Food Myths & Facts

Potatoes

The bad rap: This high-carb food piles on the pounds.
The healthy reality: A medium baked potato has just 160 calories and nearly 4 grams of fiber. Low-carb dieters often shun potatoes because they're high on the glycemic index (GI) [Note: link to Glycemic Index], a measure of how quickly they raise blood sugar levels, which could be related to the way the body stores fat. But, say some experts, if you eat a potato with other foods as part of a meal, your body takes longer to digest it and it doesn't cause the same dramatic spike in blood sugar levels.

Dark poultry

The bad rap: That drumstick may be moister and tastier than the breast, but all that fat makes it a dietary no-no.
The healthy reality: Ounce for ounce, dark poultry does contain three times more fat than white meat, but those extra grams are primarily unsaturated. In addition, a 3-ounce serving of thigh meat provides nearly 25 percent more iron, twice the riboflavin and more than twice the zinc than the same portion of breast meat -- and contributes just 38 more calories. No matter what your poultry preference, don't eat the skin -- it adds 61 calories and 8 grams of fat (mostly saturated). You can leave it on during cooking, though; studies show cooking poultry with the skin doesn't make a difference in meat fat content.