The Health Benefits of Potatoes
Contrary to public belief, potatoes are not really fattening. It is either the way they are prepared (fried) or in the toppings we chose to top them with (butter, cheese, bacon bits, etc.) for extra flavor. If you could leave all that stuff aside, potatoes would actually be one of the healthiest, cholesterol-lowering foods on the planet.
Potatoes are high in fiber half of which is insoluble with the other half being soluble. This means that they promote regular bowel movements and are heart healthy because that fiber works to lower cholesterol in the bloodstream. And if you are thinking of a heart-healthy super food, potatoes have most of them beaten. It is rich in Vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper, Iron, and Phytochemicals all of which are essential nutrients for heart health. Vitamin B6 is known to lower blood pressure while potassium regulates muscle contractions which assists in a strong, regular heart beat and rate.
Potatoes are also extremely high in Vitamin C. Unfortunately, much of that marvelous nutrient is lost with heat and since we don’t eat raw potatoes, the levels of Vitamin C are all but lost. The one vital nutrient that is missing from potatoes is Vitamin A, curiously enough but there are sufficient other nutrients to deem potatoes as one of the most well-rounded sources of nutrients.
Because potatoes are also high in nutrients as opposed to the amount of calories they contain, they are considered a ‘nutrient-dense’ food. You can’t go wrong eating potatoes even if you are watching your calories. The only thing to watch for is what you top them with. But a good boiled or baked potato really is a good source of nutrients, low in fat and high in fiber.
