Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) Support Group

Hi! I hear you, I have been rethinking potatoes myself after having avoided them for so long. I find it helps to know about the properties of each kind of potato, and also how you combine those potatoes in your meal to optimize your blood sugar load.

Starchy Idaho potatoes tend to be very easily broken down to sugars, there's very little fiber (except for the skins) and the carbs that get nice and fluffy with baking can spike our blood sugar. The glycemic index is in the 80's or so - I LOVE them but I avoid french fries. (sigh!)

Waxy potatoes have a different consistency when cooked, and their starch is actually a little more complex (thus, takes just a little longer to diget). It's got a lower glycemic index than baking potatoes, but they can still spike your blood sugar if you eat a lot of them

Sweet potatoes and yams are awesome, because they are full of vitamins, especially beta carotene and because their starch type is even more complex (glycemic index is in the mid 50's).

I try to use sweet potatoes personally wherever possible, but I won't deny myself occasional roasted little red potatoes or even a little bit of mashed - as long as I'm also getting some serious proteins and fiber too in the same meal to slow down the digestion of the carbs.

Hope that helps!

White potatoes are very very high in sugar and will bump you up and then let you crash... Yams and sweet potatoe and red potatoes don't do that.. less sugar. Stlll eat them in moderation.

Definitely only sweet potato......

Yes, sweet potatoes and not regular ones. Sweet potatoes are actually from a different family from the regular type :)