Potatoes for health and nutrition They're rich in vitamin C, which is an antioxidant. Potatoes were a life-saving food source in early times because the vitamin C prevented scurvy. Another major nutrient in potatoes is potassium, an electrolyte which aids in the workings of our heart, muscles, and nervous system.
[1] However, potatoes don't count as a vegetable on Harvard's Healthy Eating Plate because they are high in the type of carbohydrate that the body digests rapidly, causing blood sugar and insulin to surge and then dip (in scientific terms, they have a high glycemic load).
A. Yes, it is safe to consume potatoes every day as long as you cook them without much salt or saturated fats. One medium-size potato can be part of a healthy diet. It doesn't increase cardiometabolic risk and the chances of having diabetes and heart disease.
"Although many people think potatoes are nothing more than starch carbs, they are a surprising source of several vitamins and minerals. However, eating just potatoes will not provide all the nutrients needed for good health."
Potatoes for health and nutrition
In addition to starch, potatoes contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They're rich in vitamin C, which is an antioxidant. Potatoes were a life-saving food source in early times because the vitamin C prevented scurvy.
Like soluble fiber, the resistant starch in potatoes acts as a prebiotic – food for good bacteria in the large intestine that improves gut health. Like insoluble fiber, it can prevent or treat constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
“*Also, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, found in a potato, have been found naturally to decrease blood pressure. Furthermore, the fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B-6 content help promote heart health.”
The information gathered leads us to a conclusion that rice, especially brown or parboiled kind (white one with added nutrients) is a better choice than potatoes thanks to its high vitamin content and low glycemic index.
But a word of caution: “Skinless white potatoes have a very high glycemic index — meaning they raise your blood sugar quickly,” says Kate Patton, MEd, RD, CSSD, LD. Depending on what you eat with a skinless white potato, you may experience a blood sugar crash and quick drop in energy.
Baked, mashed, or boiled, potatoes actually provide more energy-delivering complex carbohydrates than a cup of pasta. All varieties--russet, red, yellow, purple, and sweet--contain impressive quantities of vitamins and minerals. Plus, they're easy to digest and prepare.
MYTH #2. MOST COOKING METHODS DESTROY THE NUTRIENTS IN POTATOES. While boiling potatoes does cause a small loss of water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C and vitamin B6, the white potato retains most, if not all, of its potassium and dietary fiber regardless of cooking method, such as baking, boiling, or frying.
Like many other members of the vegetable family, potatoes include a great dose of magnesium in its skin and flesh and is the most commonly consumed version of the nutrient.
Calories, Fat and Protein
They are also similar in caloric content. A cup of plain white rice has 242 calories and brown rice contains 216. A medium baked potato falls between them with 230 calories. Rice, with 5 grams of protein per cup, has slightly more protein than a potato, with 3 grams.
Potatoes seem like a harmless vegetable, but they are quickly converted to glucose. They can spike blood sugar and insulin levels, and may contribute to weight gain, which is why many people on low-carb or low-glycemic diets avoid potatoes.
Nightshade vegetables, such as potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants, contain solanine. This substance may increase the leakiness of the intestines and affect the gastrointestinal microbiota, indirectly increasing the inflammation relating to arthritis.
And unlike white bread, the starch in potatoes hasn't been refined to deplete nutrients. Potatoes also deliver niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin C and magnesium. They're a great source of potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure.
How many potatoes a day is too much? A. As a general rule in the potato diet, one can consume 0.9 to 2.3 kg of potatoes daily. A study shows that eating one medium-size potato, either baked or steamed a day, is a part of a healthy diet process that will reduce the risk of cardiometabolic risk, stroke, and diabetes.
Potatoes in their raw form do not contain any gluten and are therefore perfectly suitable for Coeliacs and anyone with special dietary needs. What you do need to be careful about is how they are prepared as any additional ingredients used could contain gluten, providing a 'back door' for them.
This is because, as a nutrient-dense carbohydrate, potatoes trigger insulin to allow tryptophan into the brain. This process ultimately creates 5HTP and boosts serotonin… naturally! So consider eating a potato when you're feeling anxiety start to creep in, along with these other Best Foods for Stress Relief.
Simply put, it's because they are DELICIOUS.
Potatoes are 80 percent water, so softness is usually just a sign of dehydration. But if they're extremely mushy or shriveled, do not pass go. Likewise, small sprouts can be removed with a vegetable peeler or knife. Long or large sprouts are a sign that the potato is probably past its prime and should be tossed.
Potatoes (with the peel) contain a lot of potassium and will help put some of that back in your body and soothe your tummy after a long day of upheavals (literally).
Plain potatoes
Also a bland starch like white rice and white toast, potatoes when baked can work as a food you can keep down. Potatoes, like bananas, help make up for potassium depletion and soothe your tummy after a long day of upheavals (literally).