OPINION: Lotatoes got people talking this week. They’re a potato cross-breed, which contain 40 percent fewer carbs than a normal potato for all those people who like to not eat carbs.
That’s how they ended up with such a ridiculous name, like a Labradoodle which is a way of saying Labrador crossed with a Poodle.
To all those people out there who have bought into the low-carb craze, I have one word for you: eggs.
Years ago we were all told not to eat too many eggs because they gave us high cholesterol. Then it turned out that was not true at all, and in fact eggs are very good for you.
Eggs actually contain only 185mg of cholesterol, which is 14 percent lower than we were previously told. And now an egg a day easily meets dietary guidelines to limit cholesterol consumption to 300 mg a day.
Oh, and a large egg actually contains 64 percent more vitamin D than we were told it did in 2002. One thing no one has changed their mind on is that one of them still contains 6g of protein.
Then fat was the enemy. Everything went low-fat for years, but actually what happened is that food manufacturers simply replaced the fat with sugar to make it taste okay. Now we are in the midst of a sugar epidemic as we all consume far too much and many of us succumb to diabetes, obesity and heart disease.
And now some studies are emerging which show that maybe fat isn’t that bad for you after all.
The reality is that when you start excluding basic nutrients our body was designed to digest thousands of years ago, you end up messing with your health.
A potato is a simple soul and incredibly nutritious, as the Irish well know. It is fat-free, will give you 110 calories and contains more potassium than a banana. It is also packed full of energy and will give you vitamins C and B6.
In fact Australian Andrew Taylor ate nothing but potatoes last year and not only lost 50kg but said it vastly improved his happiness and wellbeing.
My prediction is that low-carb Lotato eaters will simply find themselves eating bigger servings than they usually would to get the same feeling of satiety.
So why not just eat a potato as it comes out of the ground - ready to give you and your family some clean, uninterrupted nutrition and energy.
Wendyl Nissen is an experienced magazine and television journalist, and will host RadioLIVE's Afternoon Talk, weekdays from midday until 3pm, from Monday June 26.
