Eat your potatoes right and they will do you good

Russian cuisine without potatoes? It's pretty hard to imagine your life without your favorite mashed potatoes, golden brisket fries, Olivier and borscht, which should definitely have more potato cubes. However, some people still do not consider potatoes an important vegetable and advise replacing them with buckwheat and rice. Why this is not always appropriate and definitely not always useful - read and write down.

Three arguments in defense of the potato

Opponents of the potato often argue that it is an empty, useless food that "clogs the gut." But allow me! If you study the chemical composition, it becomes clear that such arguments are not too well-founded.

Argument one: nutrients

Potatoes are rich in vitamins and minerals and are nutritious but not too high in calories. A 100-gram potato contains 73 kcal, 2 g of protein and 16.5 g of carbohydrates. Also:

 

Vitamin C - 11 mg,

vitamin B6, 0.24 mg,

vitamin B9, 16.5 mcg,

vitamin K - 2.1 mcg,

potassium - 429 mg,

calcium - 11 mg,

magnesium - 22 mg,

phosphorus - 59 mg,

choline - 13 mg.

 

This composition tells us about the benefits of potatoes for the heart, blood vessels (potassium and magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin B6) and bones. It can also be added to the diet to improve metabolism (vitamin B6), boost immunity (vitamin C) and fight inflammation (choline).

Argument two: antioxidants

It may sound surprising, but the familiar and mundane potato is rich in antioxidants. They contain flavonoids, carotenoids and phenolic acids. These compounds neutralize harmful molecules known as free radicals in our bodies. The same ones that, when they accumulate, increase the risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease. So, by putting mashed potatoes on our plate, we are prolonging our lives!

Argument three: dietary fiber

Potatoes contain a special type of starch known as resistant starch. Once in our body, it is not broken down, but becomes a food source for beneficial intestinal bacteria, which turn it into substances directly linked to the reduction of inflammation in the colon.