Potatoes...resistant starch question.
If I eat boiled potatoes I will have looser bowel movements. I heard that is because they contain "resistant starch" which resists digestion in the small intestine, and goes straight through to the colon.
But that doesn't make complete sense to me, as if I have chips (fries) they don't have the same effect, yet those are supposed to be higher in resistant starch than plain boiled potatoes. And plain salted crisps (chips) are fine for me.
I always have to peel potatoes before boiling them. The skins have too much fibre for my tummy.
I seem to be okay with quite a few other foods with resistant starch, some with numbers even higher than potatoes....
But some, like bananas, lentils, beans etc I can not eat at all.
Now I wonder if it's something else about potatoes that has an effect on my gut? Not the starch but something else?
Does anyone else have issues with boiled potatoes? Maybe it's just me and I will never solve this mystery.
Just a random thought, but do you always buy the same brand of potatoes? For example, I personally can't eat normal potatoes with the skin on but I'm fine with organic unpeeled potatoes. I've always attributed it to pesticides but I don't know if that's true... Hopefully, other community members will be able to give you some answers! Karina (team member) 
So interesting. No I don't have issues with boiled potatoes. I cannot have lentils, chickpeas or there kinds of beans. It's so weird. I do fine with fries and potato chips too. -Elizabeth (team member)
I also wondered if it was the type of potatoes, so I tried different kinds, always peeled because the skins are too much for my gut. But what you said, Karina might be worth a thought as the potatoes I nearly always buy aren't organic. I have eaten the organic ones but can't remember how they affected me as it was a while back.
Sometimes I can eat potatoes with no bad results, but a lot of the time they give me the same effects.
I've heard of lots of people with IBS being okay with potatoes as a "safe" food so I don't know why they bother me when boiled. And why chips and fries don't upset my gut.
I wondered if it is because they're slightly wet, so I started drying them off over the heat, but it makes no difference.
The ones I tried recently are "baby potatoes" with fine skins, but I cut the skins off anyway.
Yes, I can't eat beans and lentils any more either, Elizabeth. I really miss eating them in a stew in winter!I'd be interested to know if you see any difference at all with organic ones. Will you let us know if you end up trying them out? After reading your forum entry yesterday, I tried finding answers on the internet but you're right, boiled potatoes seem to be "safe" foods for many people. Maybe you could also try making your own fries and see if it's the boiling that's causing the issue (although it doesn't really make sense to me, but who knows) or the actual potatoes? Karina (team member)
Yes, I will try organic potatoes next time I place my grocery order, which might be next week now.
But what doesn't add up, is that the fries I get (frozen) though they don't have any additives except a minimum of sunflower oil coating, are definitely not made from organic potatoes. They are just supermarket ones.
So it has to be something quirky to my tummy about boiled potatoes, versus fries baked in the oven!
Another odd thing is I can sometimes get periods of time when boiled potatoes don't cause me any upsets.
And the times when they do, it's definitely the potatoes and not just that I was having a bad gut time anyway, as I am fine if I don't eat potatoes the next day.
And as for the types of potato I use... I can have mixed results while using exacty the same bag of potatoes, same type (I buy 1 or 2 kilos and keep them in the bottom salad crisper part of my fridge so they stay fresher that way. But I never keep them for a very long time there. Usually only a week or10 days.
I wondered if it might be "nightshade plant" sensitivity, as I can no longer eat capsicum peppers or tomatoes either. But if so, why are fries and chips okay?? Weird.
@KarinaThat's so strange, I agree. And if you bake the same potatoes in the oven or fry them in an air fryer, do you still have the same reaction? Maybe trying out different preparation methods for the same potatoes could give you a hint as to the reason for your reaction - whether it's the boiling or the potatoes themselves... If you end up finding that it's the boiling process, could it have something to do with the water you use? Although I suppose you use the same water to boil other veggies, too... Another question could be: do you consume a similar amount of potatoes when you boil them compared to when you consume them as fries or chips? Otherwise it could have something to do with the portion size. I'm just thinking out loud here, sorry if it's not helpful at all. Karina (team member)
