salads or mashed potatoes; either way, you will have a healthy meal.
Remember to avoid milk, butter, sour cream, and cheese if you desire to keep them without cholesterol. Otherwise, you will just be adding what you are trying to avoid.
Which Potato Types can Help with Cholesterol?
Some potato varieties are more helpful than others in your fight against high cholesterol. Why? Because the amount of fiber in each of them can vary quite a bit.
Fiber slows down digestion and food absorption. Furthermore, it binds to cholesterol in the small intestine preventing the particles from entering your blood vessels. So which potatoes are better to keep cholesterol in check?
White potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes are the winners. They are the top choices as they contain the most soluble fiber. Even when looking at other popular foods, such as white rice, you can see potatoes excel in their fiber content, which is essential for reducing cholesterol in the body.
Foods to eat with Potatoes that Lowers Cholesterol
If you are really serious about lowering your cholesterol, there are a few foods you can combine with potatoes to give you an extra push:
– Mashed potatoes with grilled salmon on the side is a recipe everybody should try at least once, but there are several reasons to taste it beyond its mouth-watering flavor. Fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which boost your HDL or good cholesterol levels. They can also reduce the chances of experiencing heart disease and strokes by lowering inflammation caused by bad cholesterol (LDL) oxidation.
– A classic dish of roasted potatoes with spinach can do more than fill your belly. Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and broccoli contain vast amounts of antioxidants like lutein that have shown properties to decrease LDL. That’s good news as they may keep that plaque from building up in your arteries, allowing you to enjoy potatoes for much longer!
– Olive oil can crisp the skin and enhance the flavor of your baked spuds, but that’s not all. It can also lower inflammation with its antioxidant power backed by polyphenols. If that was not enough, the monounsaturated fatty acids it contains are known to play a role in boosting HDL and lowering LDL.
So, are potatoes bad if you have high cholesterol? No. Potatoes can be a part of a low-cholesterol diet. You might have to refrain from adding a few toppings, but you will have the opportunity to throw in new ingredients that will take your cooking to new levels as your health improves.
Keep an open mind, and soon enough, you will find yourself developing new potato dishes that are healthier and more appetizing. Remember to consult with your physician before making any dietary changes.