Note who funded the study, but the facts are there.

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SAN DIEGO, Calif., September 27, 2011 � A frequently expressed concern in the ongoing public health debate is that fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly those that are nutrient dense, are not affordable to the average consumer. Research presented today at the American Dietetic Association's (ADA) Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) demonstrates that potatoes are one of the best nutritional values in the produce department, providing significantly better nutritional value per dollar than most other raw vegetables. Per serving, white potatoes were the largest and most affordable source of potassium of any vegetable or fruit.

Dr. Adam Drewnowski and colleagues from the University of Washington merged nutrient composition data from the USDA Food and Nutrition Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS 2.0) with the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) national food prices database. Frequency of consumption data was obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003-4). The Affordable Nutrition Index (ANI) was the metric used to assess nutritional value per dollar for potatoes and for other vegetables.

Potatoes were the lowest cost source of dietary potassium, a nutrient identified by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines as lacking in the American diet. The high cost of meeting federal dietary guidelines for potassium, 4,700 mg per person per day, presents a challenge for consumers and health professionals, alike. However, the cost of potassium-rich white potatoes was half that of most other vegetables.

"Potatoes deserve credit for contributing to higher diet quality and increasing vegetable consumption," said lead researcher Adam Drewnowski, PhD. "Potatoes also play an important role in providing affordable nutrition to Americans. You CAN afford to meet key dietary guidelines IF you include potatoes in your diet."
Further analyses of NHANES dietary intake showed that putting potatoes on the plate did improve overall diet quality. Individuals who consumed potatoes (baked, boiled and roasted) had higher intakes of potassium and vitamin C and consumed more total vegetables in a day compared to those who did not consume potatoes.
The study was funded by the United States Potato Board and adds to the growing database of nutrition science that supports potatoes in a healthful diet. In addition, one medium-size (5.3 ounce) skin-on potato contains just 110 calories per serving, boasts more potassium (620g) than a banana, provides almost half the daily value of vitamin C (45 percent), and contains no fat, sodium or cholesterol.

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- Jim
�No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.� - Charles Dickens

One caveut: Potatoes are one of the foods that should definitely be on your organic list. They say potato farmers plant their own away from their fields. Too many chemicals.

Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and LongTerm Weight Gain in Women and Men

I think the trouble is what the potatoes are cooked in or with makes you fat.
I think it's likely a jacket potatoe with butter, new potatoes fresh from the garden, won't have much impact on weight gain and will make a valuable contribution to your diet however look at the snack industry and the sales of potato chips (crisps to UK readers)

According to Mintel, 50% of kids, teens and 18-24s say they eat salty snacks five times a week or more. Even adults say they eat salty snacks 4.8 times per week on average, nearly once a day!

It's not necessarily fat in itself that is the problem but the type of fat.
If it's olive oil, coconut oil or butter from pastured cows it probably has a low pro inflammatory profile, If it's soy, corn, sunflower oil it may have a pro inflammatory profile.
On it's own saturated fat will reduce VLDL and increase HDL, it's when it's mixed with refined carbohydrates that it can be a problem.

The answer is to buy a BLOOD GLUCOSE METER and some test strips (or borrow some from a diabetic friend) and test yourself on a jacket potato meal before, after 1hr and after 2hrs. Write down the readings and if it's high after 2hrs you can't tolerate that food and persistently pushing yourself into hyperglycaemia is going to result in Metabolic syndrome, obesity, cancer, diabetes, CHD, or dementia or numerous other conditions that are related to hyperglaemia, high blood glucose levels.

Potatoes do tend to raise my Blood Sugar so I rarely eat them,
Once in a while I'll fix a small baked potato if I'm using the oven anyway.
I love the butter, sour cream, parsley flakes on it too.
I also fix small new potatoes with fresh green beans & lots of onions & fresh garlic.

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I think this is a good statement, especially because there's many who wouldn't eat a vegetable if it weren't corn or potatoes. But since people tend to eat so much bread and abuse the potato by frying it and in bad fats it becomes part of the problem. How about eating organic potatoes instead of bread?

Yukon Gold potatoes sliced, sprinkled with sea salt and black pepper and fried in light olive oil, are very tasty and pretty healthy too.

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