Everything you need to know: Potato and its Benefits
Potato is one of the most consumed
vegetables in the world. Spanish introduced it to Europe in the second half of
16th century. Today, potato has become a stable food in many parts of the
world, especially in India. It is also the world’s fourth-largest food crop,
following maize, wheat and rice.
A raw potato is 79% water; consisting
mainly of carbohydrate (17%), low amount of protein (2%) and negligible fat. It
is also rich in the vitamins like B6 and C and minerals like potassium,
calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous and zinc.
Potato also has a bad-reputation
amongst the people who are trying to loose weight. Most “trainers” strictly
advise their client to stop consuming potato (or most of the carbohydrate
sources for that fact), when they are “dieting”. Does potato really messes
with your weight loss programme? Does it really help in maintaining Blood
Pressure levels? And most importantly, Is it good for you?
Don’t worry. I’m going to answer
everything question on today’s- Everything you need to know!
1. Need Stronger Bones? Have Potato
everyday!
Okay, who doesn’t need stronger bones?
Stronger bones would help in promoting healthy lifestyle and keeps you active
throughout the day, no matter how much exhausted you feel. If you are an
athlete or a bodybuilder, then you must know the importance of strong bones.
Without good bone health you won’t be able to perform well in your sport or
activity, plus you will be prone to injuries.
Potato helps in making your bones
stronger. It contains essential minerals like iron, phosphorous, magnesium,
calcium and zinc. Iron and zinc helps the most in this case, as they play a
vital role in the production and maturation of collagen. In fact, most people
think that Banana is the best source of zinc, but to your surprise, Potato has
better levels of zinc.
2. Hypertension?
No tension!
In most of my articles, I talk about
the problem of hypertension (or high blood pressure). The reason is that the
people suffering from this condition around the world are increasing, everyday!
I also got this condition two-years ago and that is the reason why I got into
fitness. I studied about correct Nutrition, as there was no proper guidance
available in my city. This is the primary reason, why I started blogging about
Nutrition.
Potato has helped me in my journey to
fight against the Hypertension. Like white rice, potato is also low on sodium.
The person suffering from high blood pressure is advised to consume low amount
of sodium or eliminate it completely from their diet. Potato also contains
minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium. Studies have shown that these
minerals have a vasodilation effects on our body. P.S. Did I mention, that I
don’t have the condition of hypertension now?!
3. R.I.P.
Cancer cells
Cancer, also known as malignancy, is a
condition where human cells grow abnormally. There are more than 100 types of
cancer that affect the human body. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy,
radiation and surgery.
Potato is known to be a good source of
folate, one of the B vitamins, which plays a role in DNA synthesis and repair.
This prevents the cancer cell formation from the mutation in the DNA. Studies
have also shown that fibres from fruits and vegetables have lowered the risk of
colorectal cancer. The potato is also known to have Beta-carotene, a powerful
antioxidant, which can help in reducing the chances of having cancer by about
half, especially in the case of breast cancer.
4. Boost your
Metabolism!
Let’s accept the fact that most of us
are not happy with our metabolism. For those who don’t know, Metabolism is a
set of chemical processes that occur within a person in order to sustain life.
The rate at which the body breaks down the macro and micronutrients and
converts them for proper utilisation is called as the metabolic rate.
Some people have slow metabolic rate,
so their body translates the macronutrients consumed very slowly. This could
lead the unusual weight gain in a person, which is unhealthy. In order to fix
it, potatoes must be consumed in moderation. Potatoes are a great source of
vitamin B6, which plays a vital role in energy metabolism by breaking down
macronutrients like carbohydrate and protein into glucose and amino acids. This
way, your body will utilise them at a faster rate, thus boosting your
metabolism.
5. Ever heard
of Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)?
Most of you might have not heard about
Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA). ALA is a vitamin-like chemical and also called an
antioxidant. It is mostly prepared in laboratories as a Pharmaceutical drug.
Potatoes are one of the natural sources of ALA. It helps body to convert
glucose into energy and there are some evidences showing that ALA can help
control blood glucose levels and improve vasodilation in human body.
Apart from that, it can also protect a
diabetic patient against retinopathy and also helps in preserving brain and
nerve tissues. In Germany, the high dosages of ALA are approved for treating
diabetes and other nerve-related symptoms of diabetes like burning and pain in
legs and arms. The other known sources of ALA are spinach, broccoli and yeast.
6. Best source
of Vitamin-C
Vitamin-C, also known as L-ascorbic
acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in some foods.
Potato is one of the richest sources of vitamin C. A medium-sized potato
consists of around 51 per cent of vitamin C, required by the human body for a
day activity. I have always emphasized on the fact that micronutrients are
equally important as macronutrients.
The functions of vitamin-C include
growth, development and repair of all body tissues. It is also known to improve
the levels of collagen in the body that can help in building stronger teeth and
bones. If you are live an active lifestyle like follow fitness or play some
sport, then you must know the importance of protein. The vitamin-C can improve
the protein metabolism in your body, that means better breakdown and absorption
of protein. Better absorption of iron and boosting immunity are some of the
other benefits of this vitamin.
7. Potato only
help in gains! Really?!
This is one of the biggest
misconceptions about Potato. If you are someone who is trying to loose some
weight and get in shape, especially girls, then your “trainer” must have
advised to stop eating potato. Not only this, he/she must have also cut-down
your maximum sources of carbohydrate and fat. This way, you might be able to
loose weight at a faster rate, but it will not be ‘quality’ one and you will
end-up loosing your strength. Not only this, once you started eating things with
high amount of carbs, you will be back to square one.
The strategy must be to loose the
weight slowly and steadily. You must not cut down more than 200-300
calories/day initially, if you want to loose, the proper way. Potato is known
to be a good source of carbohydrate and thus it can help you manage your daily
intake of carbs. We have already discussed the amount of vitamins and minerals
in it, so you must have understood by now that how it could help boosting your
metabolism. Just remember, potatoes are high in starchy carbohydrate and thus
it must be consumed in moderation and according to your current body weight.
I think the reason why people have
started avoiding the potato is because of its use in unhealthy snacks. What
people don’t observe that it’s not just potato, but other ingredients like
vegetable oil, all-purpose flour (Maida) and high amount of sodium, that makes
the snack unhealthier, apart from the potato. Try and have potato everyday,
even if you are loosing weight or have issues like diabetes, but in moderation.
Over-consumptions can make you put-on weight and also leads to diabetes, in the
long run.
As you know, that I have decided to
help some NGOs who are working really hard to make this world a better place!
In order to keep up with that, I would like to dedicate this article to one
such NGO- The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). The CCFA
is a volunteer-driven non-profit organisation dedicated to finding cures for
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and improving the quality of life of
children and adults affected by these digestive diseases.
On behalf of my audience, I would like
to thank them for the work they have done so far and wish them all the very
best for their future. If you would like to make a contribution or learn more
about them, you can click on the link- The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
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