Are potatoes a source of complex carbohydrates?

**billyyb** · 03-21-2011, 04:22 PM

I know sweet potatoes are, but I'm not sure if normal potatoes are. Can anyone clarify this for me?

**LatissimusaurousRex** · 03-21-2011, 04:25 PM

I think it's technically a complex carb, but regardless it's a high GI food.

**Damienm05** · 03-21-2011, 04:35 PM

Starchy potatoes are a natural food but when comparing them to complex carbs like sweet potatoes and whole grains, you have to look at them like whey isolate compared to chicken breast. Your body has to do very little to the starchy potato in order to digest it and break it down to sugar. It's basically pure glucose. Same as how whey protein is a "fast" recovery supplement; it's basically pre-digested, if you will. Now sweet potatoes, lentils, and other carbs are more resistant starches in that they are turned into sugars at a much slower rate, sometimes not at all. Just how it requires a long digestion process to get all amino acids from a chicken breast into your bloodstream, yielding sustained nutrition and a thermogenic response, these slow/resistant starches can be viewed similarly - potatoes are not one of them.

They are a low-fat food and great for carb re-feeds, PWO nutrition, and in general, low-calorie side dishes depending on the goal. I don't consider a chicken skewer with lemon/rosemary potatoes a cheat meal at a greek restaurant, for example.

**billyyb** · 03-21-2011, 04:44 PM

Ahh thanks Damien very helpful, comparing it to whey and chicken breast helped explain it well! cheers.

**gbrice75** · 03-21-2011, 04:53 PM

^ ^ great comparison Damien, lol!

**Damienm05** · 03-21-2011, 05:06 PM

I actually got it from reading an article you posted on "shakes v. real food" - it wasn't a revelation for me but I'd simply never thought to describe them as a pre-digested food which is essentially no different from starches that are just, add water and there you have it, muscle glycogen ready to burn!