I saw these “Low Carb” potatoes at my local independent grocer for $1.99 for 1.5kg. They claim to be 25% less carbs. Nothing magical, it is an unnamed variety that is lower in carbs than “an average of a group of commonly available potato varieties.” also unnamed.
6 Likes
Can see marketers doing the same with other products…describing them as low carb when they are nothing special…just what occurs naturally.
2 Likes
There are some varieties that have a lower usable carb amount but even that often requires that they are cooked for a shorter period than normal. While not named they may be a variety that displays this characteristic. It is an easy claim to make but it could well just be a sham claim as you seem to be noting.
Perhaps contact with the producer could get clarification as to their claims. I note on the packaging that this variety of potato may be marketed under a different name, to offer them in the other name could be a possible breach of a supply contract they have with as an example Coles.
The producer is happy to supply business details so contact should be fairly easy. Looking at their Website shows they produce the Coles own branded Carisma potatoes, I assume those would be the variety in your pack, they just can’t declare it. It is important to not cook this variety past being tender to get the greatest benefit from the lower carb claim.
4 Likes
There are two varieties claiming to be low carb, Zerella Spud Lite and the NutriSpud Carisma potatoes. But, they still contain considerable carbs and wouldn’t be considered low carb. Lower carb than some other varieties, yes, low carb compared to other foods, no.
I personally wouldn’t be buying these potatoes thinking they are better than others. If one needs to have a low carb diet, potentially avoid any potato (including lower carb ones) or consume significantly less potato or eat less regularly.
7 Likes
I’ve seen these at Woolies.
Re Mitolo’s claims of:
Isn’t there a difference between potato varieties? They are either waxy or floury with one characteristic better for fries, chips wedges etc, and the other for roasting and mashing.
2 Likes
A better description would be, “A Lower Carbohydrate Variety of Potato”.
I actually quite like a decent mashed potatoe with butter, curried sausages, etc., but the diabetes has more or less ruled spuds and bread etc., off the menu.
Kicking Diabetes’ Ass
1 Like
There are also low GI potatoes.
And an article regarding low card potatoes.
https://www.diabetesmealsonline.com.au/blogs/news/low-carb-spuds-whats-the-story
As an after thought, I don’t think that potatoes ought to be declared as something being grown in the anus of Satan, but the idea of not eating much all day and then sitting down to a BIG meal (read - combining most of breakfast, lunch and dinner in one meal) of mashed potatoes with loads of lovely butter etc., coming to around a1 Kg plus and steak or sausages etc… In diabetic terms, it’s virtual suicide.
BUT in really appraising them, it is a FACT that if you only ate potatoes and milk, you can actually LIVE totally on them and them alone… This is why the potatoe blight in Ireland - with no potatoes, enormous amounts of the population just starved to death.
I think the lower carb potatoes ARE a good thing, but perhaps instead of eating HUGE amounts in one or a great deal in many sittings relative to the carbohydrate loadings = blood sugar spikes, that require insuline etc., one could simply add a little bit of cubed boiled potato to large amounts of salad etc.
Or a few fried slices to a main meal of low carbohydrate foods.
Without really trying hard, using lots of fresh green vegetables (mostly frozen), with meat, eggs and cheese etc., I am easily able to keep my carbs to under 15 grams per meal.
AND so my blood sugar levels are typically in the range of 5 to 6 - with a tolerance range of minus 1 to plus 2.
Whole potatoes with skin - where MOST of the nutrients lie, are almost totally carbohydrate and water.
Perhaps the diabetic solution is to wash and THICKLY peel the potatoes and to eat the skins and serve the starch centres to the non diabetics.
1 Like
Yes, some are better for particular cooking methods. Others are all-rounders which can be prepared for any cooking method. While they might not be perfect as other varieties suited to the cooking method, the outcome will be satisfactory for most home cooks. The general purpose potatoes also negate the need for having a number of different varieties in the kitchen depending on what is for dinner.
3 Likes
Or test your response to them. I found on testing, that I can eat potato and sweet potato if I don’t go overboard… Steamed or boiled are OK, anything else is not. I love hot chips and I do eat them, but being aware that BG will hit the stratosphere, I usually have a jab first.
4 Likes
Testing out the claim to 25% less carbs than “commonly available” potatoes, I did a quick comparison with two popular spuds - Desiree and Sebago, from the CSIRO database.
Per 100g Carbs - Carisma 9g, Sebago 13.8g, Desiree 10.7g
The claim is true for Sebago, but not Desiree, but true for equal quantities of Sebago & Desiree.
Perhaps they should have pointed out the Low Carb potato is significantly lower in kjs.
Again 100g - Low Carb = 190, Sebago = 303, Desiree = 240kj.
At $1.32 / kg for the Low Carb potato (an independent shop) they are reasonably priced. However, the same thing branded Coles Carisma is $3.50 at Coles.
6 Likes
I suspect they are cashing in on the low carb diet fad…those what chose a low carb diet as a personal choice (fad diet) rather than a medical necessity.
Advertising the potatoes as ‘Low Carb’ provide them with a niche marketing opportunity. It could be like using the term natural or organic…it gives an impression that it is better or healthier…when it may not necessarily be the case. This is most likely the case as the same potatoes are marked a gluten free…like all other potatoes. They could have added peanut and dairy free as well if they had sufficient spare label real estate.
2 Likes
I am not really sure, but I know that you can buy potatoes that contain 25% less carbs even in Tasmania, you may find that many potato farmers are growing these, so it must be the actual type of potato, as the ones we can buy in Woolworths and Coles in Tasmania, are actually a product of Tasmania
2 Likes
