Incredible Benefits Of Potato Nutrition
✅What are Potatoes?
The term potato can refer to either the plant or the entire tuber, which is rather shapeless, in most varieties. Its scientific name is Solanum tuberosum and it is a member of the nightshade family. These vegetables are native to South America, most likely originating in the Andes across Peru and Bolivia. The Inca Indians are believed to be the first ones to cultivate potatoes in their region around 8000 BC to 5000 BC. It was taken out of the continent by the Spanish and the Irish in the 1500s.
Children around the world often refuse to eat vegetables but they’re more likely to choose potatoes. They are on almost every major continental diet in some form and they can be prepared in dozens of ways, including baked, fried, sliced, mashed, and many more.
Wild potatoes still grow in some parts of the Americas, but they got introduced to other parts of the world only 400-500 years ago. These vegetables now dominate the world as the 4th largest food crop, and more than 1/3rd of the world’s potatoes are actually now grown in China and India, where they represent an essential part of their cuisine, as well as the cuisine of many of their neighboring countries.
Today, it’s difficult to imagine a diet without potatoes. They have somehow become one of the most popular and recognized foods on the planet. Potato lovers and even those who don’t like them will be equally delighted to know that potatoes have nutritional components that go far beyond carbohydrates and calories, and they can be an extremely beneficial addition to any dietary plan.
Let’s explore the nutrition facts of these widely accepted vegetables, before we dive into knowing the health benefits of this world-famous vegetable!
✅Potatoes Nutrition Facts
The reason potatoes have spread across the globe so quickly and have been so widely accepted is because they are a storehouse of energy and nutrition, including vitamins, minerals, and essential organic compounds.
Mineral Content: If you eat potatoes regularly, you ensure a good supply of water and ions in your body. This is because they are rich in potassium. The concentration is highest in the skin of the vegetable and just beneath it. So, eating the potato with its skin is always beneficial. They also contain calcium, iron, and phosphorus.
Vitamin Content: Potatoes are known for the large amounts of vitamin C present in them. Typically, a 100 gm serving will contain about 17 mg of vitamin C. In addition to this, they also contain vitamins A and B
✅Easy to Digest
Since potatoes predominantly contain carbohydrates, they are easy to digest and they also facilitate digestion. This property makes them a good diet for babies or for those who cannot digest hard food, but need energy. However, remember that eating too many of them on a regular basis may cause acidity over time.
✅High in Fiber
Potatoes also contain a considerable amount of fiber or roughage. This stimulates peristaltic motion and increases secretion of gastric juices, which eases digestion and prevents conditions like constipation. The vegetable may also protect the body from serious conditions like colorectal cancer due to its high fiber content. Fiber is also connected with pushing cholesterol out of the arteries and blood vessels, thereby improving heart health.
✅Skin Care
Vitamins C and B-complex, as well as minerals like potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc, are good for the skin. Apart from that, the pulp obtained from crushed raw potatoes, when mixed with honey, can work well in skin and face packs. This even helps with pimples and spots on the skin. Again, this pulp, if applied externally on burns, provides quick relief and faster healing. Smashed potatoes and even water in which they have been washed are very good for softening rough skin, especially around the elbows.
✅Treat Scurvy
A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that potatoes had high levels of vitamin C and carotenoid. Scurvy is a condition caused by the deficiency of vitamin C. A 2012 paper published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology highlights that potatoes might have been one of the primary sources of vitamin C in Ireland around the time of the Irish potato famine. After studying the deaths during this time, the researchers found that scurvy was a widespread disease around the region.