Potatoes

[Guest Mary]

 

Potatoes....

Potatoes have been getting a bad rap in the food world. But the pride of Idaho actually has much to boast about. Potatoes are filling, moderate in calories, and non-fattening, and are an excellent way to ensure your continued success in eating healthy.

Whoever coined the phrase "the lowly potato" certainly wasn't aware of its nutrient values. And anyone who still shuns the potato thinking it is fattening is missing out on a food tailor-made for the weight-conscious person.

Nutritional Values

White Potato, Fresh, Baked (with Skin)

Serving Size: 1 large baking potato (3-4")

Calories: 278

Fat: <1 g

Saturated Fat: <1 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Carbohydrate: 63 g

Protein: 6 g

Dietary Fiber: 6 g

Sodium: 21 mg

Vitamin C: 37 mg

Thiamin: <1 mg

Niacin: 5 mg

Vitamin B6: 1 mg

Copper: <1 mg

Iron: 2 mg

Magnesium: 81 mg

Manganese: <1 mg

Phosphorus: 224 mg

Potassium: 1,627 mg

Health Benefits

Potatoes are nutrient-dense, meaning you receive many nutrients for the amount of calories they have. The fiber is half soluble, half insoluble, so it helps to keep you regular and helps to lower cholesterol. And slowing down digestion helps to keep you full longer. Phytochemicals in potatoes include flavanoids and a recently identified compound called kukoamine that appears to help lower blood pressure.

With the exception of vitamin A, white potatoes have just about every nutrient. Did you know potatoes are full of vitamin C? However, since we do not eat potatoes raw, most of the vitamin C is lost due to the heat of cooking. In addition, one baked potato offers about 20 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin B6, which is good news for your heart. They are also very high in potassium, beating other potassium-rich foods. They are a good source of iron and copper, too. In fact, a potato a day is good for your heart, promoting normal blood-pressure levels.

Selection and Storage

Boiling potatoes are red or white. They're small and round with thin skins that look waxy, signaling more moisture and less starch. Baking potatoes, also known as russets or Idahos, are large and long with brown, dry skin. Their lack of moisture makes them bake up fluffy. Long, white all-purpose potatoes are also known as Maine, Eastern, or California potatoes. New potatoes are not a variety of potato; they are simply small potatoes of any variety that have yet to mature. They look waxy with thin, undeveloped skins that are often partially rubbed away.

For all potatoes, choose those that are firm with no soft or dark spots. Pass over green-tinged potatoes; they contain toxic alkaloids, such as solanine, that the potato develops when exposed to light. Also avoid potatoes that have started to sprout; they're old. If you buy potatoes in bags, open the bags right away and discard any that are rotting, because one bad potato can spoil a bagful.

Store potatoes in a location that is dry, cool, dark, and ventilated. Light triggers the production of toxic solanine. Too much moisture causes rotting. Don't refrigerate them, or the starch will convert to sugar. Don't store them with onions; both will go bad faster because of a gas the potatoes give off. Mature potatoes keep for weeks; new potatoes only a week.

Preparation and Serving Tips

Don't wash potatoes until you're ready to cook them. Scrub well with a vegetable brush under running water. Cut out sprout buds and bad spots. If the potato is green or too soft, throw it out.

Baking a potato takes an hour in a conventional oven, but only five minutes in a microwave (12 minutes for four potatoes). Prick the skin for a fluffier potato. If you are baking them in a conventional oven, it's inadvisable to wrap them in foil unless you like steamed potatoes. When boiling potatoes, keep them whole to reduce nutrient loss.

Remember, the potato itself is not fattening, but what you put on it may expand your waistline. Don't slather your potatoes in butter, margarine, sour cream, or cheese. Instead, eat them plain or top them with nonfat yogurt or lite sour cream, and sprinkle them with chopped dill, parsley, or scallions. Pile broccoli or other veggies on top for added nutrition, fiber, and satisfying bulk. Sprinkle with a no-sodium seasoning full of herbs and spices.

New potatoes are delicious boiled and drizzled lightly with olive oil, then dusted liberally with dill weed.

So hold off on the butter and sour cream, and that baked potato you used to fear will serve immeasurably toward maintaining your measurements or meeting your weight-loss goals.

 

 

[skylady]

Wonderful information Mary...

Thank you ;)

[Guest michaeltoomey]

Yeah.. i agree with you!! thanks for the info!! B)

[Guest maha11]

In the USA it would be almost impossible to find a true Yam native to Africa. What we call Yams are sweet potatoes.When I was a kid the ones with white or yellow flesh were called sweet potatoes and the orange fleshed were called yams. They are both the same species though. I preferred the yellow flesh. They were not as sweet but had better flavor. Unfortunately I have not seen them available for many years now. To me the orange fleshed ones have been bred just to be sweet with no other taste.====================

8-14-2010

so i went to the store, and there was a sign and it said sweet potato. but they were like a brownish color. and right next to them there was another sign that said yams. and they were like a reddish color. so i bought the "sweet potato" and then when i came home i cut into them and they were white. aren't the red? but when i ate them they were sweet. is this really a sweet potato?

and are sweet potato healthy for you?

and is it ok to eat one a day?

[skylady]

Both the Sweet Potato and Yam are extremely healthy for you when you bake them {not covered}

[kermi]

I like potato in any kind of it and this article is useful for me.

[MrD]

Glad it was useful for ya kemi. I like potatoes as well. No salad without them :cool:

[kermi]

Glad it was useful for ya kemi. I like potatoes as well. No salad without them :cool:

 

We are waiting for new articles from you Dennis! What about mushrooms for example? I like them too.

[MrD]

We are waiting for new articles from you Dennis! What about mushrooms for example? I like them too.

 

Well Mary was the one with health related articles but unfortunately at the moment she has some personal problems to deal with. Til she comes back maybe I can find someone else to write some interesting health articles for us

[kermi]

Well Mary was the one with health related articles but unfortunately at the moment she has some personal problems to deal with. Til she comes back maybe I can find someone else to write some interesting health articles for us

 

It would be wonderful!!!

[Guest f5mtadas]

Thanks for sharing this great info

[Guest phoenix88]

I really like to consume potatoes but never know it has such as good thing for health.

[alice29]

thanks for telling us about this health benefits of potatoes. but i haven't tried to bake it or even eat it raw. i wonder what it taste like. but its okay if i can have full nutrients from it. :blink: now i know that its also rich in vitamin C!

[pjbabia]

Mashed Potato tastes good. It can be an alternative for rice. Actually, i think potatoes are better than rice, what do you think? I tried Potatoes with gravy. tastes good.

[alice29]

Mashed Potato tastes good. It can be an alternative for rice. Actually, i think potatoes are better than rice, what do you think? I tried Potatoes with gravy. tastes good.

 

lol, that"mashed potatoe" is also a kind of a funny dance step, right? are you familiar with a song that mentioned that words here? for me potatoes without adding anything will be tasteless. i think its better with mayonaise than gravy. try it too. B)

[pjbabia]

lol, that"mashed potatoe" is also a kind of a funny dance step, right? are you familiar with a song that mentioned that words here? for me potatoes without adding anything will be tasteless. i think its better with mayonaise than gravy. try it too. B)

 

i like gravy better.. i like mayoniase for bread.. but if i am hungry, that will do the trick.

[alice29]

i like gravy better.. i like mayoniase for bread.. but if i am hungry, that will do the trick.

 

yeah thats the funny thing about people, they're imaginations. creating weird food combinations while they're hungry lol. like what you did to potatoes. :biggrin:

[pjbabia]

my family actually call me Jang Geum.. because when i cook, i always make inventions etc.. and they like my inventions... i like potatoes adding to my food, also camote.. what is camote in english?

[alice29]

wow really, you must be a great cook. why not took a chef course then. :biggrin: i dont like potatoes that much. they said it's more healthy if we eat raw. :smile: camote is sweet potatoe pj.

[pjbabia]

REALLY? now i know...hehehe well.. i am not a good cook but i can cook enoguh...my mother taught me... and we have eatery... so my mother let me watch her cook...