Potatoes are one of the most delicious and versatile vegetables you can choose from to eat. This vegetable not only tastes good but if prepared right, it can be good for your health.
Here are a few reasons you may want to consider eating more potatoes:
Loaded with Nutrition
Vegetables are generally noted for having high nutrition - and potatoes should not be overlooked. They boast an impressive nutrient profile. Packed with many important vitamins and minerals, potatoes boast protein, fiber, B6, potassium, magnesium, and other nutrients. Keep in mind that a lot of the beneficial nutrients are found in the skin, so peeling your potatoes will result in less nutritive value.
Rich in Antioxidants
Potatoes are an excellent source of compounds such as flavonoids and carotenoids, which act as antioxidants, neutralizing free radicals in your body.
May Help to Manage Blood Sugar
Potatoes contain a specific type of starch known as “resistant starch.” Resistant starch is not broken down entirely or absorbed by the body. Instead, it travels down into the large intestine where it feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Studies have shown that resistant starch can help reduce insulin resistance, which improves a person’s blood sugar control.
Improved Digestive Health
The resistant starch in potatoes also helps our digestive system. Since it acts as nourishment for beneficial gut bacteria, it allows this bacteria to flourish, improving the overall health of your gut.
A Few Tips
These are only a few of the health benefits of potatoes, but you can see why you might want to start eating more of them. Here are also some tips that will help you get the most out of your potatoes:
- Leave the skin on – Remember, most of the beneficial nutrients are in the peels, so avoid peeling them. Instead, just give those potatoes a good washing.
- Keep things healthy – while potatoes offer many wonderful health benefits, those benefits are eliminated if you fry the potatoes or load them with calories in the form of butter, cheese and/or sour cream.
- Try them cold – interesting fact: when you cook potatoes then let them cool, you increase the resistant starch. This means eating cold potato salad can really boost its health benefits.
Is your mouth watering for some potatoes? Why not have some soon? Remember, skip the fries.
Photo by Jess Ho