Better Nutrition February 2019

Potatoes Are a Nightshade
Although few people realize it, potatoes
are members of the nightshade family,
which contain toxic substances such as
glycoalkaloids that increase intestinal
permeability, or “leaky gut.” A leaky gut
is believed to set off an autoimmune
reaction when various proteins, which
should stay inside the digestive tract,
make their way into the bloodstream
and the body attacks them in response.
In one study from Digestive Diseases
and Sciences, researchers fed potato skins
(where high concentrations of glycoalkaloids
lurk) to mice with inflammatory
bowel disease, and found that gut
inflammation was significantly increased.
There is virtually no published
evidence on potatoes causing joint pain
and inflammation in healthy individuals,
but there are numerous anecdotal
accounts. For example, Mark Sisson,
author of Primal Blueprint and blogger
at Marksdailyapple.com, found that
eating potatoes on a regular basis led
to joint pain in his feet and ankles. But
that doesn’t happen when he eats other
starchy foods, such as yams or squash.
The New Risk: GMO Potatoes
Since the introduction of genetically
modified versions in 2015, the potato
has become one of the most common
genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
available in the U.S. So much so that they
were recently added to the High-Risk list
of the Non-GMO Project Standard.
Unlike many genetically modified
vegetables, the GMO potato isn’t designed
to produce its own pesticides or to resist
herbicides. Instead, the GMO potato
developed by J.R. Simplot is engineered
so that its flesh stays white when it’s
exposed to air or light, or even when
it’s bruised or diseased. The trait that
prevents the potato’s natural discoloration
was achieved by silencing its melanin
gene. The potato still gets damaged,
but the symptoms are hidden from
view—and from the consumer.
GMO potato developer Rommens
now heavily criticizes the crop he
created, and says the newfangled
POTATO SUBSTITUTES
If you’d like to avoid or reduce potatoes in your diet, there
are many delicious, healthy alternatives.
IN PLACE OF:
Roasted potatoes
Mashed potatoes
French fries
Potato chips
White potatoes (in a stew or pot roast)
potatoes are not really bruise-resistant
but bruise-concealing. In his book,
Rommens explains that concealed
bruises can accumulate certain toxins
that can compromise the food safety
and nutritional quality. For example,
the abnormal amino acid tyramine can
accumulate in damaged potato tissues.
Some people have a poor ability to break
down, or are sensitive to, tyramine, and
excessive tyramine intake in sensitive
people may lead to a dangerous rise
in blood pressure, or to nausea, vomiting,
quickened heart rate, or severe headache.
So, it’s possible that an unsuspecting
consumer who is sensitive to tyramine
could unknowingly eat bruise-concealing
GMO potatoes in combination with
other tyramine-rich foods, such as
blue cheese, beer, sauerkraut, sausage,
soy sauce, or tofu, and end up in the
emergency room.
Another toxic effect of the trait
that prevents discoloration in the GMO
potato is the concealment of infections.
Consumers may eat potatoes that look
perfectly healthy but actually contain
fungal or bacterial pathogens, which
often produce toxins and allergens.
Rommens is so concerned about the
toxic effects that develop in GMO
potatoes that he calls the potatoes
“the worst GMOs ever commercialized.”
Bottom-Line Advice
It’s important to weigh out the information
and decide for yourself if potatoes are
a good addition to your diet. Here are
some tips:
TRY:
Roasted turnips
Mashed cauliflower
Baked yam fries
Kale chips
Parsnips
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parsnips
Look for potatoes that are labeled
Non-GMO Project Verified or, better
yet, USDA Organic. Seeking out
organic potato products is the best
way to avoid both GMO potatoes
and potatoes that aren’t sprayed
with synthetic chemical pesticides.
If you are overweight or have high
blood glucose levels, avoid potatoes
to determine if doing so helps you
lose weight or reduces elevated
blood glucose levels.
If you have a known autoimmune
disease, a leaky gut, or inflammatory
bowel disease—or are sensitive to
nightshades, including tomatoes,
peppers, and eggplants—try eliminating
potatoes from your diet, because
they are also nightshades that may
be aggravating your condition.
If it’s better for your health to shun
potatoes, there are plenty of vegetables
that work as a healthier substitute
(see sidebar above). Also be sure to
avoid convenience foods that have
potato-based ingredients (such as
potato starch) in them.
If you don’t think you need to stay away
from potatoes to improve your health,
it’s still prudent to increase your intake
of other vegetables that provide more
nutrients and less carbs than potatoes.
Do you have a question for the nutritionist? We would
love to hear from you! Please email your questions to
bnaskthenutritionist@gmail.com.
FEBRUARY 2019 • 43