Tubers - sweet potato vs regular

Travis Mulroy · 06-13-2006, 10:51 AM

I have been trying to convert some people to the Paleo diet, and the question of whether our ancestors ate tubers comes up again and again. I looked through the archives, but got mixed results. It seems as though sweet potatoes and yams are OK, but regular, white potatoes are not. Is this the general agreement? If so, what is the paleo reasoning? Can sweet potatoes and yams be eaten raw, and thus would have been consumed for a long time, whereas white potatoes cannot (this is just a shot in the dark)? Any input on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Robert Wolf · 06-13-2006, 11:38 AM

Travis-
The sweet potato and yam are nice options because of the nutritional quality...good stuff in there. That said they can be over done. I don't no that I would try to convert anyone, just reference some thing like Cordains site and let them come to their own conclusions. People can chew through an amazing amount of your time nit-picking minutia.

Jibreel Freeland · 06-13-2006, 12:48 PM

Alot of people don't care for regular potatoes because they are a member of the nightshade family. Personally, I eat them, and I consider tubers in general to be paleo friendly, and definitely much more so than any grain. This can not be backed up in any way by science, it's my opinion, plus an excuse to eat starches.

Hone Watson · 06-14-2006, 12:17 AM

I'm guessing some paleo's undoubtably ate a lot of tubers.

Kalahari Bushmen, Australian Aborigines, Papua New Guinean's all ate a lot of tubers. These were mainly gathered by the women.

Sweet potatoes can be eaten raw without problems if we're talking this vegetable:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potatoe

Oca can also be eaten raw:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oca

Taro and this type of yam cannot be eaten raw:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yam_%28vegetable%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taro

Antony Ferraro · 06-14-2006, 02:14 AM

Hone,

Do you eat them raw? I tried and nearly broke my teeth! Cut finer or grate perhaps?

Jeremy Bloniasz · 06-14-2006, 05:09 AM

Just throw them right in the charcoal for a while. Delicious.

-Jeremy

Garrett Smith · 06-14-2006, 05:42 AM

Sauteed with grassfed ground beef, onion, and EVO coconut oil. Awesome.

Travis Mulroy · 06-14-2006, 10:44 AM

Thanks for the info, guys. Good stuff.

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06-13-2006, 10:51 AM	#1
Travis Mulroy Member Profile: Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bethesda MD Posts: 89	I have been trying to convert some people to the Paleo diet, and the question of whether our ancestors ate tubers comes up again and again. I looked through the archives, but got mixed results. It seems as though sweet potatoes and yams are OK, but regular, white potatoes are not. Is this the general agreement? If so, what is the paleo reasoning? Can sweet potatoes and yams be eaten raw, and thus would have been consumed for a long time, whereas white potatoes cannot (this is just a shot in the dark)? Any input on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

06-13-2006, 11:38 AM	#2
Robert Wolf Member Profile: Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Chico CA Posts: 2,669	Travis- The sweet potato and yam are nice options because of the nutritional quality...good stuff in there. That said they can be over done. I don't no that I would try to convert anyone, just reference some thing like Cordains site and let them come to their own conclusions. People can chew through an amazing amount of your time nit-picking minutia.

06-13-2006, 12:48 PM	#3
Jibreel Freeland Member Profile: Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 548	Alot of people don't care for regular potatoes because they are a member of the nightshade family. Personally, I eat them, and I consider tubers in general to be paleo friendly, and definitely much more so than any grain. This can not be backed up in any way by science, it's my opinion, plus an excuse to eat starches.

06-14-2006, 12:17 AM	#4
Hone Watson Member Profile: Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Auckland New Zealand Posts: 194	I'm guessing some paleo's undoubtably ate a lot of tubers. Kalahari Bushmen, Australian Aborigines, Papua New Guinean's all ate a lot of tubers. These were mainly gathered by the women. Sweet potatoes can be eaten raw without problems if we're talking this vegetable: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_potatoe Oca can also be eaten raw: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oca Taro and this type of yam cannot be eaten raw: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yam_%28vegetable%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taro

06-14-2006, 02:14 AM	#5
Antony Ferraro Member Profile: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sydney NSW Posts: 15	Hone, Do you eat them raw? I tried and nearly broke my teeth! Cut finer or grate perhaps?

06-14-2006, 05:09 AM	#6
Jeremy Bloniasz Member Profile: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Millbury MA Posts: 195	Just throw them right in the charcoal for a while. Delicious. -Jeremy

06-14-2006, 05:42 AM	#7
Garrett Smith Member Profile: Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,264	Sauteed with grassfed ground beef, onion, and EVO coconut oil. Awesome.

06-14-2006, 10:44 AM	#8
Travis Mulroy Member Profile: Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bethesda MD Posts: 89	Thanks for the info, guys. Good stuff.