Potato: This Staple Vegetable
Potatoes are often considered plain, everyday vegetables and no more. However, potatoes are much more than just a starchy side dish. The humble vegetable is actually packed with vitamins, minerals, and other energizing nutrients, making it priceless to a good, healthy diet. Potatoes, versatile and inexpensive while being highly nutritious, provide quite a few health benefits that keep you going all day long.
Among the top class features of potatoes is the high vitamin C content. Though people consider citrus fruits to be the main sources of vitamin C, potatoes are a very good source of this strong antioxidant, which supports immune function and skin health and helps the body to absorb iron. Regular consumption of potatoes may provide a boost to your immune system and protect your body from oxidative stress.
Aside from vitamin C, potatoes are also rich in potassium, which was an important mineral for the balance of fluids in the body, nerves impulses, and muscle contractions. Potassium is considered an important mineral in maintaining healthy blood pressure and heart health at normal levels. A medium-sized potato contains more potassium than that of banana, so it is well suited for athletes or anyone who needs to maintain a balance of electrolytes.
Variety potatoes will also provide a good source of complex carbohydrates, which in turn act as major sources of energy in the human body. Since potatoes are classified as a complex carbohydrate food, they will be digested more slowly than simple carbohydrates and will provide consistent energy release that allows one to get through their day without running out of energy. This makes it good for those in need of sustained energy, either for physical activity or other tasks.
Another benefit of potatoes is that it contains fiber, especially when it is consumed with the skin. Fiber helps in digestion by promoting the passage of the wastes through regular bowel movement, a process called peristalsis, and even feeds the gut bacteria. Eating potatoes with skin will, therefore, give full benefit to the consumer of the potato fiber for overall digestive well-being.
Despite bad press about being a particularly high-carb food, potatoes can really be quite nutritionally sound and part of a healthy diet if they are prepared correctly. Potatoes that are baked, roasted, or boiled can provide all the benefits but without the added calories or excess fats associated with frying them in oil or smothering in butter and cream.