In 2016, Andrew Taylor decided to eat nothing but potatoes for an entire year. At the end of that year, Taylor had lost 121 pounds and found his health had been restored. SPUDFIT explains the nutritional science behind Taylor’s diet. Several doctors weigh in on the benefits. So do some chefs and athletes. SPUDFIT includes over 100 healthy, potato-based recipes. I’m considering making “Loaded Potato Skin Bites” (p. 211) this weekend. The “Black Bean Quinoa Chili” (p. 214) looks good, too! Are you a potato fan? Or do you prefer some other vegetable? GRADE: B+
Table of Contents
Introduction IV
Spud Fit 01
Doctors 17
Health Professionals 51
Athletes 87
Chefs 115
Activists 155
Wellness Warriors 181
About the Author 231
Acknowledgements 233
Contributor Directory 235
Photo/Publisher Credits 240
I love them but they’re bad for me!
Bob, Diane loves potatoes of all types so it’s on our menu a lot.
It’s hard for me to believe that focusing a diet on any single food or even food group is a sustainable way to go. I love potatoes—especially baked, served with sour cream, butter, cheese, and crumbled bacon—which probably offsets the health benefits—but I prefer a ribeye steak and some broccoli served alongside them.
Deb, you just created my dream menu: steak, broccoli, and loaded potato skins with cheese, bacon, sour cream, and butter. Yes, there are some health minuses here, but having this heavenly meal once a month or so would be delicious!
I agree with Deb. How can eating only one food be healthy? Yes, I love potatoes, always have – baked, fried, you name it. Not with all Deb’s accouterments, but sour cream is good. Home fries are good too.
Jeff, I prefer a plain baked potato to fries. But I do enjoy hash brown potatoes from time time.
I also love them too but I can’t believe this claim.
Patti, Andrew Taylor provides a whole chapter of medical opinions on his radical diet. I’m not interested in extreme diets, but I do like the potato recipes in this book.
Losing 121 pounds?
How did he win those, what kind of “diet”?
I like potatoes too, but also noodles, rice – and of course vegetables and some meat. And salads are a must!
In Germany we have a simple rule:
FdH
Friss die Hälfte!
Loosely translated:
Get half a portion of anything!
Even more OT:
We Schwabs have always have a variety of noodles, potatoes etc but my father who came from Prussia always wanted potatoes. My mother told me that it took him a long time to accept stuff like spaghetti bolognese or even pizza – he hadn’t had any tomatoes as a child …
They just don’t grow in the climate of Eastern Prussia …
Wolf, while I prefer potatoes, I do occasionally enjoy spaghetti, rice, and noodles.
Wolf, that is a simple Weight Watchers prescription here too – cut the portion in half and take the other half home for another day.
Jeff, I saw a Weight Watchers commercial with Oprah and The Rock.
How about potatoes fried in snake oil? I don’t believe a word of this.
Michael, I’m skeptical, too. But the potato recipes in SPUDFIT are pretty good!
Love them. Mashed, Baked, Fried. Unfortunately I am diabetic and potatoes are high in carbs so I can’t eat them as often as I like.
Steve, a plain baked potato has about 37 grams of carbohydrate. A 20 ounce Coke has 65 carbs.
That is why I only drink diet beverages. Besides who can eat a plain baked potatoes. Has to have butter at least.
Steve, I don’t need any butter if I’m eating a baked potato with a juicy steak!
I like potatoes, baked with sour cream or butter fried, but not really crispy (I like limpy bacon – chewy, dippy eggs, and melty ice cream, and fries a bit limpy) , but I can’t imagine eating only one type of food for an extended time, not even chocolate)
I discovered Penzey’s spices and have been adding their blends to foods (many are salt free) to shosh up the flavor. I’ll have to try a baked potato with some butter and a spice blend. Penzey’s is on facebook and if you get their emails, they always have great deals, often $1 for a small jar of various spices or 50c for a small packet. Beth said their salad mix is good, but IIRC, needs to be put on wet lettuce. They also have a couple of hot choc mixes, but I haven’t tried them yet. I just got a small jar of Chinese cinnamon that is said to be spicy. One of their specials in Dec was a $50 gift card for $35. They are based in WI, and do mail order if you don’t have a store near you.
Maggie, Beth has occasionally sent us goodies from Wisconsin, too. I admire Beth and Wilba for taking that North Sea cruise!
As I sit in First Watch eating super crispy bacon and tasting Jeff’s crispy home fries I marvel at how good friends could have totally different preferences in food.
On this potato discussion, I love potatoes plain. Baked ( not in the microwave), boiled, roasted and really thick cut fries fresh potatoes.
Jackie
Jackie how about ice cream?? when it just starts to get melty not yet soupy?
I don’t want to cut my mouth on crispy stuff. In general, I like softer foods
Jackie, we’re on the same wavelength!
Brilliant. I’m thinking of writing DIETS OF THE DEAD: WEIGHT LOSS TIPS FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE.
Dan, sounds like a winner to me!
No, No, No. Potatoes are pure carb, and CARBS ARE NOT YOUR FRIEND!
Once when I was self-employed and very poor I ate a ton of potatoes. Thanks for the hemorrhoid memories. Now, as a diabetic, all that carb load would drive me into a coma. So, NO, NO, NO!
As for veggies, we try to stick with GREEN ones.
Rick, we like green veggies, too: broccoli, green beens, lettuce, etc.
I am unfortunately one of the two percent that has the gene that makes most green vegetables taste bitter. Asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage all taste vile. Hate the word veggies. I would no more eat veggies than I would wear panties.
Steve, Art Scott doesn’t eat veggies, either. I like to melt mozzarella cheese over them!
I love most veggies.
Maggie, Jackie said she likes custard and soft serve ice cream but nothing softer. She wants creamy and firm, not mush.
Fresh veggies are of course really expensive at this time of the year – but there’s good news:
Frozen veggies usually aren’t bad or unhealthy so my wife makes broccoli soup, green beans soup (I also like the dry dark beans) and so on.
It’s an old trick:
Eat some soup first then you don’t feel that hungry any more.
Potato soup is also very good!
Wolf, we have a terrific corn and potato soup recipe. Perfect for a chilly day!
Good for you!
When I was younger corn was unknown in Germany, then it was an exotic …
Now you see maize fields all over the country.
In Hungary however it’s everywhere – even in salads …
We regularly buy a package of frozen corn and add a cup to our lettuce and California paprika.
Wolf, fresh corn-on-the-cob tastes best!
George, I’m sure I’ll enjoy this book. I was raised on potatoes, made in different Indian varieties, and even today it’s my favourite tuber or vegetable. I can have it throughout the year, though now I avoid having it fried.
Prashant, you would enjoy the delicious recipes in SPUDFIT.