Potatoes, which potatoes do you like the most? Baked, mashed, roasted or greasy fried potatoes or well known as French fries? Well, whichever, potatoes are considered to be the comfort foods and consumed by people around the world and available all year around. Potatoes are on the list of world’s largest food crop after rice, wheat and maize. Speaking of varieties of potatoes, right now, there are more than a thousand varieties of potatoes and it seems each country has its own variety of potatoes. One interesting fact about potatoes is that aside from the similar name, nothing that is really related between potatoes and sweet potatoes. Instead, potatoes belong to perennial nightshade Solanaceae, which other members of family are eggplant, tomatoes and peppers.
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Nutritional Facts of Potatoes” state=”closed
| Potatoes All Varieties (Flesh and Skin)
Serving Size: 100 gr |
|
| General | Nutrient Value/% RDA |
| Energy | 77 Kcal – 4 % |
| Carbohydrate | 17.5 gr – 13 % |
| Protein | 2 gr – 4 % |
| Total Fat | 0.01 gr – 0.5 % |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.1 gr – 5 % |
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin A | 2 IU – < 1 % |
| Vitamin C | 19.7 gr – 33 % |
| Vitamin K | 2 mcg – 2 % |
| Folates | 15 mcg – 4 % |
| Vitamin B3 – Niacin | 1 mg – 6 % |
| Vitamin B5 – Panthothenic Acid | 0.3 mg – 6 % |
| Vitamin B6 – Pyridoxine | 0.3 mg – 23 % |
| Vitamin B2 – Riboflavin | 0.03 mg – 2.5 % |
| Vitamin B1 – Thiamine | 0.08 mg – 7 % |
| Electrolytes | |
| Sodium | 6 mg – 0.4 % |
| Potassium | 425 mg – 9 % |
| Minerals | |
| Calcium | 12 mg – 1 % |
| Iron | 0.8 mg – 10 % |
| Magnesium | 23 mg – 6 % |
| Manganese | 0.14 mg – 6 % |
| Phosporous | 57 mg – 8 % |
| Zinc | 0.3 mg – 3 % |
| Phyto-Nutrients | |
| Beta Carotene | 4 mcg |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 21mcg |
Potatoes have a lot of health benefits; unfortunately people prefer to consume potatoes as snacks in the form of salted potatoes chips or greasy French fries. However, for you who prefer potatoes in its best appearance like mashed, baked or roasted below are the list of health benefits you will obtain. As a result, here is the health benefits of potatoes that you may never know before.
Potatoes for Heart Health
There is one special compound best-known as kukoamines found in potatoes. The same compound mostly found in herbs and one of the important Chinese herbal medicines and believed to do some wonders related to heart health.
1. Lowers Blood Pressure
A recent study just found out that potato is also containing one important compound well known as kukoamines, this compound is best known found in herbs and has been one of the important herbal medicine. This compound is effective in lowering the blood pressure. Together with Vitamin B6 which promote the optimal function of methylation to protect blood vessel walls.
2. Reduce the Risk of Heart Attack
As blood pressure level always in control and then the risk of heart attack will be reduced as well. Furthermore, the Vitamin B6 will guarantee that instead of damaging the blood vessel walls, homocysteine will be changed by methylation into something beneficials for human body and protect blood vessel walls.
3. Excellent to Prevent Stroke
High blood pressure could cause either heart attack or stroke. When heart attack is attacking the heart which result could be fatal, stroke is attacking the brain which result is much more fatal compared to heart attack because even the survivor of stroke could become disable. However, when there is an attack the survivor will be in higher risk.
4. Maintains the Health of Blood Vessel
In summary, potatoes are good for blood vessel because the vitamin B6 contained in potato is essential substances to make sure methylation to function optimally so could provide protection for the blood vessel walls from homocysteine. Healthy blood vessel means better blood circulation so heart is not forced to work too hard. Related Article(s)” state=”closed
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Potatoes as Excellent Cells Food
Well, even skin needs food and potato contained Vitamin B6 could be the foods that your cells really need.
5. Building Your Cells
Vitamin B6 has important role in your body and two of them are required for amino acids and nucleid acids syntesis. Amino and nucleid are having critical part in formatting new cells even nucleid acids has important role in the creation of DNA. Furthermore, Vitamin B6 also contributes in more than 100 enzyme reactions in your body.
6. Regeneration of New Cells
Billions of cells in your body are dead everyday and billions more are need to replace it. Without which your body will keep getting older without any regenerations. Amino acids are essential in the formation of new cells and those types of acids required vitamin B6 to the synthesis process and potato contain Vitamin B6 in relatively high amount.
7. Excellent for Brain Cells
That’s why potatoes are also well known as super food because the Vitamin B6 contained in potato is required for the new cells regeneration, including the brain cells. Furthermore, as Vitamin B6 also has critical role in the nerve system which one of them is closely related to neurological activity or brain cells.
8. Good for Eye Health
Eye health is closely related to degeneration problem. If regeneration of new cells are in normal pace and then it is possible to maintain the eye health. Furthermore, potatoes also contain adequate amount of Beta Carotene which is functioning as pro Vitamin A to protect cells membrane of eye.
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Essential for Nerve System
Vitamin B6 is also having prominent role in human’s nerve system. Neurotransmitter is what nerve system needs to transmit messages from brain through the nerve system and Vitamin B6 is essential in producing some types of those molecules.
9. Optimizes the Function Nerve System
Nerve system required amines to function optimally and to create amines Vitamin B6 is required. Amines required to transmit messages from nerve system to the whole body.
10. Reduces the Symptoms of Depression
A lack of amines will lead to depression because brain is forced to work to hard but the result is not like what’s expected. So, put potatoes as part of the daily diet could reduce the symptoms as well as prevent the worst that could happen.
Related: Symptoms of Depression – Health Benefits of Matcha Powder
11. Solution to A Good Night Sleep
Vitamin B6 is responsible in the productions of some neurotransmitter and one of them is melatonin. Melatonin itself is some kinds of hormone that contributes so you could have a good night sleep and fight anemia in much more effective way.
Related: Effects of Sleep Deprivation – Cause of Sleepy in the Morning
12. Better Response to Stress
When it comes to stress some people prefer to depend on some medications. Another hormones which production are required Vitamin B6 are norepinephrine and epinephrine. Those two hormones are essential so you could deal and response to stress in a better way.
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13. Keeps Your Brain Oxygenated
Well, brain will function optimally when it is fully oxygenated. If the blood is circulating without disturbance the oxygen will be optimally distributed to all cells in your body including brain cells.
Potatoes for Recommended Daily Diets
For those who are currently in a weight loss program, bodybuilding program or weight gain program, potatoes are supposed to be put in the daily menu. Since it is an excellent substitute for carbohydrate for those who avoid carbs, Vitamin B6 also has prominent role for athletic performance as well as solution for those who want to gain more weight.
14. Longer Endurance during Workout
Energy is essential to longer the endurance during workout. Potatoes are natural source of carbohydrate which later changed into glucose by insulin. Glucose will produce energy but when energy is not needed, it will be stored into muscles cells and liver in the form of glycogen and vitamin B6 is required to breakdown glycogen into glucose to be used as energy during the workout.
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15. Building Muscle Mass
Muscle mass is not magically appear after you do a workout. Together with protein, glucose extracted from carbohydrate will build the muscle mass by using the storage of fats in your body cells.
16. Food for Weight Loss
Potatoes are high in carbohydrate, so how potatoes could assist in weight loss program. Actually, potatoes is a good replacement of others food which has higher amount of carbohydrate like rice. So, instead of consuming rice, the need of carbohydrate could be obtained from potatoes.
17. Food for Weight Gain
Carbohydrate is also excellent solution for those who want to gain weight. It is because potatoes are also rich of vitamin C and Vitamin B complex. Those vitamins will optimize the absorption of carbohydrate to gain more weight.
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18. Accelerates Healing Process
As rich of Vitamin C, Vitamin B-complex and together with minerals which are relatively high found in Potatoes will contribute in accelerating the healing process.
19. Immunity Booster
It is a common knowledge that all foods rich of Vitamin C and contained adequate amount of Beta Carotene is an excellent immunity booster.
20. Increases Circulation
Oxygen is essential so body metabolism could function optimally. Oxygen distributed through hemoglobin found in blood cells. So, through blood oxygen is distributed to all body cells. Potatoes are rich of potassium which is good for heart and Vitamin B6 will provide protection to blood vessel and artery to guarantee blood distribution.
Rich of Fiber
One important thing to note, fiber is one of the important compound that body needs though fiber is not something that body could absorb, instead fiber will bind some unnecessary or excess amount of certain compounds to be wash out from body system. However, fiber in potatoes are available in the skin. So, for the fiber, don’t peel the potatoes skin, instead cook it together with the creamy flesh.
21. Lowers the Cholesterol Level
Fiber in potato is contributing in lowering the cholesterol level. Fiber will bind excess cholesterol inside the intestines system to be washed away, so the level of cholesterol always under control.
Related: Foods that Lowering Cholesterol Level
22. Prevents Colon Cancer
Antioxidant contained in potato is effective to prevent the development of cancerous cells while fiber will make sure to eliminate all unnecessary properties inside the colon by binding them and bringing them out the system.
Related: Symptoms of Colon Cancer
23. Natural Body Detox Solution
Body is required to be detoxified regularly. Today, there are a lot of options to detox your body from specific medical treatments up to drugs that offered freely in the market. However, those solutions always come with side effect while fiber contained in potatoes will provide the detox solution in daily basis.
24. Good for Digestion System
It is a common knowledge that fiber is good for digestion system. Furthermore, carbohydrate also contributes so digestive process becomes easier, that’s why potatoes are good for baby since their digestion system cannot digest hard food but the texture of potatoes is excellent for baby’s bowel.
25. Treats Diarrhea
Potatoes contained some excellent compounds that could assist in treating diarrhea. However, you have to be careful because potato contained starch that will cause diarrhea.
Related: How to Prevent Diarrhea
Beauty Tricks with Potatoes
As rich of vitamins and minerals potatoes are also good for skin and well known to be best food for healthy skin.
26. Natural Remedies for Acne
Since potatoes have healing properties, so it is also effective as natural solution to deal with acne problem. It is due to the high contain of Vitamin C, Vitamin B-complex as well as some minerals like potassium, magnesium and zinc.
Related: Prevent Acne and Pimples Naturally – How to Get Rid of Acne
27. Excellent Solution to Remove Spots
Spots occur because skin cells cannot regenerate optimally. The causes could be from many factors but since potato has some properties that could promote the healthy cells regeneration, dark spots in the skin surface could be dealt with from inside.
28. Younger and Healthier Skin
Some of you may be thinking the idea of consuming potatoes could make you look younger sounds like a hoax. Well, potatoes are rich of Vitamin C and Vitamin B6 which promote the regeneration of new cells, including the skin cells, so it is not a hoax at all.
Related: Benefits of Moringa Leaves on Skin
29. Softening Solution of Rough Skin
Surely you have suffered this problem especially rough skin in your knee or elbow. Try to use potatoes flesh to massage the rough skin and prove it yourself that potatoes are effective to softening the rough skin.
30. Natural Treatment for Sunburns
Got problem with sunburns? Potatoes are an excellent as well as effective home remedies to deal with sunburn. Just apply the smashed potatoes to the area which is sunburn and it will relief the symptoms and accelerate the healing.
31. Natural Skin Mask
There is no point to pay for expensive mask products if you could make natural mask without side effects to your skin but with the same effective result. Just use smashed potato as skin mask to deal with some skin conditions.
Related: Avocado Face mask Benefits
32. Powerful Anti-Aging
Flavonoid is one of the important antioxidant to keep your skin wrinkle-free and this antioxidant is relatively high found in potato.
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Fighting Against Chronic Conditions
When talking about the chronic conditions the list will be relative but the list is not short either. As rich of vitamins, minerals, calcium and antioxidant, potato has been contributing in fighting some chronic conditions. Though consuming potato will not magically cure the condition but some compounds in potato could reduce the symptoms, the risk as well as prevent it.
33. Provide Relief from Rheumatism Pain
As anti-inflammatory and rich of vitamins and calcium, potatoes are a perfect solution to deal with the rheumatism. Though it is not magically cure the condition but it is effective to relief the pain.
Related: Benefits of Calcium
34. Diabetes Friendly Food
When it comes to diabetes people prefer to avoid all kinds of food rich of carbohydrate except for potatoes. Though it is high in carbohydrate but it is one of the friendly food for people with diabetes. Surely you know that diabetes is closely related to the blood pressure, potatoes could control your blood pressure, so asides from the carbohydrate, potatoes could control blood sugar level also.
Related: Types of Diabetes – Most Dangerous Food for Diabetes
35. Prevent the Accumulation of Kidney Stone
Logically, potatoes which contained calcium and iron could promote the accumulation of kidney stones. However, potatoes contain more magnesium and potassium which has important role in preventing the formation of kidney stone.
Related: Symptoms of Kidney Stone
Potatoes is the staple food in many countries of Europe and America. Also, it’s the world’s most favorite food that people love to consume it whether as main dish or dessert. As a result, potatoes is tasty and good for body. As a result, the health benefits of potatoes may cause you to consume more in days straight.
Cautions of Potatoes
Potatoes, just like any other foods also has some cautions you should aware of. The problems with cautions are sometimes people don’t realize that the danger is just lurking around the corner. Below are some cautions of potatoes that could endanger your life.
1. Green Potatoes and the Leaves are Poisonous
This condition occurs because potatoes contain chaconine, solanine and arsenic. The overdose of those chemicals could be fatal though human’s body endurance is much higher compared to the amount of those chemicals contained in serving size of potato though of course it is not common to consume raw or green potatoes. The early symptoms are as like headache and nausea.
2. Not Recommended Diet for Obese People
Potatoes are good replacements of carbohydrate because potatoes also contained some others compound that could deal with the glucose extracted from carbohydrate. However, still carbohydrate will be bad for obese people
3. Fried Potato Only Contribute More Drawbacks than the Benefits
Well, it is actually a common knowledge that baked potatoes are the best. It is because fried potato required additional ingredients like oil or salt which could cause entirely different problems, since potato is already contained with sodium but the potassium in potato is enough to cover it but it is not going to be enough if you add salt to your potatoes.
Speaking of the cautions, perhaps you don’t need to worry too much because the case reported of people suffering food poisoning after consuming potatoes is low because it is not common to consume raw or green potato. Especially for you who are in your best condition, potatoes are totally safe food for you even enjoying a bag or two chips of potatoes are still okay. Furthermore, consuming a plate of French fries for snacking during watching your favorite TV show is not a crime either as long as you know the limit you could handle.