23 minutes ago
Kerry Torrens – Nutritionist
Photo credit, MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP via Getty Images
What is the potato?
A member of the nightshade family, which includes tomatoes and eggplants, the potato (solanum tuberosum) is the plant’s underground energy store (tuber). There are a wide variety of potatoes, but from a culinary point of view, they are generally divided into three categories: floured potatoes, waxy potatoes and new potatoes.
Mealy potatoes, like the Maris Piper, are filled with a type of starch called amylose. These starch granules puff up and burst when cooked to create a soft, chewy texture, making these potatoes ideal for a soft, creamy mash. Waxy potatoes, like the Charlotte, contain less amylose – which gives cooked potatoes a firmer texture, ideal for roasts and gratins. New potatoes, on the other hand, are immature potatoes picked early in the season; they retain their structure when cooked, which makes them perfect for potato salads.
Nutritional Benefits
An average portion (175g) of boiled potatoes (flesh and skin) provides:
How you prepare and cook potatoes affects their nutritional value. Cooking whole potatoes with their skins on helps retain fiber and some important nutrients like potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron. Levels of vitamins C and B6 decrease during cooking, while carotenoids and certain plant compounds called polyphenols increase. Roasting, frying or cooking in cream, as in a classic dauphinoise, significantly increases the fat and calorie count of the potato dish.
Regular potatoes don’t count in the daily five-calorie ration calculation because we tend to include them on our plate as starches to replace foods like pasta or rice. They are also often associated with high fat diets.
Top 5 Health Benefits of Potatoes
1. Nutritionally good value for money
Potatoes offer a more favorable nutrient to price ratio than many other vegetables and are an important staple throughout the world. With the world’s population growing, potatoes are a good choice because they provide quick food on less land.
2. Low fat
Many people, including health professionals, have a negative view of potatoes, but it’s worth remembering that when boiled or baked, potatoes contain virtually no fat. The tubers are high in starch, but provide fewer calories than an equivalent serving of pasta or rice. In addition, unlike pasta and rice, they provide useful micronutrients, such as vitamin C, folate and potassium.
Potatoes are low in protein, but the protein they provide has excellent biological value, which means they provide a good distribution of amino acids necessary for health.
3. Promotes Gut Health
Besides being a good source of fibre, some of the starch in potatoes is particularly beneficial for our gut microbes. It is indeed a “resistant starch”, meaning it resists our digestion but can be broken down by our gut bacteria, providing them with the fuel they need to function and thrive. develop.
When we cook and cool potatoes, the starch granules stick together, making them more resistant to digestion. Studies suggest that when we consume foods high in resistant starch, we experience a host of health benefits, including more efficient digestion, a lower risk of certain chronic diseases, and a reduced risk of colon cancer.
4. May Support Blood Sugar Management
Due to their high content of resistant starch, potatoes may support blood sugar control and help manage appetite. Animal studies have linked the resistant starch in potatoes to better insulin sensitivity, less fat accumulation, and less weight gain. A study looking at the effects of 30 grams of resistant starch daily over a four-week period showed that these effects appear to recur in healthy humans. It is worth remembering that you can increase the resistant starch content of potatoes by boiling them, cooling them and storing them in the refrigerator before eating them.
Potatoes are also a helpful source of a type of fiber called pectin, which helps slow stomach emptying, keeping you full longer and reducing the effects of eating on blood sugar.
5. Source of protective antioxidants
Potatoes are a useful source of plant compounds that have a protective antioxidant effect. Potato flesh is a source of carotenoids, including lutein and zeaxanthin, which are beneficial to the eye. Potatoes are also a source of polyphenols, including chlorogenic acid, and flavonoids, the most important of which are catechin and epicatechin.
Are potatoes safe for everyone?
Potatoes are generally recognized as safe for most people. However, in rare cases, some people may be allergic to both raw and cooked potatoes. If you are allergic to potatoes, you may also be allergic to other members of the nightshade family, including tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.
Potatoes contain compounds called glycoalkaloids, including solanine. These compounds are toxic when consumed in large quantities. When preparing potatoes, pay attention to visible green spots on the skin – this indicates higher levels of glycoalkaloids. Remove these parts from the potato before cooking. Store potatoes in a cool, dark place to avoid glycoalkaloid buildup.
