Potato as a Source of Nutrition for Physical Performance

Abstract

Health professionals universally agree on the importance of a balanced diet, and the fallacy of relying on any one or two food groups, as the means of achieving peak physical performance and health. A review of the existing sports nutrition literature indicates that different types of athletes and physically active people may have slightly different nutritional requirements, but the main tenets of sports nutrition have not changed much over the last 25 years. The specific combinations may vary, but carbohydrates, protein, and fluids are vital components of an active individual’s diet. Further, most available research supports the notion that optimal physical performance requires carbohydrate - and, specifically, high-quality, nutrient-dense carbohydrate from whole food sources, like potatoes. High- quality carbohydrate sources – foods that offer an array of macro- and micronutrients as well as energy, can help to build a strong nutritional foundation for the level of training, recovery, and adaptation that most physically active people seek to achieve. Low carbohydrate diets will not generally allow athletes to train at the intensity required to attain peak physical performance.

Full text

INVITED REVIEW
Potato as a Source of Nutrition for Physical Performance
Mitch Kanter
1
&Chelsea Elkin
1
Published online: 13 February 2019
#The Author(s) 2019
Abstract
Health professionals universally agree on the importance of a balanced diet, and the fallacy of relying on any one or two food
groups, as the means of achieving peak physical performance and health. A review of the existing sports nutrition literature
indicates that different types of athletes and physically active people may have slightly different nutritional requirements, but the
main tenets of sports nutrition have not changed much over the last 25 years. The specific combinations may vary, but carbo-
hydrates, protein, and fluids are vital components of an active individual’s diet. Further, most available research supports the
notion that optimal physical performance requires carbohydrate - and, specifically, high-quality, nutrient-dense carbohydrate
from whole food sources, like potatoes. High- quality carbohydrate sources –foods that offer an array of macro- and
micronutrients as well as energy, can help to build a strong nutritional foundation for the level of training, recovery, and
adaptation that most physically active people seek to achieve. Low carbohydrate diets will not generally allow athletes to train
at the intensity required to attain peak physical performance.
Resumen
Universalmente, los profesionales de la salud están de acuerdo en la importancia de una dieta balanceada, y la falacia de confiar
ya sea en uno o dos grupos de alimentos, como los medios para lograr el máximo de comportamiento físico y salud. Una revisión
de la literatura existente sobre la nutrición en los deportes indica que diferentes tipos de atletas y de gente físicamente activa
pudieran tener ligeramente diferentes requerimientos de nutrición, pero los principales postulados de nutrición en los deportes no
han cambiado mucho en los últimos 25 años. Las combinaciones específicas pudieran variar, pero los carbohidratos, las
proteínas, y los fluidos, son componentes vitales de una dieta de un individuo activo. Más aun, la mayoría de la investigación
disponible respalda la noción que el rendimiento físico óptimo requiere de carbohidratos, y específicamente, de alta calidad,
carbohidratos de densidad nutritiva de fuentes totales de alimentos, como las papas. Fuentes de carbohidratos de alta calidad,
alimentos que ofrecen un rango de macro y micronutrientes, así como de energía, pueden ayudar a construir un cimiento fuerte
nutricional al nivel de entrenamiento, recuperación, y adaptación que la mayoría de la gente físicamente activa busca lograr.
Dietas bajas en carbohidratos no le permitirá generalmente a los atletas entrenar en la intensidad requerida para alcanzar el
máximo de rendimiento físico.
Keywords High-quality carbohydrates .Potatoes .Performance
Introduction
With increasing access to sports dietitians, personal trainers,
nutrition trackers and online apps, today’s athletes (from the
weekend warrior to the elite, competitive performer) are more
in tune with dietary trends and open to modifying their
nutritional intake than ever before. Simultaneously, low-
carbohydrate diets continue to become more prevalent in
mainstream conversations on nutrition. Limiting carbohy-
drate consumption (and total calorie intake overall) may
make sense for those who are less physically active, but
high-activity individuals like athletes still need high-
quality carbohydrates to enhance muscle glycogen storage
and to deliver carbohydrate to muscle and other organs
during strenuous exercise (Helge 2017; Maughan and
Shirreffs 2011).
*Chelsea Elkin
celkin@foodminds.com
Mitch Kanter
mkanter@foodminds.com
1
Food Minds, 1101 West River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55415,
USA
American Journal of Potato Research (2019) 96:201–205
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-018-09701-8

In this environment, the Alliance for Potato Research and
Education (APRE) –representing one of the leading natural
carbohydrate sources –set out to re-examine nutritional needs
for optimal physical performance and how dietary recommen-
dations have changed over the years. Overall, a review of the
existing sports nutrition literature indicated that different types
of athletes may have varying nutritional requirements, but the
main tenets of sports nutrition have not changed much over
the last 25 years. The specific combinations may vary, but
carbohydrates, protein and fluids are vital components of an
active individual’s diet, preferably from natural, whole-food
sources (Murray and Rosenbloom 2018).When consumed in
the right forms and quantities, they build a strong nutritional
foundation for the level of training, recovery and adaptation
that athletes seek to achieve.
Potatoes: A High-Quality Carbohydrate
for a Balanced Diet
From a broader nutritional standpoint, health professionals
generally agree on the importance of a balanced diet and the
fallacy of relying on any one or two food groups as the means
of achieving peak physical performance and health (Maughan
and Shirreffs 2011; Murray and Rosenbloom 2018; Thomas
et al. 2016). Carbohydrate-rich foods have a vital role to play,
but only high-quality, nutrient dense carbohydrate sources -
foods that offer an array of macro- and micronutrients as well
as energy, can offer the full range of benefits athletes need
(Murray and Rosenbloom 2018).
Potatoes were often cited in the literature as a key example
of a high-carbohydrate food that provides multiple nutritional
benefits. A medium skin-on baked white potato (148 g) is an
excellent source of potassium (23% DV), vitamin C (24%
DV), and vitamin B6 (23% DV) and a good source of dietary
fiber (13% DV) and magnesium (10% DV) based on a
2000 kcal/day diet (Anonymous 2012). In the U.S., studies
have demonstrated that only 2%–3% of the population
achieves an adequate intake of potassium in their usual intake
(Anonymous 2011). Among fruits and vegetables, potatoes
represent one of the most significant sources of dietary potas-
sium and can provide health benefits from minimizing the risk
of hypertension to supporting bone health. Dietary potassium
also serves as an electrolyte that helps athletes maintain fluid
balance, a key factor during and after strenuous exercise that
can help to stave off dehydration (James et al. 2015).
It is also worth noting the plethora of phytonutrients and
antioxidants that have been identified in potatoes (Brown et al.
2005; Kawabata et al. 2015;Liu2013), and the possibility of
yet-to-be-discovered phytochemicals that may exist in the po-
tato, further driving the rationale for high quality, whole food
sources, as opposed to manufactured sports bars and gels, as
key contributors to health and performance for athletes.
The protein quality of potatoes, which carry a biological
value between 90 and 100, is greater than most other nonan-
imal –and even some animal –sources of protein (McGill
et al. 2013). It is well-established that high quality protein
sources can help to maximize training-induced increases in
muscle accretion and strength following various forms of ex-
ercise (Philips and van Loon 2011). As a carbohydrate-rich
food that also contains high quality protein, potatoes as a post-
exercise meal has the potential to not only replenish depleted
muscle glycogen stores, but to stimulate muscle protein syn-
thesis as well.
Meeting Carbohydrate Needs
for High-Intensity Performance
A foundational principle referenced previously is the essential
function of carbohydrates in an athlete’s diet. Dietary protein
and fat, to a certain extent, may play a more important
role in the athlete’s diet than previously appreciated
(Maughan and Shirreffs 2011;Thomasetal.2016).
However, carbohydrate remains the substrate most effi-
ciently metabolized by the body and the only macronu-
trient that can be broken down rapidly enough to pro-
vide energy during periods of high-intensity training
when fast-twitch muscle fibers are primarily relied upon
(Hawley and Leckey 2015; Helge 2017; Jeukendrup 2017;
Thomas et al. 2016).
The daily carbohydrate needs of a serious athlete can be
staggering. A competitive athlete, who may train four hours
per day or more, needs to consume as much as 12 g/kg body
weight/day of carbohydrate. Even athletes who train fewer
hours may need to consume carbohydrates in the range of
5–7 g/kg/day to accommodate moderate exercise needs. For
a 175-lb. athlete, this can translate to as much as 3800 carbo-
hydrate calories per day (Thomas et al. 2016). Table 1contains
recommendations regarding the carbohydrate needs of ath-
letes performing different levels of exercise. It’salmost
impossible to satisfy that level of demand without main-
taining a diet rich in carbohydrate sources like potatoes,
rice, and pasta. When athletes don’t eat enough carbo-
hydrate, they can’t fully replenish their muscle glycogen
stores (Cox et al. 2010)–whichcouldresultinperfor-
mance losses, fatigue, weakness, and possibly illness,
among other things.
Carbohydrate Absorption Rate: A Factor
in Performance?
Most sports nutritionists agree that high-carbohydrate foods
and beverages that are rapidly absorbed may be best during
exercise for avoiding gastrointestinal issues and providing
202 Am. J. Potato Res. (2019) 96:201–205

muscleswithneededenergy(HawleyandLeckey2015;
Jeukendrup 2017). The types of carbohydrates to consume
before and after exercise, however, are not that clear-cut.
Some have theorized that lower glycemic carbohydrates, those
that appear in the bloodstream more slowly and produce a
blunted glucose response, may be best prior to exercise.
However, few existing studies support this notion. In one
study, Little et al. (2010) provided a pre-event meal of lentils
(GI = 26) or a meal of mashed potatoes, bread, and egg whites
(GI = 76) to athletes two hours prior to high-intensity running.
Neither meal improved running performance more than the
other. In another longer-term pre-event feeding study, Rauch
et al. (1995) supplemented the diet of cyclists with rapidly
absorbed potato starch for 3 days prior to a 3-h ride, followed
by a 60-min performance ride. The additional carbohydrate
provided by the potato starch resulted in 47% greater pre-
exercise muscle glycogen stores, and improved cycling
performance.
After exercise, particularly when rapid glycogen resynthe-
sis is required (such as when doing two-a-day workouts or
when heavy training is performed on successive days) experts
indicate that consuming about 0.5–0.6 g/kg of rapidly
absorbed carbohydrates (roughly the equivalent of one medi-
um potato or a cup of rice or pasta) every 30 min for two to
four hours post exercise can promote rapid glycogen resyn-
thesis (Thomas et al. 2016). When timing is not a factor (i.e.,
the next exercise bout will not occur for 24 h or more) re-
searchers suggest that glycogen resynthesis is not so
much affected by carbohydrate type as it is by the total
amount of carbohydrate consumed between exercise
bouts (Burke et al. 2016a). In both short term and lon-
ger-term recovery conditions, a rapidly absorbed carbohydrate
source, like a potato, can serve as an excellent way to get
needed carbohydrates back into the body.
Dietary Practices that May Inhibit
Performance
Fad diets are nothing new, for the general population or for
athletes seeking to experiment to enhance performance. These
days, regimens like the Btraining-low^concept or other forms
of low carbohydrate, ketone-producing diets are being
employed by athletes with varying degrees of success.
Training-low involves skipping meals prior to heavy bouts
of exercise, depriving the body of needed nutrients and ener-
gy, particularly in the form of carbohydrate. The goal is to
train muscles to more readily use fat as a substrate, thus con-
serving glycogen stores and promoting muscle adaptations
that can, in theory, lead to greater endurance (Bartlett et al.
2015; Stellingwerff et al. 2006; Thomas et al. 2016).
However, few studies exist confirming the benefits of train-
low regimens, while a large volume of literature indicates that
it is difficult to train at high intensity while subsisting on a low
carbohydrate diet, which in turn can produce decrements in
performance (Cox et al. 2010; Hawley and Leckey 2015;
Maughan and Shirreffs 2011; Stellingwerff et al. 2006;
Thomas et al. 2016).
Low-carbohydrate, ketone-promoting diets have been used
by athletes as well in an effort to become more reliant on the
body’s near-endless supply of stored fat, while conserving the
relatively small depots of stored carbohydrate the body pos-
sesses (Volek et al. 2015). However, ultimately there is poten-
tial for harm in following this type of diet; potential negative
effects include impaired cognitive performance and mood,
perceptions of fatigue and an inability to focus (Achten et al.
2004). Another concern is increased vulnerability to skeletal
muscle damage due to low glycogen stores during training or
competition (Gavin et al. 2014). One recent study of world
class race walkers who consumed a low carbohydrate, high fat
Table 1 Recommendations for daily carbohydrate intake for athletes involved in repeated days of strenuous, prolonged physical activity and training
Exercise intensity Description Dietary
carbohydrate
Comments
Low Easy activity such as yoga, tai chi, walking, or any
exercise done at a light effort (can easily talk or
sing during the activity)
3–5g/kg
BW/d
Normal dietary intake is usually sufficient to
restore muscle glycogen content
Moderate One hour or more of activity such as walking, jogging,
swimming, bicycling at a modest effort (can carry
on a conversation without problem, but cannot sing)
6–7g/kg
BW/d
A diet in which at least 50% of the energy
(calories) comes from carbohydrate food is
usually sufficient to restore muscle glycogen
content
High One hour or more hard exercise such as interval training,
running, swimming, bicycling at a modest effort
(can carry on only very brief conversation)
6–10 g/kg
BW/d
Postexercise carbohydrate/protein intake, with
high-carbohydrate meals and snacks, is needed
to fully restore muscle glycogen within 24–36 h
Very-high Very hard exercise for an hour or more or very prolonged
exercise such as internal training, ice hockey, soccer,
basketball, running, swimming, bicycling at an intense
effort (cannot speak during the effort)
8–12 g/kg
BW/d
Postexercise carbohydrate/protein intake, with
high-carbohydrate meals and snacks, is needed
to fully restore muscle glycogen within 24–36 h
Adapted from Thomas et al. (2016) and Burke et al. (2016)
BW body weight
Am. J. Potato Res. (2019) 96:201–205 203

diet for three weeks indicated a loss of exercise economy and
subsequent decrements in performance gains (Burke et al.
2016b). Additionally, data shows that as athletes dehydrate
during exercise, their reliance on carbohydrate for energy in-
creases, further making the case for maintaining adequate car-
bohydrate stores (Logan-Sprenger et al. 2012,2015). Once
again, the preponderance of the literature indicates that
low carbohydrate diets, and ultimately low bodily car-
bohydrate stores make it difficult to sustain exercise
intensity at a level most competitive athlete are accustomed
to training (Burke et al. 2016a; Hawley and Leckey 2015;
Jeukendrup 2017;Thomasetal.2016).
Overconsuming Protein Can Lead
to Underconsuming Carbohydrates
Our understanding of the dietary protein needs for physical
performance has grown dramatically over the past decade, and
most experts now agree that the current Recommended Daily
Allowance for protein (0.8 g/kg/day) is insufficient to meet the
needs of most physically active people (Phillips and Van Loon
2011). Many athletes seem to have gotten this message; most
research suggests the typical athlete consumes protein at a rate
of1.2to2g/kgperday(MaughanandShirreffs2011), which
is probably more in line with their needs. However, this in-
crease in protein intake has the potential to inadvertently lead
to sub-optimal carbohydrate intake which, as reiterated a num-
ber of times in this manuscript can negatively impact perfor-
mance. In these instances, carbohydrate-containing foods that
also contain high quality protein, like potatoes, can serve as an
obvious food-of-choice for the athlete.
What’s Next: Further Exploration of Potatoes
and Performance
As our understanding of exercise science evolves, and new
research methods and techniques emerge, significant opportu-
nities exist to further examine the role of potatoes and other
high-quality carbohydrate sources in an athlete’sdiet.Arange
of topics ripe for exploration exists, such as the role potatoes
(as a source of carbohydrates, vitamin C, and other nutrients)
might play in exercise-induced skeletal muscle damage repair.
Other areas of possible exploration include the potential of
potatoes as a high-quality protein source for athletes, as well
as the impact of potatoes on muscle growth and repair in
different demographic groups. The chronic use of potatoes
by hypertensive or hyperlipidemic athletes also merits study,
as do performance effects of potatoes versus other more com-
monly used protein sources such as soy or dairy.
While researchers have fertile ground to refine and expand
on current knowledge of sports nutrition, the fundamental
importance of potatoes and other high-quality carbohydrate
sources for high intensity activity cannot be overstated. Most
available research supports the notion that optimal physical
performance requires carbohydrate –and, specifically, high-
quality, nutrient-dense carbohydrate from whole food sources,
like potatoes.
Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative
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creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
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priate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the
Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
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