Which is better?
 

Whole wheat bread or a potato? I would think a potato is more natural...I'm talking BEFORE you pile on the sour cream, bacon, etc. :o

I would think you're right. Better to me means closer to the way nature intends and the potato is definetly closer to nature than a piece of bread whether it's whole wheat or not.

I don't understand the comparison you're trying to make, though. I mean, are you trying to decide between eating a piece of bread and a potato?

Whole wheat bread is, of course, better for you nutritionally than a piece of white bread. On the other hand, like tljg? (it bugs me when people don't use actual names they can be addressed with, lol) said, a potato is more natural because it's... well... natural. It's a vegetable. And perfectly healthy as long as you don't douse it in butter and sour cream. Or deep-fry it. And let's not forget that most (not ALL) breads, whole wheat or otherwise, are made with high fructose corn syrup and a bunch of other crap ingredients.

But then you have your potato-bashers out there that look at potatoes as this vile, evil thing that can wreck your diet.

Some people, especially diabetics, have to watch their intake of foods that are high on the GI scale, which potatoes are. Even moreso than pasta. But if you don't have sugar issues to worry about and you can fit potatoes in calorie-wise, they're a perfectly healthy food.

However, this is just my personal opinion. I think potatoes have gotten a really bad rap over the years and unjustifiably so.

Still, I'd rather have a sweet potato over a regular potato. When I'm eating them plain (no cheese or sour cream), I think a plain sweet potato tastes better. I eat whole wheat bread, I eat sweet potatoes, I think both are really good for me :)

I like both. Potatoes are a great source of nutrients, and I find them to be very filling for the calorie cost. Wheat bread is great too, though I have been eating wheat tortillas more often recently. Bread is a great staple item, and has been with us for a long time. I do agree that there are a lot of unnecessary sugars put into store bought breads these days (sugar is the primary agent that keeps bread soft, so it can last on the shelves longer), but it is so easy to bake bread fresh at home. I like to bake small loaves so that the slices are more within my portion range, and of course I have control over what goes into the recipe.

In fact, I just ordered a "small loaf" bread machine (3x5x4 inch oval loaves) that only takes 45 min. to bake bread! I can hardly wait. :hyper:

And, as far as "close to nature" is concerned: I don't find flour, sugar (or honey), yeast, water, salt, and olive/vegetable oil to be all that far from nature. Just like anything else, bread can be made in a healthful or unhealthful manner, but it is not intrinsically evil. (In my opinion.)

LLV, I should have been a little clearer. *lol* I meant the question in regards to cutting down on carbs in your diet.

Glory, I actually have to agree. I really like sweet potatoes, I want to try making them into fries...I saw a recipe somewhere on this site or somewhere...I'll have to find it again.

I just have a weakness for hashbrowns...that's my favorite way of eating a potato, and it's not all that healthy, anyway, with all the oil they put on them :O

Oh, lol. Well, okay, in that case... a slice of whole wheat bread is approx. 18 grams of carbs (unless you buy the low carb stuff). A typical 6 ounce potato has bout 43 grams of carbs. So the potato is going to have more carbs than a slice of bread.

Just slice them like french fries, spray a pan with PAM and bake them until they get soft and crispy. Sometimes, I like to put them in a baggie with cinnamon first and shake them up before I bake them.

I like sweet potatoes also... although I also eat the white ones on occasion when I go out to eat. But never buy them any more as sweet potatoes are actually much BETTER! They are good mashed, too.

LLV, so the AMOUNT of carbs is basically more important than where they come from? Wouldn't a potato be easier for your body to break down? Maybe I'm just confusing myself here *lol*

Glory, thanks! I'll try that.

FWIW I agree, Penelope! I go for natural unprocessed foods over processed stuff.