The benefits of potatoes
The benefits of potatoes - Is it OK to eat a potato every day? Potatoes are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, particularly potassium and vitamin C. They are also a source of nutrition for beneficial gut bacteria which convert it to the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, which has been linked to reduced inflammation in the colon, improved colon health, and reduced risk of colorectal cancer.
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| The benefits of potatoes - Is it OK to eat a potato every day? |
Potatoes are also a good source of fiber which can help you lose weight by keeping you full longer and can help prevent heart disease by keeping cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check.
potato benefits and Side Effects
Potatoes are one of the most important and most consumed foods all over the world, and the potato bears the scientific name (in Latin: Solanum tuberosum), its origin goes back to the Andean highlands in South America, and it is one of the most important sources of carbohydrates in the human diet, and it is currently considered the fourth most important crops in the world after wheat, rice, and maize; This is due to its high yield and nutritional value.
Potatoes are accused by many of being a cause of weight gain and obesity and of not giving them health benefits, so some people avoid eating them if they try to adhere to a healthy diet, and the desire to avoid carbohydrates in the diet has also contributed to this, and on the other hand, some use potatoes in Some health and therapeutic purposes, and therefore this article aims to clarify the truth about the health benefits of potatoes.
Nutritional composition of potatoes
The following table shows the nutritional composition per 100 gm of potatoes that have been boiled with their skins without adding salt:
- The nutritional element the value
- water 76.98 grams
- energy 87 calories
- protein 1.87 gr
- Fats 0.10 gr
- carbohydrates 20.13 grams
- Dietary fiber 1.8 gr
- Total sugars 0.91 gr
- calcium 5 milligrams
- Iron 0.31 milligrams
- magnesium 22 milligrams
- phosphorous 44 milligrams
- potassium 379 milligrams
- Sodium 4 milligrams
- zinc 0.30 milligrams
- Vitamin C 13.0 milligrams
- thiamine 0.106 milligrams
- riboflavin 0.020 milligrams
- Niacin 1.439 milligrams
- Vitamin B6 0.299 milligrams
- folate 10 micrograms
- Vitamin B12 0.00 µg
- Vitamin A 3 international units
- Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 0.01 milligrams
- Vitamin D 0 international units
- Vitamin K 2.2 milligrams
- caffeine 0 milligrams
- cholesterol 0 milligrams
Potatoes provide a good amount of dietary fiber, folate ( folic acid ), niacin, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), potassium, and vitamin C, in addition to thiamine and vitamin B6.
benefits of eating potatoes
Despite what potatoes may be famous for by many as one of the foods that should be avoided in a healthy diet, they confer many health benefits, as their peels contain a substance that may work to prevent the attachment of bacteria in cells.
This is in addition to containing potatoes Many different nutrients, as shown in the above table, give the body multiple health benefits, and their benefits to the human body include all of the following:
- Some limited scientific research has found benefits for eating potatoes in both stomach disorders and obesity, as they are used in a protein powder that is mixed with water and taken to help get rid of excess weight, but these effects need more scientific research.
- Some limited scientific research also found an effect of the external use of potatoes on the skin in many cases, which include arthritis, infections, boils, burns, in addition to some other cases, and these effects also need more scientific research to clarify their effectiveness.
- Potatoes contain in their pulp and peels phytochemicals, which include phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and carotenoids, which have been found to have antioxidant effects that protect against many diseases. Chronic diseases, such as atherosclerosis, cancer, high blood pressure, some neurodegenerative diseases, and others.
- Potatoes contain a small amount of protein, but the protein it contains is a protein of high biological value, meaning that it contains a good percentage of essential amino acids compared to other plant proteins.
Potatoes provide calories and energy, which makes them suitable in poor countries as a main source of energy in the diet.
Side effects and toxicity
Eating ripe and healthy potatoes is considered safe for the human body, especially in pregnant and lactating women, but damaged potatoes, green potatoes, and potato sprouts carry some toxins that cannot be eliminated by cooking, and they cause some side effects that include headaches, flushing, Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, thirst, and insomnia. As for the safety of using raw potatoes externally on the skin, there is not enough research to know that.
It is necessary to avoid the use of potatoes in therapeutic quantities in pregnant and lactating women until more scientific evidence is available on the extent of this safety, and diabetics must monitor their consumption of potatoes, as cooked potatoes give easily digestible starches that contribute to a rapid increase in blood glucose.
After eating it, it must also be taken into account that eating potatoes continuously and in large quantities can raise the risk of obesity and some related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
In addition, potatoes contain some proteins that cause allergies to humans, which can cause some people to have severe allergic reactions, intestinal inflammation, and nausea.
drug interactions
People who take medications that dissolve blood clots should avoid eating large amounts of potatoes.
This is because they contain substances that also contribute to preventing blood clotting and eating large quantities of potatoes with these medicines increases the chance of bleeding and bruising. Note: The topic of the benefits of potatoes is not a medical reference, please see a doctor.
Note: The topic of the benefits of potatoes is not a medical reference, please see a doctor.
