Spud Supporters, Including a Governor, Defend Potatoes Following HSPH Study

Last week, a study that analyzed factors contributing to weight gain linked potatoes with pounds. According to the study, potatoes were associated with greater gains in weight than all other foods studied, even more than desserts and alcohol.

News that potatoes are associated with weight gain didn't surprise many of you. One reader wrote in the comments: "Crappy junk food makes you gain weight. Pretty sure this is well established."

But what say the spokespeople for the spuds?

"The United States Potato Board believes a study released in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine perpetuates unfortunate myths and misconceptions about the potato," the Potato Board, a marketing organization, said in a statement. "Singling out the potato as a cause of weight gain is misleading and contrary to existing research."

The Potato Board said that weight loss is still possible with potatoes on your plate.

"Fresh potatoes are frequently victims of guilt by association," Tim O'Connor, the CEO of the Potato Board, said. "If you order a fully-loaded baked potato, the calories you should be worried about are coming from the toppings, not the potato."

And in an opinion piece released by his office, Idaho Governor C. L. "Butch" Otter chastised the study, scolding those who raise "inflammatory allegations about a food as pure and natural as a potato."

Calling potatoes "a lifesaver of cultures from the Andes to Europe and even Asia," Otter echoed a charge made by the Potato Board, that the study did not take into account total caloric intake.

"As Governor of America's largest potato-producing state—a distinction of which we're justifiably proud—I'm disappointed that this study singled out potatoes, one of the most nutrient-dense and affordable vegetables available to people around the globe," he said.