Potatoes are underground tubers that develop on the roots of the potato plant, Solanum tuberosum.
This plant is from the nightshade household and associated to tomatoes and tobacco.
Native to South America, potatoes have been dropped at Europe within the sixteenth century and at the moment are grown in numerous varieties worldwide.
They’re usually eaten boiled, baked, or fried and steadily served as a aspect dish or snack.
Frequent potato-based meals and meals merchandise embrace french fries, potato chips, and potato flour.
This text tells you every part it is advisable to learn about potatoes.
Diet Information
Cooked potatoes with pores and skin are a great supply of many nutritional vitamins and minerals, corresponding to potassium and vitamin C.
Apart from being excessive in water when contemporary, potatoes are primarily composed of carbs and comprise reasonable quantities of protein and fiber — however nearly no fats.
The vitamins present in 2/3 cup (100 grams) of boiled potatoes — cooked with the pores and skin however with out salt — are (1):
Carbs
Potatoes are primarily composed of carbs, primarily within the type of starch. The carb content material ranges from 66–90% of dry weight (2, 3, 4).
Easy sugars — corresponding to sucrose, glucose, and fructose — are additionally current in small quantities (5).
Potatoes normally rank excessive on the glycemic index (GI), making them unsuitable for folks with diabetes. The GI measures how meals have an effect on your rise in blood sugar after a meal.
Nonetheless, some potatoes could also be within the medium vary — relying on the range and cooking strategies (6, 7).
Cooling potatoes after cooking could reduce their impact on blood sugar and decrease their GI by 25–26% (8, 9).
Fibers
Despite the fact that potatoes usually are not a high-fiber meals, they might present a big supply of fiber for many who eat them recurrently.
The extent of fiber is highest within the pores and skin, which makes up 1–2% of the potato. Actually, dried skins are about 50% fiber (10).
Potato fibers — corresponding to pectin, cellulose, and hemicellulose — are primarily insoluble (11).
Additionally they comprise various quantities of resistant starch, a sort of fiber that feeds the pleasant micro organism in your intestine and improves digestive well being (12).
Resistant starch may also enhance blood sugar management, moderating your rise in blood sugar after meals (13).
In comparison with scorching potatoes, cooled ones provide greater quantities of resistant starch (8).
Protein
Potatoes are low in protein, starting from 1–1.5% when contemporary and eight–9% by dry weight (10, 14).
Actually, in comparison with different frequent meals crops — corresponding to wheat, rice, and corn — potatoes have the bottom quantity of protein.
Nonetheless, the protein high quality of potatoes could be very excessive for a plant — greater than that of soybeans and different legumes (10).
The principle protein in potatoes is known as patatin, which can trigger allergic reactions in some folks (15).
Nutritional vitamins and Minerals
Potatoes are a great supply of a number of nutritional vitamins and minerals, significantly potassium and vitamin C.
The degrees of some nutritional vitamins and minerals drop throughout cooking, however this discount will be minimized by baking or boiling them with the pores and skin on.
Different Plant Compounds
Potatoes are wealthy in bioactive plant compounds, that are largely concentrated within the pores and skin.
Varieties with purple or pink pores and skin and flesh comprise the very best quantities of polyphenols, a sort of antioxidant (19).
Well being Advantages of Potatoes
Potatoes with pores and skin could have various well being advantages.
Coronary heart Well being
Hypertension, a dangerous situation characterised by abnormally hypertension, is without doubt one of the most important threat elements for coronary heart illness.
Potatoes comprise various minerals and plant compounds which will assist decrease blood strain.
The excessive potassium content material of potatoes is especially noteworthy.
A number of observational research and randomized managed trials hyperlink excessive potassium consumption to a decreased threat of hypertension and coronary heart illness (17, 23, 24).
Different substances in potatoes which will promote decrease blood strain embrace chlorogenic acid and kukoamines (25, 26).
Fullness and Weight Administration
Meals which are very filling could contribute to weight management, prolonging the sensation of fullness after meals and decreasing meals and calorie consumption (27).
Relative to different carb-rich meals, potatoes are significantly filling.
One examine of 40 frequent meals discovered potatoes to be probably the most filling (28).
One other small trial in 11 males confirmed that consuming boiled potatoes as a aspect with pork steak led to much less calorie consumption through the meal when in comparison with pasta or white rice (29).
Thus, potatoes could support weight reduction by serving to you cut back general consumption.
Research point out that proteinase inhibitor 2 (PI2), a potato protein, could suppress urge for food (30, 31).
Despite the fact that PI2 could suppress urge for food when taken in its pure type, it’s unclear whether or not it has any impact within the hint quantities current in potatoes.
Security and Aspect Results – “vitamin c content in potatoes”
Consuming potatoes is mostly wholesome and protected.
Nonetheless, in some instances, folks must restrict their consumption — or keep away from them altogether.
Potato Allergy
Meals allergic reactions are a standard situation, characterised by a dangerous immune response to proteins in sure meals.
Potato allergy is comparatively uncommon, however some folks could also be allergic to patatin, one of many most important proteins in potatoes (32, 33).
Those that are allergic to latex could also be delicate to patatin as effectively as a consequence of a phenomenon referred to as allergic cross-reactivity (34).
Potato Toxins
Vegetation of the nightshade household, corresponding to potatoes, comprise a category of poisonous phytonutrients referred to as glycoalkaloids.
The 2 most important glycoalkaloids in potatoes are solanine and chaconine.
Glycoalkaloid poisoning after consuming potatoes has been reported in each folks and animals (35, 36).
Nonetheless, reviews of toxicity are uncommon and the situation could go undiagnosed in lots of instances.
In low doses, glycoalkaloids normally trigger delicate signs, corresponding to headache, abdomen ache, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting (35).
In additional critical instances, the signs embrace neurological issues, fast respiration, quick heartbeat, low blood strain, fever, and even demise (36, 37).
In mice, long-term consumption of glycoalkaloids could improve the danger of most cancers within the mind, lungs, breasts, and thyroid (38).
Different animal research point out that the low ranges of glycoalkaloids doubtless discovered within the human weight loss program could exacerbate inflammatory bowel illness (IBD) (39).
Usually, potatoes comprise solely hint quantities of glycoalkaloids. A 154-pound (70-kg) particular person must eat over 13 cups (2 kg) of potatoes (with the pores and skin) in in the future to get a deadly dose (37).
That mentioned, decrease quantities should still trigger antagonistic signs.
The degrees of glycoalkaloids are greater within the peel and sprouts than different elements of the potato. It’s finest to keep away from consuming potato sprouts (37, 40).
Potatoes wealthy in glycoalkaloids have a bitter style and trigger a burning sensation in your mouth, an impact that could be a warning signal of potential toxicity (41, 42).
Potato varieties containing excessive quantities of glycoalkaloids — over 25 mg per cup (200 mg per kg) — can’t be marketed commercially, and a few varieties have been banned (37, 43, 44).
Acrylamides
Acrylamides are contaminants fashioned in carb-rich meals once they’re cooked at very excessive temperatures, corresponding to throughout frying, baking, and roasting (45).
They’re present in fried, baked, or roasted potatoes, however not contemporary, boiled, or steamed ones (46).
The quantity of acrylamides will increase with greater frying temperatures (47).
In comparison with different meals, french fries and potato chips are very excessive in acrylamides (48).
These compounds are used as industrial chemical compounds, and acrylamide toxicity has been reported in folks uncovered to them within the office (49, 50, 51).
Though the quantity of acrylamides in meals is mostly low, long-term publicity could also be dangerous.
Animal research point out that acrylamides could improve most cancers threat and hurt the mind and nervous system (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57).
In people, acrylamides have been categorized as a potential threat issue for most cancers (45).
Quite a few observational research have investigated the impact of consuming acrylamide-rich meals on most cancers threat, and most didn’t detect any important antagonistic results (58, 59, 60, 61).
In distinction, a number of research have linked acrylamides with an elevated threat of most cancers of the breasts, ovaries, kidneys, mouth, and esophagus (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67).
Excessive consumption of acrylamides could have antagonistic well being results over time, however the extent of those results is unclear, and additional research are required.
For optimum well being, it appears smart to restrict your consumption of french fries and potato chips.
French Fries and Potato Chips
Potatoes have been blamed for contributing to weight problems, heart problems, and diabetes.
The principle cause for that is that potatoes are extensively consumed as french fries and potato chips — high-fat meals that harbor various unhealthy compounds. French fries are additionally steadily related to quick meals.
Observational research hyperlink the consumption of fried potatoes and potato chips to weight achieve (68, 69).
Fried potatoes and potato chips may comprise acrylamides, glycoalkaloids, and excessive quantities of salt, which all could also be dangerous over time (45, 70, 71).
For that reason, excessive consumption of fried potatoes — particularly french fries and chips — needs to be averted.
The Backside Line
Potatoes are a well-liked high-carb meals that gives a number of wholesome nutritional vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds. What’s extra, they might support weight reduction and assist stop coronary heart illness.
Nonetheless, this doesn’t apply to fried potatoes — corresponding to french fries and chips — which have been soaked in oil and cooked underneath excessive warmth. For optimum well being, it’s finest to restrict or keep away from these merchandise altogether.
Methods to Peel Potatoes
“vitamin c content in potatoes”