# You may want to avoid those french fries and potato chips



## David (Jun 16, 2012)

This study showcases that glycoalkaloids, the harmful component of the top 1.5mm of potatoes are concentrated in fried potatoes.  Yes, the study uses an animal model, but it has been known for awhile that glycoalkaloids can cause problems.  

In addition, IBD happens to be the most prevalent in countries that consume the most fried potatoes.

I hope this helps someone 

If you'll pardon me, I'm going to go have a tantrum regarding the fact I need to avoid fried potatoes


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## AlliRuns (Jun 16, 2012)

This is interesting as the area that I come from has a high prevalence of Crohn's, and potatoes, especially of the fried variety are a dietary staple.


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## rygon (Jun 16, 2012)

Are oven cooked chips fine then I hope


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## David (Jun 16, 2012)

rygon said:


> Are oven cooked chips fine then I hope


As far as I can tell, it's all about the glycoalkaloids.  These are concentrated in the skin and top 1.5mm of the potato.  Frying potatoes concentrates them but based upon what I'm reading, you may want to avoid any potato products as they very likely don't take off that top 1.5mm even if they peel them.  Why risk consuming something shown to increase intestinal permeability and various inflammatory factors knows to be associated with IBD?


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## rygon (Jun 16, 2012)

Oh right so all those green potatoes ive been eating are actually bad, like everyones telling me


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## David (Jun 16, 2012)

Hmm, peeling them will remove (for most potatoes) 60-95% of glycoalkaloids.  95% sounds good, but 60% sure doesn't.



rygon said:


> Oh right so all those green potatoes ive been eating are actually bad, like everyones telling me


Extremely.  Read the link in this post.


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## Irene3 (Jun 16, 2012)

David said:


> This study showcases that glycoalkaloids, the harmful component of the top 1.5mm of potatoes are concentrated in fried potatoes.  Yes, the study uses an animal model, but it has been known for awhile that glycoalkaloids can cause problems.
> 
> In addition, IBD happens to be the most prevalent in countries that consume the most fried potatoes.
> 
> ...


Awww, potatoes as well??? It's not enough that every food group besides veg, even fruit, can possibly make crohns worse, and some say it's this or that food group, but now all sorts of veg too. You can't even say ahhh well, I'll go on a liquid diet until I get well, as then you have lactose to worry about, or you simply don't get enough nutrient. :/


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## Raleigh (Jun 16, 2012)

Wow, this is frightening considering that I'm on TPN and the only solids that I seem to tolerate are potato chips. Thanks for bringing this to our attention!


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## David (Jun 16, 2012)

I went on vacation for five days and was feeling pretty good.  I went to a yoga retreat with all healthy food.   I came back and was excited to see that my potato plants were ready for harvest.  I always harvest them when the potatoes are small because they seem much more flavorful to me.  The last couple days I have been a mess.  

It turns out that small, immature potatoes have concentrated amounts of glycoalkaloids.

:ybatty:


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## orangeleprechaun28 (Jun 16, 2012)

D'oh.  So even the smaller potatoes that you "don't have to peel" aren't good.  Man, I've been looking forward to a nice "southern breakfast" with fried potatoes.  David, thanks for posting this though.


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## David (Jun 16, 2012)

orangeleprechaun28 said:


> D'oh.  So even the smaller potatoes that you "don't have to peel" aren't good.


They appear to be the worst.

:angry-banghead:


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## ctrl z (Jun 16, 2012)

I'm guessing that sweet potatoes are in on this too....


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## David (Jun 16, 2012)

Sweet potatoes don't have glycoalkaloids 

:dance:


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## ctrl z (Jun 16, 2012)

Yay!


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## David (Jun 16, 2012)

For the record, tomatoes DO have glycoalkaloids but in much lower amounts.  I'm not sure how much though, I'm still researching that one.


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## hugh (Jun 16, 2012)

And saponins - legumes and soy
"The results indicate that some saponins readily increase the permeability of the small intestinal mucosal cells, thereby inhibiting active nutrient transport, and facilitating the uptake of materials to which the gut would normally be impermeable"
http://ukpmc.ac.uk/abstract/MED/3794833/reload=0;jsessionid=eKyrpeX1Aj9IUyayfwLm.0

and lectins, - legumes, grain,
"These observations suggest that lectins can affect both the ultrastructure and the permeability of the intestine, in a way assumed to mimic allergic reactions to food constituents."
http://content.karger.com/ProdukteD...bstractBuch&ArtikelNr=233621&ProduktNr=245960

intestinal permeability, think -stress, sugar, grain, legumes (inc. peanuts),  nightshades, NSAIDs (like aspirin, ibuprofen, and nabumetone), antibiotics and ALL processed foods (apparently)

"Specifically, intestinal TJs may exert a pathogenetic [Capable of causing disease] role in intestinal (inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease) and extraintestinal diseases (diabetes type 1, food allergies, autoimmune diseases)."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3241743/

"There is growing evidence that increased intestinal permeability plays a pathogenic role in various autoimmune diseases including CD and T1D. Therefore, we hypothesize that besides genetic and environmental factors, loss of intestinal barrier function is necessary to develop autoimmunity. In this review, each of these components will be briefly reviewed."
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04037.x/abstract

Sounds like paleo to me:boring:

interestingly, i'm having a mini flare after digging into my sons hot chips in a moment of weakness, although it's just as likely it was the (GM?) processed vegetable oil.


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## nogutsnoglory (Jun 17, 2012)

I always thought potatoes were safe for digestion. Low fiber smooth on the way down. I never heard of this term? How I find out how much of it is in other foods?


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## mizgarnet (Jun 17, 2012)

Well, mashed potatoes are my ultimate comfort food... guess I will mash sweet potatoes or cauliflower instead....I just have to figure out how to get my cauliflower smooth and creamy!  

When I eat low starch veggies, fruit, and free range, grass feed, wild caught proteins - I feel so much better.  I do enjoy crackers made with Quinoa, brown rice flour, and flax seeds occassionally.  

Have a great Sunday!


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## lseibert (Jun 17, 2012)

David, if the potatoes are peeled are okay to eat? Or is it all potatoes, that are fried?
Thank you for all your info.....


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## David (Jun 17, 2012)

Linda,

Peeling helps but the glycoalkaloids are in the top 1.5mm of potato.  In addition, some potato varieties have higher glycoalkaloid content than others and in the higher ones, even peeling may not help much.  If you feel that potatoes aren't a good idea for you, I'd personally avoid them completely.  That's what I'm going to do.  If you feel you do fine with them, then peel and enjoy


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## Susan2 (Jun 17, 2012)

mizgarnet said:


> Well, mashed potatoes are my ultimate comfort food... guess I will mash sweet potatoes or cauliflower instead....I just have to figure out how to get my cauliflower smooth and creamy!
> 
> When I eat low starch veggies, fruit, and free range, grass feed, wild caught proteins - I feel so much better.  I do enjoy crackers made with Quinoa, brown rice flour, and flax seeds occassionally.
> 
> Have a great Sunday!


I like celariac steamed and mashed with sweet potato or cauliflower (or potatoes, because I seem to be able to cope with them all right.)


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## lseibert (Jun 17, 2012)

Thanks David, I think I will stick to sweet potatoes.....


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## Gazza (Jun 17, 2012)

Thanks for the advice David and bringing this informartion to our attention


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## Cat-a-Tonic (Jun 18, 2012)

David, do you perchance have a link showing that sweet potatoes don't have glycoalkaloids?  I think we talked about this in another thread awhile back - I had mentioned that my aunt (related by marriage, not blood) has Crohn's, and she went to the health food store and was asking a guy who worked there about potatoes and Crohn's - he said she should avoid ALL potatoes and that she should eat parsnips instead.  So if sweet potatoes are indeed okay, that would be great, because I'm not a big parsnip eater (and I don't think my aunt is either).


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## David (Jun 18, 2012)

Sweet potatoes are in a different family from potatoes.  This article discusses some of the negatives of both types of potato.

Now, I'm not saying sweet potatoes should be consumed by people with IBD, that's up to the individual.  If memory serves, the Specific Carbohydrate Diet says no to them, but they don't contain glycoalkaloids.


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## Catherine (Jun 18, 2012)

http://www.foodsafetywatch.com/public/154.cfm

The above acticle talks about glycoalkaloids.


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## tiloah (Jun 19, 2012)

But, but... red potatoes! And potato skins... Awwh man.


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## Rebecca85 (Jun 19, 2012)

What if I make my own chips (fries) and peel the potatoes twice, thus removing at least the top 1.5 mm. Should that be OK? Mashed and jacket (baked) potatoes are among my safest foods


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## nogutsnoglory (Jun 20, 2012)

Was going to make mashed potatoes but skipped out on it after reading this. Anyways supposed to be on a liquid diet so I shouldn't cheat.


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## norma123 (Jun 22, 2012)

I guess I won't be peeling potatoes anymore


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## David (Jun 22, 2012)

norma123 said:


> I guess I won't be peeling potatoes anymore


Why not?  You're going to avoid potatoes entirely?


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## norma123 (Jun 22, 2012)

Sorry David. Let that be proof here that the potatoes might be making me go insane.  

I meant to say that I won't be eating potatoes anymore (at least, not for now). 

I'm going to follow up on the study, though. I do wonder what will be unsafe next week.


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