4 delicious ways to add potatoes into your summer menu

Believe it or not, potatoes are much healthier than you think, and Weight Watchers, who have just launched their new eating plan, have put potatoes right back where they belong: on the list of foods that you don’t have to measure or track. Yes, they are a starchy veggie, but starch isn’t that bad when you break it down.

Starch is a complex carbohydrate and research shows that it can help with weight loss because it contains a resistance starch that improves blood sugar control and helps insulin resistance. Potatoes are also quite high on the glycaemic index, but this effect can be mitigated by combining your spuds with protein and healthy fats.

They also top the satiety index, which measures how full you are after eating certain foods. According to some studies, one potato fills you up as much as seven croissants – with all the health benefits that go along with eating them. A study performed by researchers at Purdue University in the US found that potatoes contain 4-7 g of fibre and their resistant starch content fills up your digestive tract and slows down digestion, keeping you feeling fuller for longer.

And a medium potato contains only 163 calories, and because they take so long to digest, your digestive tract does not absorb all the calories. And the great news is that even a drizzling of olive oil and an oven can transform the humble spud into a gorgeous meal.

Here are some of our favourite incredibly new and inventive ways to cook with potatoes this summer.

MINI CROQUETTE FRESH HERB SALAD