Raw potatoes

[slkinsey]

I remember seeing in an old biology textbook that a raw potato is only about 15% digestible. It's not exactly my thing, but as long as it's not green it probably wouldn't hurt you.

jariggs,

I set out to debunk you, but in the end I can't really tell if the 15% is true or not. Found an interesting link about how much nutrition is available in a raw potato, though: http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/Jun20...50086.Bc.r.html

FWIW, raw potato starch is not digestible by humans.

That could be a good thing. So how many digestible calories does a raw potato have?

Yes, I imagine it could be a good thing from a weight-control standpoint (although I might be concerned that some gut bacteria would start fermenting the stuff with the expected results). I was mostly speaking to jariggs' assertion that raw potato is only 15% digestible -- which figure seems reasonable to me.

[hathor]

Raw potatos are good and crunchy, and always worth a taste...but they do have an interesting side effect. They been know to cause worse gas that beans. So crunchers....beware!!

[ExtraMSG]

Yes, I imagine it could be a good thing from a weight-control standpoint (although I might be concerned that some gut bacteria would start fermenting the stuff with the expected results). I was mostly speaking to jariggs' assertion that raw potato is only 15% digestible -- which figure seems reasonable to me.

Maybe you'd start pissing potato vodka.

[Betts]

I adore raw potato with a little salt but not out of hand like an apple, just a few slices as the cook's treat.

As far as indigestible - what about the whole fiber thing? There should be a website keepitmoving.com.

[Pickles]

There should be a website  keepitmoving.com.

Or maybe http://it'sonitswaydown.org. (that's a fake addy I made up, BTW... )

Edited February 10, 2004 by Pickles (log)

[Mudpuppie]

As far as indigestible - what about the whole fiber thing? There should be a website keepitmoving.com.

Er, there is. And if your imagination is active enough, you could almost convince yourself that it means what you think it should.

[ExtraMSG]

Or, borrowing from the classic SNL/Phil Hartman commercial: colonblow.com. Oh wait, there is:

http://colonblow.com/

[Betts]

I always thought I could start a diet craze based on prunes and call it the "Easy Come, Easy Go Diet".

I used to work on a GI surgery floor and I talked about this stuff all day long.

[Mudpuppie]

Or, borrowing from the classic SNL/Phil Hartman commercial: colonblow.com.  Oh wait, there is:

http://colonblow.com/

Ugh.

I don't recommend clicking on the links to pictures.

Back to raw potatoes -- I've never noticed any odd intestinal effects. But then, as Betts said, I don't eat them out of hand.

Edited February 10, 2004 by Mudpuppie (log)