Just eat the potatoes you like.
There’s no reason to discriminate against your potatoes this Thanksgiving.
I always thought “white” carbs were bad. Well, to be frank, for a few years there I thought all carbs were bad (even writing it in a blog post once, which my husband still mocks me for to this day). But I have come to my senses—and actually did the research 😉—and found that not only are carbs great for a balanced diet, but white carbs can fit in as well.
This includes potatoes.
Last week I wrote an essay focusing on white bread and white rice and the nutritional value attached to them. Sure, “brown” versions of these products (including whole wheat and whole grain) do provide a bit more nutritional value; they are higher in fiber and denser in some key vitamins and minerals. But that doesn’t mean that white rice or enriched bread doesn’t give you anything nutritionally, or should be called “bleached sugar” by diet culture pushers.
When I was deep down the diet culture rabbit hole, following every dieting whim and trend, I believed that white potatoes were in the same camp as other enriched carbs. If the carb is white, it’s bad. If it’s colorful, it’s not as bad, but still should be consumed in extreme moderation.
God, I get mad even writing this, because I was so so wrong. Potatoes are actually extremely good for you. And what better time to talk about them than Thanksgiving week?
Let’s compare those potatoes.
Because we all love a good graphic, here’s another one comparing a traditional white potato and a sweet potato.
You might be surprised to know this, but did you know that white potatoes contain more vitamin C than an apple and white potatoes contain more potassium than a banana?
No…that’s not a joke. It’s true. The white potato is a nutritional powerhouse that provides your body with an incredible number of nutrients.
Now if you’re in the camp of “sweet potatoes have more sugar” well, yeah, it does have a small amount more. But do you see that fiber, that calcium, that vitamin A count? Sweet potatoes still have so much to offer!
“Contrary to popular belief, all potatoes, white, yellow, red, purple, and orange are nutrient-rich containing essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium, and sweet potatoes contain the antioxidant beta carotene as well,” says Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD. “They are similar in calorie and carbohydrate content and all colors of potatoes count as a vegetable serving!”
Plus, just like rice, potatoes contain resistant starch once they are cooked and cooled. So if you’re more of a potato salad kind of person, or even plan on cooking those potatoes in advance so your Thanksgiving prep work is done, it can benefit your gut health even further!
Needless to say, either potato choice is perfectly fine for your Thanksgiving plate.
“This Thanksgiving, whether you choose mashed white potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes, the truth is ‘potato-po-tah-to,’ in both cases you are getting a nutrient-rich vegetable and you should choose based on desire and taste preference,” Goodson says. “While Thanksgiving gets a bad rap for calories, the truth is one day of eating never hurt anyone. After all, it's a day to give thanks and enjoy time with friends and family, which typically comes with eating delicious food!”
It’s your plate. Not theirs.
I honestly feel like I could end the essay right here. I mean, the numbers speak for themselves—white potatoes are clearly just as nutritionally powerful as sweet potatoes, and each individually provides some major benefits for your body. So whatever potato you decide to reach for this Thanksgiving, remember that both are great options for your body.
I think this also brings us to an even greater point about dealing with Thanksgiving anxiety.
For so long, I was the queen of “trying to be healthy” during the holidays. I even hosted a small campaign called “Healthy Holidays” when I was blogging where I provided tips for my readers on how to stay healthy during a time of overindulgence. Now I look back at those days and grimace, knowing that my life was so engrained in diet culture I was literally perpetuating it to everyone around me. So if you’ve been following me since my “healthy holidays” campaign in 2017, I’m so sorry, and thanks for sticking with me.
The truth is, your body is yours. You don’t have to worry about anyone else but yourself.
You don’t have to worry about your aunt’s comments who is “so bad” for eating all that food and is “immediately going on a diet” the next day.
You don’t have to worry about your brother’s comments about how you’re “no longer fun” for choosing to not drink anymore.
You don’t have to worry about your grandmother’s tsk, tsk-ing as you grab a second helping of potatoes, especially if it’s the white ones.
You don’t have to worry about your cousin’s plate, even if all they grabbed was a plate of turkey and green things because it’s “much healthier” to stay low carb.
The only worry you need to have? Filling up your plate and nourishing your body. If someone makes a comment, do what I do: smile, nod, and know in your heart that you have the power to make a change in your life. To live a life free of diet culture prison, where your biggest concern is no longer about how much you shouldn’t put on your plate, but about which kind of pie you’re going to slice up for dessert.