You don't have to dump potatoes to lose weight

There's cheerful news for potato lovers -- one does not need to stop consuming them to lose weight, a study says.

"When it comes to weight loss, it is not about eliminating a certain food or food groups. Rather, it is reducing calories that count," said Britt Burton-Freeman, University of California, Davis, who led the study.

"There is no evidence that potatoes, when prepared in a healthy manner, contribute to weight gain. In fact, they can even be part of a weight loss programme," he added.

Researchers studied 86 overweight men and women over 12 weeks to measure the effects of a reduced-calorie modified glycemic index diet with the addition of potatoes. Glycemic index or GI is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels.

Three groups with randomly selected persons were formed, each having a diet that included five to seven servings of potatoes per week. Results showed that all three groups lost weight.

One medium-size skin-on potato contains just 110 calories per serving, boasts more potassium (620 grams) than a banana, provides almost half the daily value of vitamin C (45 percent), and contains no fat, sodium or cholesterol.