The "Bad" Carb?
Walk into a bodybuilder's kitchen, and you will see Tupperware filled with chicken, broccoli, and Sweet Potatoes. Ask them why they don't eat White Potatoes, and they will tell you: "Simple carbs. High Glycemic Index. Fat gain." They are technically wrong.
The white potato has been unfairly grouped with processed grains like bread and pasta. In its natural form, it is a nutritional powerhouse that outperforms almost every other carb source.
The Satiety Index
In 1995, researchers at the University of Sydney developed the Satiety Index. They fed participants 240 calories of 38 distinct foods and measured their feelings of fullness every 15 minutes for 2 hours. The Results:
- White Bread: 100% (Baseline)
- Eggs: 150%
- Beef Steak: 176%
- Boiled White Potato: 323%
The white potato was, by far, the most satiating food tested. It was 7x more filling than a croissant. If your goal is to feel full while controlling calories, the white potato is your best friend.
The Potassium King
We are told to eat bananas for Potassium (essential for muscle contraction and fluid balance).
- Banana (Medium): ~422mg Potassium.
- White Potato (Medium): ~926mg Potassium.
The potato has double the electrolytes of the banana, with a fraction of the sugar. For athletes, it is the superior recovery food.
The Resistant Starch Hack
The only valid criticism of the white potato is its high Glycemic Index (it digests quickly). However, you can hack this using Chemistry. When you cook a potato and then cool it (refrigerate for 24 hours), the starch molecules rearrange themselves into a crystalline structure called Resistant Starch. This starch resists digestion in the small intestine. It acts like soluble fiber, passing to the colon to feed your microbiome. Result:
- Lower Insulin Spike (~30% reduction).
- Improved Gut Health.
- Fewer absorbable calories.
The WellFact Protocol
- The Preparation: Bake, Boil, or Air Fry.
- The Fat: Always eat with a fat source (Butter or Olive Oil) to further lower the glycemic response and aid Vitamin absorption.
- The Skin: Keep the skin on. That is where 50% of the fiber and nutrients live.