Oct 12, 2010 13:48 GMT  ·  By

A new research shows that potatoes are a very important part of a weight loss regimen, and advises people to include them in their weekly menu.

Most people are quite confused when it comes to having potatoes included in their diet, mainly because the vegetable is part of the high glycemic index (HGI) food class.

Researchers from the University of California, Davis and the National Center for Food Safety and Technology, Illinois Institute of Technology have proven that the potato is badly judged.

They studied 86 overweight men and women for a 12 weeks period and measured the effects of a reduced-calorie modified glycemic index diet, which included potatoes.

The participants were randomly divided into three groups, each group having a diet which included five to seven servings of potatoes a week, and the results were positive: all three groups have lost weight.

On of the groups was given a list of foods with a low glycemic index (LGI), that they needed to include in their daily diet, a second group received a list of HGI foods and both groups needed to reduce their daily calorie intake by 500, while eating potatoes five to seven times a week.

The participants of these two groups were guided and monitored by a dietitian so that they would only eat foods from their lists.

People in the third group were allowed to choose their daily meals and caloric intake, but they were encouraged to follow the US dietary guidelines and the food guide pyramid, and they also had to eat potatoes five to seven times a week.

Recipes and counseling were provided to all three groups and at the end of the 12 weeks, the results showed that all three groups had lost weight, and also that there was no significant difference in weight loss between the LGI and the HGI groups.

Lead researcher Dr. Britt Burton-Freeman, PhD, MS said that “the results of this study confirm what health professionals and nutrition experts have said for years; when it comes to weight loss, it is not about eliminating a certain food or food groups, rather, it is reducing calories that count.

“There is no evidence that potatoes, when prepared in a healthful manner, contribute to weight gain. In fact, we are seeing that they can be part of a weight loss program.”

Kathleen Triou, vice president of domestic marketing for the United States Potato Board (USPB), said that the board was “thrilled with the results of this study.

“For the last few years the humble spud has been vilified in respect to its weight management properties.

“Now we realize that it should be glorified for its role in healthy weight loss.”

This study was presented at the Obesity Society's 28th Annual Scientific Meeting October 8-12, 2010.