You Say Potato, I Say Problematic

Ok, I admit it. I’m an addict. It’s true. I’m addicted to potatoes. (More specifically those that are low in beta carotene and high on the glycemic index.) I love a potato every which way — fried, baked, au gratin, scalloped, whipped, mashed, smashed, hash browned, home fried, warm salad, cold salad, the list goes on.

Go ahead, laugh … but this is a serious thing and I’ve known it for years.

My first real indication that it might be an issue was an encounter I had while living in NYC. I was having lunch with a friend at this diner over by FIT. We were grabbing a bite before going to an exhibit at the museum. After chatting and contemplating the menu, I decided upon a side of fries and a side of mashed potatoes and gravy! Yep, this actually happened. Funny thing is, I had no idea what I had said until my friend said, “I guess you’re in the mood for potatoes. Are sure you don’t want it baked too?” That’s when I realized I had ordered potatoes with a side of potatoes. (That can’t be healthy!) Add to that my current issue with potato chips: I devour them whenever they come in through the front door. I asked the wusband to bring home chips three times in one week. (That is most definitely not healthy.)

I’ve given up certain foods in the past, only to put them back in my diet when I had lost the desired amount of weight, felt that my body had learned its lesson (no caffeine for 40 days, never again), or whatever. This time is different. I don’t really need to add potatoes back. There is nothing that I will miss nutritionally by excluding potatoes from my diet. Yams/sweet potatoes are exempt.

There are way more nutritious white vegetables that come from the ground — parsnips and taro root, to name two, which are delicious mashed. Cauliflower is also great mashed and is an excellent complement to melted cheese. If I get that dehydrator I put on my bridal registry, I’ll be able to make chips out of everything.

Now, please don’t be upset with me if you’re a potato farmer or make your money trading commodities in potato futures. Although I consume a lot of potatoes, I’m pretty certain you won’t miss me. Potatoes are the world’s fourth largest food crop. Americans, at last count, average about 116 pounds of potatoes a year! Doing the math, that’s something like 300,000 calories before you add butter, cheese, milk, or anything else. I should lose almost 100 pounds just by cutting out potatoes. Perfect! (Now I won’t have to give up drinking wine and I’ll be svelte for my wedding next year.)

I’m excited at the challenge this is going to place in my life. Being a vegetarian, my go-to choice at a restaurant with limited vegetarian selections is usually pasta, sides, or something potato oriented. When I’m craving something salty and crunchy, I’ll be choosing kale chips instead.

I’m interested in discovering the unexpected and delightful benefits. (Do you think I’ll go through withdrawals?) Oh, I don’t care; I know this is the right thing to do. I’ll be posting my potato resistance project (#PRP) on Instagram and Pinterest. Join me! Let’s see how creative we can get.