The Paleo diet is very trendy, but people are just blindly following it. Nobody understands its objective, advantages, disadvantages, uses, etc. However, paleo is not something new; even our ancestors used to follow it. When you’re following the paleo diet, it means eating like a caveman.
Here, the packed and processed foods are excluded; cavemen did not have Oreos. However, many different types of foods are added and excluded from the paleo diet.
One of the biggest questions of paleo followers is, ‘’can you eat potatoes on paleo?’’ Potatoes are an affordable and common food found almost everywhere across the globe. There are various types of potatoes and are used in different cuisines. As such, we don’t know whether the cavemen had potatoes because our meals only comprised processed potatoes. As you’re new to the paleo diet, you should understand, here the food quality matters. While following this diet, you need to only consume 100% natural, raw, and unprocessed food products.
Paleo followers often avoid the common food groups like pulses, legumes, whole grains, dairy products, artificial sweeteners, and sugar.
So can you eat potatoes on the paleo diet? Read this post until the end, and let’s find out.
Unprocessed Potatoes Are Paleo-Friendly
Usually, unprocessed potatoes in any form can be included in the paleo diet. Like grains, potatoes are also high in starch and carbohydrates. Potatoes grow underground, also known as the tuber method.
Many people say white potatoes and red potatoes are not paleo-friendly as they can trigger your blood sugar levels. When you consume these potato types raw with the skin, the nutritional composition is similar to white potatoes. So when you’re following the paleo diet, you should consume them in moderation. The way you’re cooking the potatoes will also determine whether you can have them or not.
For instance, you love French fries, and you can have them for your lunch or dinner. Instead of purchasing them from outside, you can bake or fry them at your home by using coconut oil. Next, you can also prepare mashed potatoes without using dairy products.
So there is no exact answer to if you can eat potatoes on paleo or not.
Are Processed Potatoes Acceptable In The Paleo Diet?
In our opinion, around 95% of potato products are not paleo-friendly. While following the paleo diet, you need to check the ingredient list of the potatoes-based products. The below-mentioned products can still be considered in the paleo diet.
- French fries
- Potato soup
- Potato breads
- Mashed potatoes (no dairy products) used
- Potato chips
Which Potato Types Can Be Considered While Following The Paleo-Diet?
Potatoes are straightly not accepted in paleo meals. White potatoes are high in starch and carbohydrates, so they shouldn’t be present in paleo meals. White potatoes have been present for centuries, and our ancestors might have still consumed them, but they cannot be used in paleo meals because of their nutritional content.
The ingredients present in the paleo meals should be low in starch and carbohydrates and low on the glycemic index. On the other hand, potatoes are high in starch, carbs, and glycemic index. So paleo followers have to avoid both red and white potatoes.
Can Sweet Potatoes Be Added In The Paleo Meals?
Believe it or not, you can add sweet potatoes to your paleo meals. Many people following the paleo diet are already consuming sweet potatoes. Are you confused? Yes, we can understand, and that’s common. Many paleo followers believe that all types of potatoes can be added to paleo meals. The nutritional profile of sweet potato is different from the other common potato types. However, sweet potatoes are very low in protein and also in carbs. The glycemic index of sweet potatoes is low, so they become suitable for paleo meals.
What If You Crave For Delicious Mashed Potatoes?
When you’re craving potatoes, it’s challenging to avoid them. Forget about the potato types, nutritional content, and everything; just have them!
However, if you’re very particular about your paleo meals, there are still better alternatives to the mashed potatoes. The best alternative to mashed potatoes is sweet potatoes. On the other hand, mashed celery root and mashed cauliflower are also some good alternatives. If you’re craving roasted potatoes, try the roasted veggies. Again roasted celery root and cauliflower are good options. Carrots in the baked form are also suitable. It’s very challenging to live a potato-free life.
Important Things You Should Know While Adding Potatoes To The Paleo Meals
- Buy Organic Potatoes
Whether you’re following the paleo diet or not, you should always buy organic potatoes. Organic potatoes might be a bit expensive, but they are worth purchasing! It’s very easy to find organic potatoes in the supermarket.
- Don’t Purchase Green Potatoes
Potatoes having light or dark green potatoes should be clearly excluded from your shopping cart. Potatoes having green spots comprise highly toxic saponins. On the other hand, potatoes having green spots are bitter in taste. Thus, you should clearly avoid them.
- Peel The Potatoes
The potatoes belong to the nightshade family. Unlike nightshades, the majority of anti-nutrients you’ll find in the skin of the potatoes. Like other veggies, the potatoes also have Glycoalkaloids, a very common toxin. However, the glycoalkaloids content present in the potatoes depends on various factors. As a result, it’s important to buy potatoes that look fresh and undamaged. As the majority of Glycoalkaloids are present in the skin of potatoes, you should always peel them.
Final Thoughts
Surprisingly, unprocessed potatoes cooked by using paleo-friendly ingredients can still be added to daily paleo meals. The resistant starch present in the potatoes, a common fiber type, has innumerable health advantages.
Nevertheless, potato products comprising dairy products and artificial additives aren’t paleo-friendly.
So hopefully you won’t have doubts on whether you can eat potatoes on paleo?
