Us Irish have been subjected to many culturally offensive stereotypes and jokes about potatoes over the years, but it looks like we may have the last laugh.
As proven by the story below, the potato is a remarkable vegetable that we should be proud of.
Aussie man Andrew Flinders Taylor will back us up on that, too - as he lost nearly 8 stone by eating nothing but spuds over the past year.
Taylor was taking part in an experiment he dubbed 'SpudFit', where his diet consisted of potato, sweet potato and low fat seasoning/dressing - as well as an hour on an exercise bike every day.
He said :‘I wanted to change the way I thought about food so that it’s not really controlling my life. Food is fuel kinda thing. The last couple of years I’ve not been anywhere near as fit and active as I’d like to be…I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been, which is 151.7kg (23 st, 8lbs)… So I’m not happy about that.’
Although some dieticians expressed concern that he would be missing out on iron, calcium and other essential nutrients, Taylor told news.com.au that his blood pressure had dropped, his sugar and cholesterol levels have dropped and he lost 110 lbs in the process.
He also said that he had gotten the necessary fibre etc. from eating potato skins and using calcium-fortified soy milk to mash his spuds.
Could you do it? See the before/after pics via SpudFit below...