Power of the Potato
With the demonization of carbs, potatoes have been overlooked as a significant source of nutrients, gut-healthy fiber, and even a blood sugar regulator.
Recipe for Smashed Potatoes below.
Potatoes Are Nutrient Dense
Potatoes are a versatile and nutritious vegetable that offer a wide range of health benefits. They are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Potatoes also contain antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and improve heart health. One of the key health benefits of potatoes is their high vitamin C content. Vitamin C is important for immune function and skin health, and can help protect against chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. Potatoes also contain potassium, a mineral that is essential for maintaining healthy blood pressure and proper muscle function. With over 5,000 varieties of potatoes, it’s an easy source of complex carbohydrates and nutrients.
Potatoes Are Good For The Gut
The fiber found in potatoes can help support digestion and promote feelings of fullness, which can aid in weight management. Potatoes are also rich in resistant starch, a starch that functions as soluble fiber. Soluble fiber does not get digested all the way and it feeds good gut bacteria which creates Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA). These SCFA’s play a big role in our health and such as they lower inflammation, help to prevent certain types of cancers, and they can aid in the treatment of metabolic disorders like Type II Diabetes and Insulin Resistance.
The resistant starch found in potatoes mainly converts to the SCFA called butyrate. Butyrate has been shown strengthen the colon and help to prevent colon cancers. Butyrate also has the potential to assist those suffering from inflammatory bowel disorders (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, and ulcerative colitis.
To increase the resistant starch in potatoes, cook them until soft and then refrigerate until cold., typically overnight. You can reheat the potatoes and it will keep its escalated amount of starch.
Potatoes Fight Free-Radicals With An Abundance of Antioxidants
Potatoes are also a good source of antioxidants, including carotenoids and flavonoids, which can help protect against oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. These compounds have been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Potatoes are also a good source of antioxidants, including carotenoids and flavonoids, which can help protect against oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. These compounds have been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Oxidative stress is created by free-radicals, unstable molecules that cause damage to a cell. Antioxidants are generous molecules that lend extra electrons to the free-radical which stabilizes it and stops it from wreaking havoc in the body.
Purple and richly colored potatoes are highest in antioxidants. Purple potatoes can have four times more antioxidants than white fleshed potatoes. The purple color comes from a compound called anthocyanin, which have been shown to slow down cancer and improve brain health.
Potatoes Are Versatile
Potatoes can be used so many ways:
Baked
Put in a soup/stew
Made into a salad
Boiled
Mashed
Smashed
Stuffed
Hashed
and more!
I eat french fries sparingly as they are often cooked in damaged oil, cause inflammation, and are calorie dense.
In Conclusion…
Potatoes are a nutritious and delicious vegetable that offer a wide range of health benefits. Incorporating them into your diet can help support immune function, heart health, digestion, and overall well-being. So next time you're looking for a healthy side dish or snack, consider reaching for a potato!
Smashed Potatoes Recipe:
Ingredients:
10-15 baby potatoes
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and peper to taste
parsley, minced, as garnish
Instructions:
Place a baking sheet into the oven and preheat the oven to 425º f.
Place a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Add 1 tsp salt to the water and carefully add the potatoes. Boil the potatoes until soft, about 7-10 minutes.
Strain and lay out on a towel to dry. Carefully remove baking sheet from the oven and add 1 tbs of olive oil to the sheet. Spread the potatoes on the sheet and using the the bottom of a heat proof cup, smash each potato flat. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Carefully place back into the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and crispy. Garnish with fresh minced parsley.
Enjoy!