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The poor potato. It really has gotten a bad rap. A plentiful crop that's easy and inexpensive to produce, the potato has been a dietary staple across the globe for centuries. (Ireland, a country whose diet once relied almost entirely on the potato, saw one million people die of starvation when the crop failed in the mid-1800s.) Potatoes are packed with dietary fiber, nutrients, and carbohydrates. Due to their high carb count, potatoes have been labeled as a no-no under low-carb diet trends like Atkins. This has knocked the skin off the potato market in the U.S.: Consumption has dropped from a high of 145 pounds per person per year in 1996 to 118 pounds per person per year in 2011. But there's no need to avoid carbohydrates in moderation—especially complex carbs like the ones found in potatoes. The main problem with the humble potato is that it seems to lend itself to all kinds of adulteration: mashed with butter and cream, deep fried, stuffed with bacon and cheese—all diet-wreckers for sure. But with all the potato varieties in grocery stores and at farmers markets—blue, sweet, fingerling, gold—this tuber really does belong on our plates. Make potatoes a moderate portion of your diet and prepare them healthfully, and you'll enjoy all the tasty benefits the spud has to offer. What Are Potatoes? The potato is part of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family (as are eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, tobacco and the poisonous nightshade for which the family is named). The potato plant produces a flowering plant above ground while the edible tuber (essentially a thickened, starchy root) grows below. Let's clear up the confusion about potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams: They're all members of distinct plant families, unrelated to one another. The only thing these three have in common is their growing habit: All are edible tuberous roots supported by above-ground flowering plants. Below, we'll cover the differences among them and focus on their nutritional profiles. Continued › |
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Nutrition Articles › Nutrient BuzzWhy Potatoes Are Good for YouThe Underrated Benefits of Spuds-- By Bryn Mooth, SparkPeople ContributorSparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more
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Bryn Mooth
Bryn Mooth is an independent copywriter and journalist focused on food, wellness and design; she's also a Master Gardener and enthusiastic green thumb. She shares seasonal recipes, kitchen techniques, healthy eating tips and food wisdom on her blog writes4food.com. |
Summer produce is overflowing--and cheap! Whether you grow it or buy it, it's easy to preserve your food so that you can save money and eat better long after the harvest is over.
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Member Comments
We will take some to OH and PA to share with friends and relatives and remainder will go to FL where we share with friends who love them.
I cook up a whole big baking sheet, slip off skins, freeze, and they are ready to use when wanted. (I oil skins slightly and that makes them slip off easily. Sometimes wrap in alum foil.
Try them with cinnamon and chopped pecans. - 10/4/2012 10:23:12 PM
PS: good with a bit of garlic too - 9/24/2012 10:06:05 AM