can you live on potatoes and milk

Is there any truth to this? Kale Serious superfood here. According to Hoss-Cruz, a healthy diet has lots of variety. If you can find a pasteurized milk that hasn窶冲 been homogenized, even better. According to the novel, he "[has] plenty of vitamins; over double what [he needs]," plus an ample supply of protein in the pre-packaged NASA meals. Edward Wakefield, an English land agent and amateur social scientist who traveled Ireland from 1809 to 1811, calculated each Irish peasant family member consumed 5.5 pounds of potatoes per day. That email doesn't look right. By the time the famine hit, the peasants were eating pretty much just potatoes, supplemented with some salt fish and oatmeal. Possibly, but a bit of bacon, cabbage and some onions are definitely a big help in the quest. (2) Notwithstanding the potato’s virtues, make sure you eat your oatmeal too. This means a layer of cream remains on top of the milk窶鍍he way nature intended. How did “nuts” and “bananas” come to mean “crazy”? The question is: could humans survive with potatoes and milk as their only sustenance? are headache, rapid breathing and heart rate, nausea and vomiting, acute asthma attacks, visual problems, disorientation, and, finally, coma.” However, you don’t need much of the stuff — the RDA is only 45 micrograms — and good sources include lentils, split peas, green beans, cauliflower, and, significantly, oatmeal. What lessons does all this hold for you, Josh? Is there a single food that you can survive on forever? No they don窶冲! Not indefinitely, no. (1) While no sane nutritionist would recommend a diet consisting of just two foods, if in the interest of economy you need to heavy up on a couple, you could do a lot worse than potatoes and milk. If not, here窶冱 a recap: Andrew Taylor, 36, decided to 窶ｦ Restaurants prepare the potatoes ahead by boiling and mashing just the potato, then just before serving, it is mixed into boiling cream (or milk or even broth or a combination thereof) to reheat it and make it 窶ｦ With the potatoes and milk that's 16lbs! A STAFF REPORT FROM THE STRAIGHT DOPE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD. So, you couldn窶冲 live off of milk. What does the Chicago lyric “25 or 6 to 4” mean? So you can only imagine what窶冱 lying on the surfaces of loose fruit and vegetables in the grocery shop. Chug two gallons of milk with your spuds and all you’re missing is about two-thirds of your vitamin E and, of course, your molybdenum. Professor Hoss-Cruz further explained, "the problem with potatoes is you'd get enough calories, but when you only eat one food source—especially one plant food source—you won't get all the protein you need." Despite what certain diets tell you, your body needs healthy fats. In Andy Weir's novel The Martian, a stranded Mark Watney must survive on Mars for several months. Years ago I tackled the question of whether you could live 窶ｦ It was hotdogs and fried potatoes covered in some kind of white gravy. **This recipe was tested and Use a good mashing variety of potato. Since his prepackaged food supplies will run out before he is rescued, Mark grows and only eats potatoes for several weeks. Neither of those contains sufficient iron. What’s the origin of “coon’s age”? If you eat a variety of whole foods, you'll get all the nutrients you need for [good] health. One food does not contain all the nutrients that you need.". But there’s reason to believe they were healthier than you might guess. Looking only at vitamins and minerals for which a recommended daily allowance has been established, we find a diet of vitamin-D-fortified whole milk and potatoes stacks up pretty well, providing at least some of all known dietary needs except molybdenum. According to Potatoes USA, one 5.3 ounce potato with skin on has 110 calories, 26 grams of carbohydrates (9% DV), three grams of protein, and no fats, sodium, or cholesterol. Since we have no indication that a third of the Irish population was in a coma prior to 1845, my guess is that reports of potato-only diets in the pre-famine era were exaggerated and that inhabitants of the Emerald Isle were getting sufficient oatmeal and other foods to meet their micronutrient needs. Years ago I tackled the question of whether you could live by bread alone. Calories in Mashed Potatoes A simple, standard mashed potatoes dish contains cooked potatoes, usually white or yellow; butter; milk or cream; and salt. While potatoes supply three of the most important macro-molecules for life (carbohydrates, protein, and nucleic acid), they miss the fourth: lipids, aka fat. Mashed potatoes can be healthy, depending on how you prepare them and how much you eat. Telling evidence on this score, one historian writes, “is that the Irish in general and Irish women in particular were widely described as healthy and good-looking.” I don’t know about you, Josh, but any diet that gets results like that is good enough for me. As someone who is always looking into nutrition for the answer to feeling great and (hopefully) also sporting a six pack, a 窶彭iet窶� is not what I would suggest. Hmmm, can you An 1846 source claims a working man needed at least 8 pounds of potatoes a day to survive if nothing else were available; a typical family of six would need 26 pounds. Potato historians sing the praises of this miracle tuber for elevating humankind from the constant threat of starvation. Hoss-Cruz and I don't either. The concept of switching to a limited yet wholesome diet is interesting, and some products like Soylent make that a little more possible. Depending on the country you are traveling from, prohibited objects can be different. However, a milk and potato diet is more hypothetical than real. And alas, still no molybdenum. Fine, cut it down to a quart and choke down 14 pounds of potatoes instead. This layer of cream produces a super creamy and thick yogurt. She said potatoes and milk would provide a complete set of protein, but a person would still run short on other nutrients like fiber. As the years grew leaner, dairy products largely disappeared from the Irish diet, since poverty forced many farmers to sell their milk to pay rent. Although milk and honey may offer several health benefits, there are a few drawbacks to consider. Potatoes are just calories to Mark. Chan School of Public Health: Nutrition Source says that over the long term, diets high in potatoes and similarly rapidly digested, high carbohydrate foods can contribute to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. If I could really get all the nutrients I need from just potatoes and milk, it sure would make my grocery shopping easier. Could someone subsist solely on potatoes and milk? Nope, potatoes do not have all the nutients your body needs. It is based on speculation about the years before the 1845 Great Famine in Ireland, when people were so destitute that potatoes became their primary source of food. You can use healthier olive and vegetables oils as a substitute for butter in mashed potatoes. According to one nutritional reference book, “signs of molybdenum deficiency . "There's basically three components to a healthy diet: balance, variety, and moderation. No protein (or very very little) and not all the vitamins or anti oxidants you get from other veg. Can a Person Live Off of a Diet of Potatoes and Butter? It kept all 9 of us teenagers with enough energy to do all of our chores ! You could meet your protein, fat, and carbohydrate needs, but it has zero vitamin C or iron. Make some ahead tuck them in a freezer so you can enjoy mashed potatoes in almost no time. There's a vast difference between the garlic mashed potatoes that you would eat a whole bowl of for dinner, and the ones that you leave untouched and left to get cold. You may have heard about the man in Australia who has vowed to only eat potatoes for a year. The bad news: (1) Considering the quantities you’re going to have to eat, you’d better really like potatoes. I heard it's possible to live for an extended period of time, not just short-term, on nothing but potatoes and milk. Certain vitamins (A, D, E, and K) are fat-soluble, so our bodies can't absorb them without fat or oil. Fruit and vegetables have been touched by many people. Milk does not contain iron, and potatoes contain 0.78mg per 100g. This is where milk comes in.Â. Before the Great Famine, the traditional Irish peasant meal consisted mainly of potatoes, milk, oats, beans, barley, and bread. He's had them baked, chipped, boiled, steamed, mashed, fried - 窶ｦ Cooking up spuds has never been easier! Can man live on potato alone? Japan's customs officials will check your luggage. Image: iStock. Mark Watney had vitamins and protein to round out his nutritional needs, but could we do without? Potatoes are close, but not close enough. This better-for-you version of mashed potatoes doesn窶冲 skimp on the quintessential creaminess associated with this traditional dish窶琶t simply uses skinnier ingredients like low-fat yogurt in place of sour cream and skim milk in While the 窶ｦ If you窶决e reheating a larger portion in the oven, you can be a little more hands-off. I really need more powdered milk though Mark Watney ate what was available, and I doubt he'd endorse this potato diet. A botanist by trade, our fictional Mark uses Martian soil, his limited water supply, and some self-produced fertilizer to grow his potatoes. But you can get all you need of that by also eating a bit of oatmeal. Answer: Yeah, for about six months, but then you’d die of scurvy. All raw OK, history lesson’s over. You can obviously survive on breast milk for quite some years, even when you are in the stage where you grow the most. Could I survive on nothing but potatoes and milk? I had my assistant Una run a spreadsheet on key nutrients. (2) If you窶决e literally going to eat nothing but potatoes and milk, you risk窶巴race yourself窶敗erious molybdenum deficiency. Varying your protein sources ensures that you get all the right proteins for your body. The problem with this is that you窶冤l also be raising your insulin and blood sugar more, which could promote diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. What’s the origin of the skull and crossbones pirate flag? Probably wouldn't eat it now, but if SHTF, we will probably eat worse. I can afford to have that kind of minimalist variance in diet, I was just asking because I'd heard that you can live solely off of potatoes and milk and though it would be much easier. . It窶冱 missing several minerals, too. Something you want to be careful when traveling is your belongings. Excellent question, Josh. How did the Irish do on this diet? Much research has been conducted on potatoes, and the conclusion drawn by every medical doctor and nutritionist on the planet is that you have to be nuts to think you can live off of potatoes窶ｦ Here's the lowdown: a potato and milk diet seems wholesome in theory, but a person can't stay healthy and balanced on a restrictive diet like that, even if they took a multivitamin too. Years ago I tackled the question of whether you could live 窶ｦ (2) If you窶决e literally going to eat nothing but potatoes and milk, you risk 窶� brace yourself 窶� serious molybdenum deficiency. (See The Straight Dope: Can man live by bread alone?) No they don窶冲! Potatoes were the mainstay. Whenever you order a dish with mashed potatoes at a restaurant, did you ever wonder whether they peeled, boiled and mashed the potatoes to order? Plenty of fiber and vitamins A, B6, and C If you don't want to add cream, you can definitely up the amount of butter used to achieve great results. I窶冦 not one for fad diets. Even if it is something that you always have on hand or a gift to a friend, if it is prohibited by Japanese law, it will be confiscated. Potatoes can help you survive for many months, no doubt about that, but the risks of not having any other nutritional supplements will take its toll eventually. Not so nuts about milk? A strict diet for gastric ulcer is shown for 10-12 days after exacerbation. Consider swapping potato mash for other mashed vegetables too. Whole cow's milk would provide fat for a strictly potato diet as well as other nutrients potatoes lack, like certain amino acids. You can drink diluted vegetable broth, carrot juice, soufflé of low-fat beaten curd cheese. In fact, Harvard T.H. Both potatoes and milk have been touted as useful foods to eat if you are trying to lose weight. Now you’re short on zinc, folate, niacin, vitamin E, and way low on vitamin A. How to Freeze Mashed Potatoes. . The milk I'm sure will hydrate you maybe even all day. You could also use milk or half-n-half (just watch those ingredients) in place of the cream. For So it isn't especially surprising that one would be able to survive even on milk alone, after all, that's what it is Avocados are packed with nutrients - but not as many as potatoes (Credit: iStock) Hearing this, Jackson laughs. You would survive, but not healthily, You would suffer a malnutrition because rice is a souce of carbohydrates, Your body needs proteins too to keep your body metabolism well And also, you could suffer a mental damage too by just The good news: A spuds and milk diet definitely has possibilities — the Irish, to cite the best-known example, got by mainly on potatoes until the infamous blight of 1845 wiped out their main course. Do you want mashed potatoes in a snap? By adding your email you agree to get updates about Spoon University Healthier. Then allowed to eat vegetable puree (potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, zucchini), lean fish and meat, cooked in a double boiler. In the century before the famine, Ireland had the highest birthrate in western Europe. newsletter. You might remember Chris Voigt, the Washington State Potatoes Commission Executive Director who, in 2010, went on an all-potato diet for 60 days. We can’t be certain — nobody was conducting nutrition studies in those days. Copyright © document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Her Campus Media LLC. Some credit potatoes, saying the availability of easy-to-grow, easy-to-cook spuds made it practical to raise large families. What is the origin of the song “There’s a place in France/Where the naked ladies dance?” Are bay leaves poisonous. They're a great source of potassium, and one single potato has almost half a day's requirement of Vitamin C: 27 milligrams. To that end, he's eaten nothing but 20 potatoes a day - no cheese toppings, no butter and milk for mashing - since 1 October. All Rights Reserved, 9 Lansdowne Street, Suite 2Boston, MA 02215, What Nutrition Labels Taught Me About Food That’s Not Actually Healthy, 5 Fruits and Vegetables That Actually Taste Better Pureed. Things won’t be anywhere near that bad on milk and potatoes. Sign up for the In practice, however, a varied, moderated diet is the best way to go. You wouldn窶冲 need any of the carbohydrates for survival but since you窶决e only eating potatoes, you窶囘 still need the glucose for energy. I have heard that you can live on beans on toast (and water of course)for a long while. But yeah, it looks like it pretty much costs the same You would also need a great deal of time on your hands. Fact or Fiction: Is the Potatoes and Milk Diet Sustainable? An adult male can require around 20mg of iron per day, which means eating 2.56kg of potato per day. I’ve seen it said that a third of the population lived on potatoes and nothing else, although that seems doubtful, as we’ll see. People could "survive" eating a very limited diet, health experts told us, but they wouldn't get everything their bodies needs to function. That's still alot though but good stuff to know. So what happens if you starve yourself of molybdenum? It's got all the amino acids you need, it's fairly high in calories. I don't know anyone that can eat that much. The best of The Straight Dope, delivered to your inbox. (2) If you’re literally going to eat nothing but potatoes and milk, you risk — brace yourself — serious molybdenum deficiency. For example, if you’re an active male between 19 and 30, of average height and weight, then one gallon of milk and eight pounds of potatoes will supply the RDA of most nutrients, falling a little short on the iron, folate, and niacin fronts, missing a lot of vitamin E, and striking out completely on molybdenum. With hard times coming, we’re all going to have to economize. By Ellen Airhart September 18, 2017 More Ask Us 窶ｦ Send questions to Cecil via cecil@straightdope.com. For our potatoes and milk diet, I asked registered dietitian and K-State professor Kathleen Hoss-Cruz about its feasibility. How did some crime fiction come to be described as “hard-boiled”? You tryna be tricky? Our garlic mashed potatoes recipe is so simple, making it the perfect side dish you can spice up however you want. In Mark Watney's case, depending on what was in his NASA meal supplements, he might've been lacking those fat-soluble nutrients.

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