Plain potatoes, corn, and dry roasted peanuts...Good or bad??

Been thinking about these for awhile...So are they good or bad for you??  Would like to hear your thoughts.  I'll post this on other forums too.  Peanuts have good protein...The hospital nutritionist said to go lightly on them because of their oil content...And it's not the best oil (compared to walnuts and almonds).  Corn has some nutrients but has starch...which the body burns first, turns into sugar.  Potatoes have more nutrients that corn...A plain potato with some lemon on it can really fill you up.  But again, starch.  Any thoughts on these three items??  Brian

I'll eat corn, but only rarely (like one or two a year and less than half an ear), usually in the summer when I bbq it. I like potatoes, try garlic powder on them. And I will put a little margarine on them. Or we slice them up, spray them with olive oil, garlic powder and thyme and bake them into wedges. Sweet potatoes too. I'm not big on peanuts so I don't eat them, but I do like almonds.  And I should add that these are only sides to my protein and veggies, so I don't eat much of them.

Jan

 I don't like peanuts (but DO like peanut butter!), but I eat almonds or cashews almost every day as one of my protein snacks.  Part of the reason that I eat them is for the protein and part of it is also specifically to get the fat.  We need a certain amount of healthy fats in our diet and the rest of my diet contains very little so I need the fat from the nuts.

I eat very little corn -- both in terms of amount and in terms of frequency -- partially because it is hard for everyone to digest and even harder after RNY, but partially because of the high starch content, the lack of other nutritional value, and the fact that I only like it if it has butter on it!  so I reserve it for the occasional amount in the summer, fresh, with some melted butter!

As you mentioned, potato has more nutrition than corn, but that still isn't much, so other than occasionally when I really want a few bites of something (usually in mashed form) I avoid them because the carb/starch level is just too high.  you mention that a plain potato with lemon can fill you up.  Yes, It certainly can... but it is protein that  you need to use ro fill up on, not potato.

Lora

I think all these are "good " for you, just maybe not in quantities or
by themselves.  I add corn to casseroles and dishes and I put
some white potatoes in stews, although for the most part I prefer
sweet potatoes. I add peanuts and other nuts to stir fries etc.
As with all foods, I focus on making sure what I eat has protein, so
I really don't eat any veggies by themselves. Having a potato with
lemon is not much different from having bread...pretty much just
straight carbs. They certainly have a place in a balanced diet
however.

I'm kind of torn about those things.  On one hand I don't think any food is bad in moderation and certainly things that haven't been refined and processed for me are on my OK list.  But it can be a slippery sloop for me because I can get compulsive about those things.  Having said that, I have been eating them regularly because I am trying to gain weight so I have some kind of nuts every day, as well as popcorn with butter and the occasional potato.  I avoided those things when I was in the losing phase but now I try to include most everything except sugar and gluten.  Those things I avoid with a passion because I have never been able to handle them in moderation and because eating them causes side effects I don't want.

something to think about with corn is whether or not you digest it.  I had corn the other night and within 2 hours it passed right through me undigested. 

Peanuts I will eat as a snack.  Potatoes and corn I will perhaps eat a little of with a meal but not as a snack. 

Potatoes - not bad for you per se...especially not with the fiber and nutrient rich skins ON. BUT, they are among the simplest forms of carbs and there are spuds that sport much higher and varied vitamin content such as sweet potatoes, for example.

Corn - Also not evil, in and of itself. I think most doctor's problem with corn is that it is infused into so many other foods we eat, making it damn near impossible for the average Joe NOT to overconsume it. Cows are typically corn-fed. Many restaurants use corn oil and many products use high fructose corn syrup. So once you get past all that...to eat corn just seems like too much! Opt for grass-fed beef, make sure you consume other types of oil (olive, flax seed, etc.) and look for foods absent of high fructose corn syrup and then enjoy corn in moderation once you are cleared to do so.

Peanuts - are a great choice in their proper portion sizes. Remember, however much protein peanuts have, they are primarily a source of FAT. Not bad fat, but fat nonetheless. They are calorically dense. An ounce of peanuts has about 200 calories. So measure and enjoy!

I eat all three. They are all natural unprocessed foods....



Do I eat them a lot? Nope simply bc neither are my absolute favorites (except pb which I must have everyday in some form.. Ok exaggerating but I love the stuff.. Always have) and have never been huge parts of my diet. But, I do try to eat a baked potato at least once a week to fuel long runs.