Amazing Potato Treasures. The Healthful Potato.
It’s quite amazing what a simple potato can contain. Misinformation regarding the nutritional value of the potato is plentiful. In fact, an average (~5.3 oz) potato with the skin contains:
- 45% of the daily value for vitamin C
- 620 mg potassium, comparable to bananas, spinach and broccoli
- trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, phosphorous, iron and zinc
- all for only 163 calories and no fat.
As you can see, potatoes are highly nutritious and are a very good source of potassium and vitamin C, as well as fiber, magnesium, copper, manganese, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate.
Despite the popular notion, the majority of nutrients are not found in the skin, but in the potato itself. Nonetheless, leaving the skin on the potatoes retains all the nutrients, the fiber in the skin and makes potatoes easier to prepare.
The other good news is that a medium potato has only 163 calories and 0 grams of fat. The potato’s cousin, the sweet potato, is even more nutritious. And,
So there’s no need to shy away from potatoes as long as they are baked, roasted or boiled. Just be sure to skip the butter, sour cream and cheese toppings. Salsa, low-fat cheese or sour cream, light dressing and plain yogurt are much healthier topping choices.
Alright, so back to my point that white potatoes are actually a healthy carbohydrate as long as you eat them in the right form… with the entire skin, and please don’t ruin them by deep frying them into french fries either!
French fries are one of the most evil things ever invented for your health. It is only because we ruin them by soaking in a scorching bath of trans fats from the hydrogenated oils that are typically used.
Do potatoes make you fat? Potato myth is half-baked.
The idea that baked potatoes pile on the pounds probably stems from their reputation for being “high GI” (which means that they have a high glycaemic index) and are therefore rapidly digested and send blood sugar levels soaring.
In theory this would lead to a rush of insulin which blood sugar back to normal and encourages the storage of any excess sugar as fat. There are a few “buts” with these theories. First, not all baking potatoes have a high GI.
In fact, the GI of potatoes can vary considerably depending on type (such as red, russet, white, or Prince Edward), origin (where it was grown), preparation methods (i.e., cooking method, whether it is eaten hot or cold, whether it is mashed or cubed or consumed whole, etc), and with what it is consumed (i.e., the addition of various high fat or high protein toppings)
The point is that we tend to serve the potato with a filling, and any filling that contains protein — baked beans, tuna, chilly — will automatically slow digestion of the potato, effectively lowering its GI.
Another way to achieve this is to mash it with lemon juice and black pepper, then return it to its skin before adding the topping.
Leaving aside the whole GI issue for a moment, you also need to consider the total number of calories in a baked potato versus a sandwich. This comes down almost entirely to the type of fillings they contain. An average 180g baking potato has 245 calories.
If you avoid butter and serve with baked beans and salad this comes to a total of 355 calories. A tuna and sweetcorn filling using low-fat mayonnaise or a serving of lean chilly con carne will be around the same.
Compare this to a cheddar, tomato and pickle bloomer that has 648 calories, and the baked potato looks the healthier option.
Want to know more about the healthful potato? Then, post your question below.
Yours truly for great health, mind and body,
Michelle, natural health advocate
December 30 2009 08:53 pm | Fitness and Green Living and Healthy Eating
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