There are people on the Internet following a diet based on potatoes. Science suggests that it is a bad idea

The Self -Experimentation It is present in many fields and that of nutrition and diets is among them. He last example we have encountered It is frankly surprising, these are people who have tested a diet based on potatoes … and little else. The results they report are positive, but the idea of ​​trying this form of self -experience does not seem to be so good.

Potato diet? We have seen, over the last years, an immense variety of diets, some that we could consider, in one sense or another, extreme. An example of this are diets based on a single food or food group, and an example of these is found in the potato -based diet.

There are different versions, more or less lax, of this diet, but in essence it is about subsisting based on potatoes (approximately between one and 2.5 kg daily) for a brief period of time (between three and five days). Other versions can incorporate

This type of diets might seem a contemporary fashion or a meme that goes too far, but the chronicles place their origin At least in the nineteenth century. One of his first drivers could have been the writer British Lord Byron.

But is there evidence? Studying the effects of this type of diets is complicated by the risk they imply. Although focusing our diet on a single element can help us control the calories we consume and therefore lose weight, No food It is sufficiently varied in nutrients to guarantee our body the proper micro-and macronutrient supply.

This is especially True for potatoes. The caloric density of this food has made it one of the bases of sustenance both in South America where it is originally in Europe. However for a while, Some experts In nutrition they see it as a lower food compared to other carbohydrate sources, A notion discussedyes indeed.

Some studies made with animal models They have given us some clue that, at theoretical level, could support the idea that potatoes can help us control our weight. A compound present in the potato and called proteinase II inhibitor could play a role in this relationship.

“It works for me. ” A priori it is not easy to distinguish a “Miracle diet“Of the diets contrasted by the scientific community and therefore backed by studies and experiments. That a person has had a satisfactory experience with a diet does not imply that this diet is healthy.

The effects of dietary changes may not be evident or can occur in the longer term, so while we perceive a change for better, our body may be suffering consequences that are not directly apparent. Nor does it mean that this diet will adjust to our specific needs, which can be very different depending on our context.

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