Mystery about potatoes

[Luisa22]

I always prefer to cook from scratch rather than eat much that's processed. So when I cook potatoes, I peel them because the skins upset my gut, then I boil them but not so they're overcooked. Then I drain and eat them warm, not cooled. The only thing I add is a little salt in the boiling water.

Now they are fine in my tum, all the way down. It's next morning that I have a looser bowel movement if I eat potatoes.

I thought it might be the resistant starch which resists digestion and acts like fibre in the colon.

So, in that case why can I eat oven chips and don't get any upset with those? I buy what are called 'naked' frozen chips with just a bit of sunflower oil and potato, no other additives.

I'm also okay with crisps.

But not plain ordinary boiled potatoes. I can't understand it. I have tried all different types of potato.

I can sometimes eat potatoes if I'm going through one of my unexplained "good phases", but otherwise get side effects. Does anyone have any ideas why chips and crisps (processed even minimally) are ok and potatoes aren't?

[BabsyWabsy]

I think you are right about resistant starch, but this only occurs when potatoes are reheated/cooked again. Hence frozen chips are OK for you. They are already cooked and you are just reheating/browning them. Crisps I think are blanched before frying, so again cooked twice.

[Edgar77 in reply to BabsyWabsy]

I knew that green potatoes were bad ,but was very ill after eating old potatoes. Now even though they look OK, if they go past their best before date iwo teat them, such a waste I know.

[Luisa22 in reply to Edgar77]

When you say you were ill, do you mean loose bm and an IBS flare up?

I wonder if that might be it. I have some redskin potatoes which I've had in the bottom of my fridge for about 3 weeks. They still look fine, haven't sprouted, or gone green and I peel them well anyway, but if they're old the flesh will be too. That might be the cause. I have some fresh large baby potatoes arriving with my order today. I will try those and see.

[Edgar77 in reply to Edgar77]

Yes I had loose bm and knocked out. Very weak

[Luisa22 in reply to Edgar77]

Did you peel your potatoes? Old potatoes, especially with a bit of green just under the skins contain solanine (? I think that's what it's called,) which is quite toxic. Even for people without IBS.

[Edgar77 in reply to Luisa22]

Yes I peeled them and cut off the sprouts. They have an earthy smell if they are too old

[Luisa22 in reply to BabsyWabsy]

Yes, cooked twice might have something to do with why I can eat chips but not boiled potatoes. Maybe cooking twice breaks down the resistant starch a bit? So there's less gets to the colon? It';s just as if I have eaten fibre if I have boiled potatoes, and I do like them

[BabsyWabsy in reply to Luisa22]

It is cooking twice that creates the resistant starch. Your boiled potatoes, cooked once, don't have resistant starch. Cool and reheat them and they will develop resistant starch. So your bought products have resistant starch already. Might be an idea to let your spuds cool, then bake or fry them, microwave or something else to reheat them and see what happens?

[Luisa22 in reply to BabsyWabsy]

Oh I see. I got things a bit backwards. Thank you.

[BabsyWabsy in reply to Luisa22]

I really hope it works for you. If so, mystery solved.

[pink123floyd]

Try half cooking some then when cold freeze them then when you next need potatoes use the frozen ones and see if you get the same results as when you eat chips or crisps if you do then its the dpuble cooking that is helping you eat these with no bad effects.xx

[Maureen1958 in reply to pink123floyd]

Good idea!

[Luisa22 in reply to pink123floyd]

That is a good idea. I think so too. I will try it.

[Pollyboo]

Hi Luisa, just read your post to Edgar77. I don't think you should keep potatoes in the fridge. Perhaps this could be part of your problem.This could be something to look into I could be wrong,

Sometimes it is not always food for some of us its just our tummy playing up again whatever we eat. I know this is the case for me.

Take care Pollyboo

[Luisa22 in reply to Pollyboo]

Oh I see. I didn't know that. I keep them in the bottom salad crisper area, so that they're dark and cool. But I didn't know they shouldn't be cool. They are dry though, no condensation. I just checked.