Part of the three-day diet category, the potato and yogurt diet is not as bad as it sounds. It’s not the only diet plan based on potatoes, but this one doesn’t mean you will starve or endanger your health compared to the alternative. It’s not a long-term strategy, but if you are set on trying a quick fix, this one is not as dangerous as other short-term diets can be.
The potato and yogurt diet is as simple as the name suggests. It’s a three-day diet plan that consists of eating only these two foods in pre-determined quantities. The diet works by imposing a caloric deficit, which means that you can lose a few pounds in only three days. However, the low-calorie count also means you shouldn’t try it for a more extended period because your body won’t be receiving the necessary nutrients, and you will be placing your health in danger.
What Can You Eat on the Potato and Yogurt Diet?
This is what you must eat during the potato diet to lose weight, according to the diet meal plan:
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | |
| Breakfast | 1 boiled potato+ 1 cup of yogurt | 1 cup of yogurt | 1 boiled potato |
| Lunch | 2 boiled potatoes + 1 cup of yogurt | 2 boiled potatoes + 1 cup of yogurt | 1 boiled potato+ 1 cup of yogurt |
| Dinner | 2 cups of yogurt | 1 boiled potato + 1 cup of yogurt | 1 cup of yogurt |
Boiled potatoes don’t exactly sound tempting, not without any butter or cheese. But when you are trying to lose weight, they are a good option because they are satiable and you won’t feel that hungry. Granted, one boiled potato isn’t that much, but paired with yogurt, it will take away the hunger and actually taste pretty good.
Dinner will be a bit challenging because you will have to eat only yogurt, nothing else. And the next morning will continue to test your will, as you won’t have a potato until lunch. But overall, you only have one meal per day consisting of yogurt alone.
Wait, Don’t Potatoes Make You Gain Weight?
The first time I heard about the potato diet, it seemed a bit weird because all I had heard about this vegetable before was how much weight you can gain by eating it. Indeed, the potato is a source of starch that adds a lot of calories to your daily count. BUT things aren’t that simple, it seems. Just like other foods, the potato is wearing a fattening tag that it doesn’t entirely deserve.
While eating potatoes every day over long periods is not advisable, the main problem isn’t the vegetable itself but rather how you cook it. You cannot compare a boiled or steamed potato with French fries. And I’m not just talking about the fact that one makes you sad and the other happy, taste-wise. The way you cook potatoes and vegetables, in general, has a lot to say when it comes to the final caloric verdict. It’s not just fries that are fattening; mashed potato is also bad for your figure if you add butter. But a boiled or baked potato, with no salt or very little and absolutely no fat, won’t be that bad.
It’s not just a matter of how you cook it; the potato is also bad for your weight if you combine it with certain foods. The best example to illustrate this idea is the 90-days diet, where you are allowed to eat potatoes or other starchy foods, even generous quantities, as long as you don’t mix it with other food categories, like protein or carbs.
This particular potato diet contradicts the diet mentioned above by combining starch and protein, but the small quantities you are allowed to eat and the fact that you don’t taste anything else over three days makes it possible to lose weight.
Potatoes – Nutrients and Benefits
Potatoes are so popular for many reasons, not just the fact that they magnificently transform into fries. They are a cheap and versatile vegetable that most people use quite often. And the fact is it has its share of benefits for our health. One baked potato (to keep things decent and forget about the delicious fries) will get you fibers, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, and other healthy elements and only 161 calories, which is not that bad.
But wait, there’s more! Potatoes also contain antioxidants and help to neutralize free radicals in your body. If you choose the right type of potato, the level of antioxidants is even higher. Granted, it may not be as rich in vitamins and minerals as other vegetables, but it helps you feel full, and that’s essential when you are struggling to lose weight.
Which Potato Is Good for the Diet?
Personally, when I tried this diet, I used plain white potatoes and didn’t think much about it. But there are various options available, each with its own benefits, so you can choose the one that you think will work best.
There are four popular types of potatoes you have probably already tried by now: white, red, russet, and sweet. Sure, if you’re a connaisseur, you probably know many more types, but most people usually stick to these frequently chosen ones. So let’s take a closer look at each one.
White potatoes
- Fit for boiling and steaming
- You can also eat the skin because it’s thin and tasty
- They have a low sugar content
- The mild flavor makes them very versatile
Red potatoes
- They have fewer calories like other types, like the Russet potatoes
- They are richer in vitamin K and niacin
- They keep their shape intact when you boil them
- Red potatoes give you 10% of the daily recommended dose of vitamin B6
- The red skin is filled with nutrients, fibers, vitamins, iron, and potassium
Russet potatoes
- They have more fibers than white potatoes
- Rich in iron and magnesium
- The skin is thicker
- Good source of minerals
Sweet potatoes
- Good for diabetics
- Great source of beta-carotene and manganese
- A good option for a post-workout meal
- They are the type of potatoes that provides the highest level of minerals
Overall, the differences aren’t huge, so if you’re trying to decide which type to use for the potato diet, choose the one that sounds more appealing to you. That way, those three days won’t seem that difficult. And as you can see, the skin is usually fir for eating, so if you’re used to eating potatoes without peeling, you are actually on the right track.
Yogurt – the Potato’s Side Kick
If you were having doubts about basing a weight loss diet on potatoes, turning to yogurt is a no-brainer. It’s one of the healthiest foods, and not only is it great for losing weight, but it also brings many health benefits. It’s packed with delicious protein, a massive aid for your digestive system, but also for your immunity, bones, heart, bringing you loads of calcium and minerals.
Not only is it truly healthy, but it’s also delicious, and when your diet is based on boiled potatoes for three days, you need something to sweeten the deal. So what’s the best yogurt to use? Many diets recommend non-fat yogurt for the best results, but I never took that advice. To me, that fat-free yogurt isn’t much of a yogurt anymore. I think a rich type like Greek yogurt or homemade yogurt is much more beneficial. Yes, it adds some more calories, but these calories also bring positive things compared to other foods. I prefer a rich, relatively fat yogurt because it’s closer to the natural version and less processed. Besides, the taste will be much better, and it will make the diet more bearable.
Can Diabetics Do the Potato and Yogurt Diet?
People who have diabetes have to be extremely careful about the carbs they eat. As a starchy vegetable, the potato may not be the best choice because it can increase blood sugar levels. But that doesn’t mean that if you’re a diabetic, you should avoid potatoes altogether. If eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet, there is no need to worry.
The potato diet is not right for diabetics. It’s the exact opposite of eating potatoes with moderation, which would be acceptable. It would actually be the base food for three days, which is definitely not recommended. Drastic diets, in general, are not a good idea if you have diabetes. Even if you need to lose weight, the best way to do it is under your doctor’s supervision and following the diet and caloric recommendations they give you.
What Happens if You Eat only Potatoes?
Well, let’s ask Kevin Smith. The director went on a strict diet that included eating nothing but potatoes for the first two weeks. It was a decision he made after a heart attack that determined him to change his lifestyle. Since doctors told him he had to lose a lot of weight, he decided to do it using this challenging diet.
Did it work? Yes! Should you try it yourself? I don’t think any doctor or nutritionist would think so. They probably wouldn’t want you trying the potato and yogurt diet either, but eating nothing but potatoes for two weeks is pretty extreme. The truth is that even after these three days of potatoes and yogurt, you will start to feel dizzy and must stop. I cannot even imagine what the extreme version would feel like. The problem is the caloric deficit would be too high for too long, and you won’t be getting the necessary nutrients.
FAQ
Is eating yogurt good for losing weight?
Yogurt is very good for losing weight. It’s a fantastic addition to your daily menu for many reasons, most connected to the many benefits it brings for your health. But it’s also a key ingredient in many efficient weight-loss diets. The potato and yogurt diet is just an example; you can use yogurt in so many ways to get a slim waist. And the best part is that it will add a bit of flavor to your meals, and diets will feel less restrictive due to this tasty dairy.
Is the potato and yogurt diet safe?
The potato and yogurt diet is relatively safe, but it depends on many aspects, like your health and what you used to eat before starting the diet. If you go from heavy meals straight to potatoes and yogurt, you can feel dizzy or even worse. In general, crash diets aren’t for everyone, and it may be a good idea to talk to your doctor before trying it.
Is potato healthier than rice?
Generally speaking, the potato is healthier than rice, as it contains more nutrients and vitamins. Both can be part of a balanced diet; it’s when we add other ingredients that the calorie count goes up. However, there is a difference between them when it comes to holding their nutrients; rice keeps its nutrients for a longer period after it’s harvested, whereas potatoes are better fresh.
One Potato, Two Potatoes, Does the Potato and Yogurt Diet Work?
All in all, is the potato diet effective? It can be, but just because it worked for someone else doesn’t mean it’s the right diet for you. Out of the three day-diets, this one is a bit peculiar. After all, you don’t hear of many potato weight loss recipes. But the truth is the potato doesn’t deserve the ‘fattening’ tag it usually wears. This poor little vegetable is actually pretty healthy; it’s our taste for unhealthy and greasy additions that make potato meals not fit for losing weight.
As for how to cook potatoes for weight loss, boiled and baked are the only acceptable ways. It’s not the yummiest versions of the potato, I know, but at least you won’t feel that hungry and still manage to lose a few pounds. Again, these crash diets are generally not a good idea, but most of us try them anyway. Out of the ones I have tried, this one didn’t feel that difficult. So if you were wondering, ‘will potatoes help me lose weight?’, the answer is they might.
Written by Mia Davis