November 28, 2025
Spud Wars in the comments
The Secret Superfood of Thanksgiving
Internet crowns potatoes the Thanksgiving MVP — and diet wars explode in the comments
TLDR: A viral take says potatoes are a filling, affordable “superfood” that can even support a potato-only diet. The comments erupted: some swear potatoes helped them lose weight, others blame starch for obesity, and everyone agrees fries and butter bombs ruin the spud—making Thanksgiving a carb controversy worth watching.
Move over turkey, the community has decided the real Thanksgiving star is the humble potato — and the comments are pure chaos. The article argues potatoes are a legit superfood: a Danish doctor fed workers only spuds for 309 days, they stayed strong, and science says potatoes are filling, cheap, and surprisingly complete (newsletter, study).
Cue the crowd: one user simply posted “potatoes,” like a rallying cry. Another demanded, “If fries are bad, what’s the correct way to ingest potatoes?” accusing the piece of “bogarting the secret.” Meanwhile, a regional warrior flexed that their town is basically a Waffle House menu, listing every style on Earth and asking, “Who’s not potatoing on the regular?”
Then came the Spud Truthers vs Carb Police. A skeptic warned: “Do be worried—starchy carbs are why everyone’s fat.” Right behind them, a transformation tale dropped: one commenter claimed they lost 50 pounds by eating only potatoes for lunch for a year—“easy, satisfying, cheap.” The fry pile-on was intense: readers roasted the idea that potatoes are bad, insisting it’s the oil baths and butter mountains that ruin them. Verdict from the crowd? Plain spuds are saintly, fries are the villain, and Thanksgiving is now a carb-powered battlefield.
Key Points
- •Early 1900s experiment by Mikkel Hindhede found laborers on a potato-only diet for 309 days remained in excellent health.
- •USDA data: a medium potato provides ~170 calories, 5 g protein, 39 g carbs, high potassium, and notable vitamin C.
- •Stephan Guyenet states potatoes have complete protein and can meet the RDA if consumed exclusively.
- •A European Journal of Clinical Nutrition study ranks plain potatoes highest on the satiety index, surpassing fish and croissants.
- •The article attributes health issues to preparation methods (e.g., frying, added fats), not potatoes themselves; one-third of U.S. potatoes become French fries.