Not all carbohydrates are bad. Let me repeat that. Not all carbohydrates are bad. In our low carb/keto world, people have become so scared of carbs. The data shows that some carbs can be very filling and help you achieve your goals of taking in less calories than you burn.

One of my favorite studies is on the satiety index of foods. In this study, patients were given 38 different foods and asked their rating of satiety every 15 minutes up until 2 hours. The higher the number, the more full the food kept a patient. The lower the number, the less full a patient felt.

The highest score was boiled potatoes (323) and the lowest score was a croissant (47). That is a seven fold difference in satiety. The study had some interesting trends. Protein, fiber, water content, and the weight of the food kept people full longer. Fat added to carbohydrates seemed to have the opposite effect meaning it did not keep people full as long.

Based on this study, I created a chart showing the satiety index of the foods they tested. Note, they did not test many vegetables but we can still learn a lot from this.

Potatoes, boiled 323%
Watermelon ~260%
Grapefruit ~250%
Fish ~225%
Chicken ~215%
Steak ~ 210%
Porridge/Oatmeal 209%
Carrots ~205%
Oranges 202%
Apples 197%
Brown pasta 188%
Beef 176%
Baked beans 168%
Grapes 162%
Whole Grain bread 154%
Popcorn 154%
All-Bran 151%
Eggs 150%
Cheese 146%
Rice 136%
Lentils 133%
Crackers 127%
Cookies 120%
White pasta 119%
Bananas 118%
Jellybeans 118%
Special K Cereal/Cornflakes 117%
French fries 116%
White bread 100%
Ice cream 96%
Yogurt 88%
Peanuts 84%
Mars candy bar 70%
Doughnuts 68%
Cake 65%
Croissant 47%

What we can learn is that not all carbs are bad. Natural, less processed carbs, can be more filling. So don’t be afraid of potatoes. Look at the difference between boiled potatoes and french fries: 323% vs 116%. Adding the oil (fat) to the potatoes makes them much less satiating when keeping the calories the same.

I love potatoes. I eat them most nights of the week but I do not add lots of butter, sour cream, or cheese to them. A baked potato can be very good at satiating but also tasty with some salt, chicken, chives, carrots, lemon juice, or Tabasco sauce. So again, do not be afraid of natural unprocessed carbs including fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, corn, potatoes, and whole grain breads/pastas/tortillas. These can absolutely be a part of a well balanced calorie restricted nutritional plan.

Seth Jarrell, MD