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Diet is a huge factor in weight loss, but it can be difficult to figure out which foods can actually speed up your weight loss and which can do the opposite. Just like healthy foods–whole grains, vegetables, and protein–can aid weight loss, unhealthy foods can prevent it.
With that in mind, keep reading for the one food you should cut out ASAP because it leads to instant fat gain.
Potatoes
Potatoes might seem like a healthy option. Many people assume that as long as they avoid chips or french fries, potatoes can be a healthy food.
According to Harvard Health Blog, "Nutritionists and diet books alike often call potatoes a 'perfect food.' But while eating potatoes on a daily basis may be fine for lean people who exercise a lot or who do regular manual labor, for everyone else potatoes should be an occasional food consumed in modest amounts, not a daily vegetable."
The blog continues, "The venerable baked potato increases levels of blood sugar and insulin more quickly and to higher levels than an equal amount of calories from pure table sugar."
Plus, according to the LA Times, eating potatoes (no matter how they are cooked) can be more detrimental to weight loss than soda.
The article explains, "Daily consumption of an extra serving of spuds — French fries, crispy chips, mashed with butter and garlic, or simply boiled or baked — was found to cause more weight gain than downing an additional 12-ounce can of a sugary drink or taking an extra helping of red or processed meats."
With that in mind, if you are eating potatoes regularly while trying to lose weight, you might be doing your weight loss journey more harm than good.
Instead, keep these starches in moderation, or opt for a sweet potato instead, which is a more nutritious substitute.
