Summer’s on its way, and that means it’ll soon be warm enough for shorts and short sleeves. Maybe you’re like me and want to lose a few pounds before summer arrives. In the previous post, John wrote about how vinegar can actually speed up weight loss. Any help in that department is okay with me. Don’t you agree?

Now, you may be wondering how a potato salad recipe fits in with weight loss. Since potatoes are on the high carb side, you obviously don’t want to eat a lot of them if you’re trying to reduce your waistline. But by following these simple tips to reduce the Glycemic Index of potatoes and by tossing them with a lemon vinaigrette, you can make a delicious bacon and potato salad that will be healthier for everyone.

I was even able to find a sugar-free uncured bacon in my supermarket this week. That means more calorie reduction. So I’m doing my happy dance!

Read on to find out how you can make a healthier potato salad.

How to reduce the GI of potatoes

The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of carbohydrates on a scale of 0 – 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar (glucose) levels after being eaten. Foods with a high GI will raise your blood sugar rapidly. Metabolically, this isn’t good for you because rapid fluctuations in blood sugar can cause an increased secretion of insulin.

Chronically high insulin secretion has been associated with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and (are you ready for this?) weight gain. See here.

Unfortunately, potatoes have a rather high GI. So you don’t want to make it a regular habit of eating them. However, there’s good news. Potato salad can be made in a certain way where the potato’s GI can be significantly reduced. This study showed that boiling potatoes, letting them cool for 24 hours, and then adding vinegar reduced their GI and insulin raising index by 43 and 31%, respectively, compared with freshly boiled potatoes.

That’s a pretty large decline in GI. It almost makes me not feel guilty for having a spoonful or two. Maybe I should have called this recipe guilt-free potato salad. 😀

Added Benefit

Now here’s an added benefit of boiling the potatoes and keeping them cold for 24 hours. This process seems to increase the resistant starch content of the potato.

Remember our gut microbiota have to eat too. And they love to eat resistant starch. Eating boiled and cooled potatoes will keep those guys healthy and happy.

(Of course, it’s always important to consult with your doctor before adding foods to your diet if you have health issues.)

How to choose the best type of potato

There are so many different types of potatoes.  Since red potatoes hold their shape when you boil them and won’t crumble when you cut them up, they are the best choice for potato salad.

Also, since potatoes are listed as one of the dirty dozen and frequently found to be contaminated with toxic insecticides, I always recommend using organic potatoes for a healthier choice. Read more here.

How to store potatoes

And here’s one more potato tip for you. Raw potatoes should be stored loosely (not in plastic) in a dark, dry spot at around 50 to 60℉ until you’re ready to cook them. I keep mine in a paper bag in the pantry. See more here.

So relax, enjoy the warm weather, and make this scrumptious healthy bacon and potato salad with lemon vinaigrette. Boil, peel and cut up your potatoes today, and they’ll be ready to toss with your lemony vinaigrette tomorrow. And don’t forget the bacon! Yum.

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Healthy Bacon Potato Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Add 24 hours for potatoes to chill in the refrigerator after cooking them.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of organic red potatoes
• salt
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 strips of sugar-free or no-nitrate bacon
• 1 tablespoon of reserved bacon drippings
• ½ teaspoon Bragg's apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• ¼ cup of shallots, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons of fresh chopped chives
• pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Start with your potatoes in a pot of cold water so that they will cook evenly.
2. Add salt and bring the water to a boil. Then turn down the heat to simmer for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork.
3. Let the potatoes cool for at least 30 minutes. They’ll be easy to peel now. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and cut them up into bite-sized pieces.
4. Cover and chill in the fridge for twenty-four hours.
5. The next day, cook the bacon reserving a tablespoon of the drippings. Coarsely chop the bacon and set aside.
6. Combine olive oil, reserved bacon drippings, vinegar, lemon juice, shallot and salt in a large bowl.
7. Add potatoes, bacon, and chives. Season with pepper. Toss until combined.
8. Let potato salad sit for about 20 minutes and absorb the dressing. Serve and enjoy.

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