Campaign disputes 'potatoes are fattening' myth
Nick White, head of corporate affairs at AHDB Potatoes said “The younger generation is more likely to have the perception that potatoes are fattening, that carbohydrates are fattening. The message is quite simple: it’s a myth. As part of a balanced diet there is a good role for carbohydrates on the plate.”
The so-called demonisation of carbohydrates - the body’s main source of energy - is associated with the promotion of low-carb diets such as the Atkins, Dukan and South Beach, but according to the Government’s healthy eating advice, a third of diets should be made up of starchy foods, such as bread, rice, potatoes and pasta - all sources of carbohydrates.
White said potatoes had lost a significant share of the market over the last 40 years as pasta, rice and more recently couscous have rivalled them as accompaniments to meat on dinner plates. “A potato is naturally fat-free, is a good source of potassium and fibre, is naturally gluten-free and salt-free - there are a lot of healthy messages around potatoes.”
He added: “What we want is a potato industry that is healthy because when you take a step back and look at the bigger picture, potatoes are a £4bn industry with 2,000 British growers which employs 16,000 people. It’s a vital part of UK agriculture so it is in our best interests to look after it.”
