Potatoes: Health Benefits, Risks and Nutritional Factors

among thousands of potato varieties, sweet potato, blue potato and yellow potato are the most popular. According to the data of USDA, potato is the largest vegetable crop in the United States and the fourth largest consumer crop in the world, second only to rice, wheat and corn. However, since 195s, with the development of frozen vegetable technology, processed potatoes (such as French fries and chips) have become more and more popular. According to the statistics of the United States Department of Agriculture, in 2, processed potatoes accounted for 64% of the total potato consumption in the United States, compared with 35% in the 196s. Americans eat an average of 55 pounds (35 kilograms) of frozen potatoes, 42 pounds (19 kilograms) of fresh potatoes, 17 pounds (8 kilograms) of potato chips and 14 pounds (6 kilograms) of dehydrated potato products every year.

potatoes are usually considered as a comfortable food-rich in cream and sour cream mashed or fried in vegetable oil. But according to the research of Harvard School of Public Health, if these methods are used for preparation, they will lead to weight gain, diabetes and heart disease.

in fact, a study published in the American journal of clinical nutrition in 217 found that people who eat fried potatoes twice a week have an increased risk of death. This study investigated the potato intake of 44 people aged between 45 and 79. By the end of the eight-year study, 236 people had died. Researchers have found that those who eat fried potatoes-French fries, potato chips, home fries, etc.-are more than twice as likely to die as others.

However, the study did not find any correlation between the consumption of non-fried potatoes and the risk of death. This supports the position of Victoria Jaza bukovski, a nutritionist at the Texas Institute of Health at the University of Texas at Austin, that potatoes are not necessarily bad for you. If cooked correctly-without butter, cheese or cream-they are even good for you.

potatoes are low in calories-a medium-sized baked potato contains only 11 calories. They are good sources of vitamins C and B6, manganese, phosphorus, nicotinic acid and pantothenic acid. According to the data of the US Food and Drug Administration, here are the nutritional components of potatoes, which are managed by the National Labeling and Education Law:

The consumption of potatoes: 1 medium (5.3 ounces /148 grams) with 11 calories; The value of % calories per day (DV) from fat is based on a 2 calorie diet. Amt%DV*Amt eaten every time Amt%DV* total fat g % total carbohydrate 26g 9% cholesterol mg % dietary fiber 2g 8% sodium 8mg % sugar 1g protein 3g vitamin A % calcium 2% vitamin C 45% iron 6% health benefits < P > Potatoes are rich in plant nutrients, which are organic components of plants and are considered to promote health, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Potatoes contain carotenoids, flavonoids and caffeic acid. Vitamin C in potatoes is an antioxidant. According to the National Institutes of Health, these substances can prevent or delay some types of cell damage. They also help digestion, heart health, blood pressure and even cancer prevention. "KDSP" and "KDSP" purple potatoes are particularly good sources of plant nutrients and antioxidants. A study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry in 212 found that eating six to eight small purple sweet potatoes twice a day can help reduce the risk of blood pressure, heart disease and stroke in overweight and hypertensive people. Although purple potatoes contain carbohydrates, participants did not gain weight.

blood pressure

potatoes may help lower blood pressure for several reasons. Jarzabkowski said that the fiber in potatoes can help lower cholesterol by combining with cholesterol in the blood. "After combining, we will be excreted.

Potatoes are also a good source of potassium. All potatoes are rich in potassium nutrition. Biochemical research found that eating purple potatoes can reduce the risk of colon cancer. Purple potato is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects, which can reduce the level of protein interleukin -6 or IL-6 related to the growth of cancer cells in colon. In this study, three groups of pigs with different diets were observed, one of which added purple potato. At the end of the study, the IL-6 level of pigs who ate purple potato was 6 times lower than that of other groups. Although this study has not been replicated in humans, the researchers predict that this result will shift because the digestive system of pigs is similar to the health risk of humans in 217 < P >. An Australian named Andrew Flinders Taylor made headlines because he failed to eat potatoes for almost a year. According to Australian popular science reports, he weighs about 11 pounds. This aroused public interest in the potato diet. However, nutritionists do not recommend such a diet because it is almost impossible to get all 2 essential amino acids, 3 vitamins and minerals from one food. However, the mixture of sweet potato and sweet potato can bring you closer than most foods. Nevertheless, your health will only be affected by eating potatoes. Jaza bukovski said,

"Blood sugar"

Potatoes are fat-free, but they also contain a small amount of starch carbohydrates from protein. According to the research of Harvard University, the carbohydrate in potatoes is a kind of carbohydrate which is digested quickly by human body and has a high blood sugar load (or glycemic index). In other words, they will cause blood sugar and insulin to rise and then fall. This effect will make people feel hungry again soon after eating, which may lead to overeating. The rapid rise of blood sugar can also lead to the production of insulin. Jarzabkowski said, "The last thing I recommend for diabetics is potatoes."

On the other hand, potatoes are also an important source of fiber. Jarzabkowski said that fiber content can make you feel fuller.

in addition, a study in the American journal of clinical nutrition in 216 found that different people have different reactions to the glycemic index of food. Therefore, this study suggests that the usefulness of glycemic index in recommending food choices is limited.

carbohydrates

Jarzabkowski suggested that people should remember the carbohydrate content of potatoes when planning meals, and potatoes should replace the grains on their plates. "Think of it as a carbohydrate instead of your only vegetable," she said.

Even if it is prepared in a healthy way, potatoes will bring health problems to obese or diabetic patients. They are rich in simple carbohydrates and can lead to weight gain. Jarzabkowski compares vegetables to white bread in this way.

The School of Public Health of Harvard University conducted a 2-year follow-up survey on the diet and lifestyle of 12, men and women, and found that people who eat French fries, baked potatoes or mashed potatoes will gain weight over time, with an average of 3.4 pounds for four years.

A study published in the British Medical Journal in 216 surveyed a large group of women and found that women who ate four or more servings of potatoes a week had a higher risk of hypertension than women who ate potatoes less than once a month. Women who eat baked potatoes, boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes or fried potatoes and men who eat fried potatoes are at risk. However, men who ate the same amount of potato chips did not find their risk of hypertension increased. This study further shows that potatoes may contribute to different health outcomes of different groups of people, which may depend on their unique glycemic index response. It also emphasizes the importance of potato production.

The healthiest way to cook potatoes

You may guess that smoking potatoes with sour cream and bacon is not the healthiest way to enjoy potatoes, but what is it? Which is more nutritious? Baked potatoes, boiled potatoes or steamed potatoes?

Jaza bukovski emphasis the importance of preparation in potato consumption. "The best way to eat potatoes is to make them look raw," she said. She said that baking potatoes is the best cooking method, because baking potatoes or cooking potatoes in a microwave oven will lead to the least loss of nutrients.

The next healthiest way to cook potatoes is to steam potatoes, which causes less nutrient loss than cooking potatoes. Cooking peeled potatoes in this way will lead to significant nutrient loss, because water-soluble nutrients will penetrate into the water.

In potatoes, these water-soluble nutrients include vitamin B complex, vitamin C, potassium and calcium. If you boil vegetables, as much as 8% of vitamin C in potatoes may be lost. The same thing will happen to peeled potatoes, and the rest will be soaked, which is a way to prevent blackening. However, if you make soup with boiled potatoes, you will still get some nutrition.

no matter how you cook potatoes, try to eat potato skins. Jarzabkowski said, "Are the eyes of potatoes poisonous?" Potatoes can be eaten if their eyes don't sprout. If they are sprouting, the National Institutes of Health recommends cutting off the eyes and their buds before eating potatoes. The potato stems, branches, leaves and fruits of "KDSPE" are toxic and contain alkaloids such as arsenic, Saussurea and solanine. According to NIH, Solanine is "very toxic", and "kdspe" and "kdsps" poisons have also been found in green potatoes. If vegetables are exposed to too much sunlight, they will turn green. According to the National Institutes of Health, you should "never eat potatoes that go bad or have green skin." Other potato facts

Here are some potato facts. In the American Potato Council and Idaho Potato Museum:

, the word "potato" comes from the Spanish word "patata" and the nickname "spud" comes from the digging tool used when planting potatoes: "espada" in Spanish, "spyd" in Dutch and "spade" in English. The word is finally associated with the potato itself.

The word "spud" is a myth. The word "spud" is the abbreviation of an unhealthy diet prevention association, a group considered as an activist, which wanted to exclude potatoes from Britain in the 19th century.

potatoes are members of the eggplant family, such as tomatoes, eggplant and peppers.

they are not root vegetables; Potato is actually an enlarged part of perennial potato tuber. This part of the plant is called tuber, and its function is to provide food for the leafy part of the plant.

The "eyes" of potatoes are buds, which will sprout into branches if left unattended.

there are thousands of potato varieties, but not all of them are commercially available. Popular varieties include tawny, red, white, yellow, purple/blue, fingerling and petite varieties.

Idaho is the highest potato producing state, and its license plate is printed with the slogan "Famous Potato", but potatoes are grown in all 5 states of the United States. After Idaho, Washington, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Oregon, Colorado, Minnesota, Michigan, Maine and California planted and harvested more than 1 million acres of potatoes in 213, which produced 43.7 billion pounds (2 billion kilograms) of vegetables.

The average American eats 124 pounds (56 kilograms) of potatoes every year. Germans eat about twice as many potatoes as the former.

potatoes have traditionally been used to make vodka, although today most vodka is produced from fermented grains such as corn, wheat or rye.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest potato planting amount is 7 pounds, 1 ounce (3.2 kilograms).

The Incas in Peru were the first people to grow potatoes, and they planted vegetables from about 8 BC to 5 BC.

In 1536, Spanish conquerors conquered Peru and brought potatoes back to Europe.

sir Walter Raleigh introduced potatoes to Ireland in 1589. It's close