Muscles Can Benefit From Some Spud Love
Tubs of potato powder may be coming to a supplement store near you.
Move over whey—there might be a new protein powder ready to whip into post-workout shakes. And surprise, surprise: It hails from a starchy vegetable typically associated with crispy fried snack food.
Researchers from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, found that women who consumed additional amounts of protein in the form of isolated potato protein increased their rate of skeletal muscle myofibrillar protein synthesis (research speak for new muscle growth) in response to resistance training. A placebo group that did not take in the extra spud protein and consumed only the modest Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein (0.8 gram per kilogram of body weight) did not see an improvement.
The amount of protein in an individual potato is hardly enough to sprout new muscles; however, when isolated and gathered up in sufficient amounts, potato protein appears to provide a viable supplement option, especially for those who weight-train and are not consuming enough protein from other dietary sources. This study finding is even more relevant considering that the demand for plant-based proteins has blown up in recent years.
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.
