Are Potatoes really good for you?

Potato is considered the King of vegetables. For the peasant the introduction of the potato was a great blessing since it provided a cheap alternative crop to cereals. In our time this is one of the vegetables liked by all.

Potato is popular among all age groups, sexes, races and economic classes. Let's check are we really eating a balanced diet in the form of potatoes.

Nutritional value:

The water content of potatoes is about 74 to 75 percent and they are good sources of carbohydrate (22.6 gms / 100 gm) with only 1.6gms of protein for 100 gms. Since potatoes have high carbohydrate content, people on weight reducing diet and diabetes should avoid or limit the intake.

The ability of the food item to raise the blood sugar is measured in terms of glycemic index. The glycemic index of new or boiled potato is 81. The fat content is less in potatoes. It is believed to be good for the immune system, particularly if eaten cold or in a salad.

The content of minerals and water soluble B group vitamins in potatoes is small but significant. The vitamin C content of freshly dug potato is high being 30mg per 100 gm but is reduced to 8 mg after storage of 9 months!

Cooking potatoes unpeeled conserves most of the vitamin B, C and salts. Peeling a potato and cutting it into pieces before it is boiled reduces its vitamin content considerably. If cooked potatoes are reheated there is a further loss of vitamins.

The sodium content of potato is less but it is rich in potassium content. Potato, due to the above nutritional property helps in keeping blood pressure low. The magnesium present in the potato also exerts a beneficial effect in lowering blood pressure.

The other use of magnesium is that it prevents calcification of tissue like kidney and in overcoming formation of stones in the bladder. UK scientists at the Institute for Food Research have identified blood pressure-lowering compounds called kukoamines in potatoes.

You should avoid greasy French fries or potato chips, and even baked potatoes as they are typically loaded down with fats such as butter, sour cream, and melted cheese and bacon bits. (I am sure we all know this, but that taste so good!!) Potatoes are indeed contributing to the obesity epidemic in the U.S., but that's primarily because they are fried or are covered in high-calorie ingredients like cheese, butter, cream, sour cream, or mayonnaise.

Protect your potato from being unhealthy.

• Don't eat the skin if it has a green tinge. That's chlorophyll, a sign that the potato has been exposed to too much light after harvest. It also indicates that solanine (a naturally occurring toxin) may be present in increased amounts, especially in the skin. Consuming large amounts of solanine may cause cramps and diarrhea.
• Top toppings for a baked potato: nonfat or low-fat sour cream, yogurt, or yogurt cheese. Salsa is great, too, as are leftover steamed vegetables.
• Mix mashed potatoes (homemade or dehydrated) with nonfat or low-fat milk or yogurt. Use just a little butter, soft margarine, or olive oil, or try a powdered butter substitute.
• To cut calories, dress potato salad with plain nonfat yogurt, plain or flavored vinegar to taste, prepared mustard, and herbs. Add ingredients such as celery, peppers, carrots, or apples.
• Don't wrap a potato in foil when baking it. Foil makes it steam, rather than bake, leaving the skin soggy. If you microwave your spud, do wrap it in foil or a towel for a few minutes immediately after you remove it. That completes the cooking and improves the texture.
• Don't leave a foil-wrapped baked potato sitting at room temperature for longer than a few hours. That could lead to botulism poisoning. A tight foil wrapping on an unscrubbed potato creates the perfect airless environment in which Clostridium botulinum spores flourish. The spores come from the soil and are often found on the surface of potatoes.

Best use of the potato.

The potato cell has a cellulose envelope, which is broken down on cooking allowing digestion of starch by intestinal juices. It is easy to digest and hence smashed potatoes can be given even to young infants and invalid. Potato forms an alkaline food which is good for people suffering from hyper acidity. It is used in many dishes as a binding agent. Potato has its use in beauty care. Potato face packa are good for the skin especially for dry pigmented skin.

So, next time when you buy and cook potato, keep all these important points in mind so that you can enjoy taste of potato without any harm, especially to your waist line! Happy Eating.

(Sources: christiantoday.com, health24.com)