6 reasons why potatoes are good for you

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The humble potato has been given a bad monkfish. What was once a staple of the diets of many countries, in recent years has been described as “unhealthy” food that should be best avoided.

Eating too much of any type or group of food (such as carbohydrates) is unhealthy and some research suggests that eating too much of particular potato products could be associated with higher blood pressure. But it is usually the way we prepare and consume potatoes (like frying them) that cause negative effects.

In fact, potatoes contain many vitamins and other nutrients that are important for health. Here are six reasons why potatoes are good for you.

1. Vitamin C

People often associate vitamin C with oranges and citrus fruits. But it actually comes from an important source of vitamin C in British diets for most of the 20th century potatoes. On average, a small potato (150 g) provides us with approximately 15% of our daily vitamin C..

Vitamin C is important as it not only supports immune function and contains antioxidants, but also plays an essential role in the formation of connective tissue, which helps work the joints and keeps the teeth in place. This is why vitamin C (scurvy) deficiency is related to tooth loss.

2. Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is an essential co-factor (a small molecule) in the body. It helps more than 100 enzymes in the body to function properly, allowing them to break down proteins, a key process for good nerve function. This may also be the reason why B6 is related to good mental health.

Usually a small potato will contain about a quarter of an adult recommended daily intake of B6.

3. Potassium

To own potassium in our cells it is important to regulate electrical signaling in muscles and nerves. Therefore, if the potassium is too high or low, it can stop us the heart works.

Roasted, baked and fried potatoes contain higher levels of potassium than boiled or mashed potatoes, with a recommended daily intake. This is because boiling diced potatoes can cause it about half of the potassium that comes out in the water.

However, people with kidney disease (which can limit the body’s ability to remove excess potassium) may need to limit the number of potatoes they eat. And if you roast or fry the potatoes, be careful about how much oil you use.

4. Hill

Hill is a small compound that binds to fat to produce phospholipids, the building blocks of cell walls, as well as the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (which helps us contract muscles, dilate blood vessels, and lower heart rate). Potatoes contain according to higher levels of choline, along with protein-rich foods such as meat and soy.

It is vital to consume enough choline as it is essential for a healthy brain, nerves and muscles. I subtle differences in our genes it may mean that some of us are naturally more deficient in making choline. A potato jacket contains about 10% of a person’s daily hill needs. Choline is particularly important during pregnancy, as the growing baby is making many new cells and organs.

5. Good for our stomach

Cooking and cooling the potatoes before eating allows it resistant starch to form. This healthy starch helps our bodies in many ways, including acting as prebiotic (which are important for a healthy gut microbiome).

Cooling of spongy, cooked starches causes them to sink. While it actually makes them harder to digest, this means that bacteria in our colon ferment them and produce vinegar-like compounds called short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids nourish our gut and keep it healthy.

Short-chain fatty acids can also alter our metabolism in a good way, helping to reduce fat and blood. blood sugar levels. This, along with their high water content and low fat content, makes boiled and steamed potatoes low in calories, dense and nutritious. fill food.

6. Naturally gluten free

Potatoes also do not contain gluten naturally, so they are a great choice for people with celiac disease or who need to avoid gluten.

The same goes for sweet potatoes, which also have a lower glycemic index, which means they don’t cause a sharp rise in blood sugar, which can help control weight and appetite. However, sweet potatoes have slightly more calories and carbohydrates than normal potatoes, although they do contain more beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A).

Potatoes on the plate

Some people may choose to avoid potatoes because of concerns about weight gain, but a typical boiled potato only has about 130 calories, which is actually fewer calories than a banana of the same size. But it’s important to remember how potatoes are prepared and what they are eaten with.

Boiling or steaming (possibly with cooling to increase resistant starch) is the best way to keep the number of calories per gram low. Cooking will increase calories per gram (as water is lost), as will grinding with butter or cream. The least healthy way to eat potatoes is like french fries or french fries, as they absorb oil like a sponge.

You will also want to avoid green potatoes. This happens when the potato has been stored in the light and produces a toxin which can irritate our gut. Otherwise, for most people, including potatoes as part of a healthy, varied diet can be a good thing.

And in addition to being healthy, potatoes also have environmental benefits. They need less water than rice to produce and less greenhouse gases than both rice and wheat – which can be another good reason to include potatoes in your diet.

Duane Mellor, Associate Dean of Education: Improving Quality, Aston University

This article is republished from The conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.





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