Health benefits of potato

   

Potato is a starchy root vegetable of Central American origin. This humble tuber is one of the most widely grown root-crops and one of the cheapest staple food ingredients consumed all-over the world. Botanically, it belongs to perennial subspecies of Solanum tuberosum, in the Solanaceae family.
Potatoes are one of the most common and important food sources on the planet, and they contain a wealth of health benefits that make them all the more essential as a staple dietary item for much of the world’s population. These health benefits include their ability to improve digestion, reduce cholesterol levels, boost heart health, protect from polyps, prevent cancer, manage diabetes, strengthen the immune system, reduce signs of aging, protect the skin, increase circulation, reduce blood pressure, maintain fluid balance, reduce insomnia, and boost eye health.

Potato plant grows about 12 to 18 inches in height and bears many tubers underground. The tubers usually have round to oval to oblong shape but vary widely in size. Internally, its flesh features bright cream-white, rose red, or russet color depending up on the variety with moist, crunchy texture and once baked, becomes soft and has special buttery "potato" flavor.

Potatoes for Cholesterol

Potatoes contain significant amounts of dietary fiber, which can help to lower blood cholesterol.
Potatoes for a Healthy Heart
The potassium, fiber, vitamin B-6 and vitamin C content in potatoes provide support for a healthy heart. Diets which are high in foods rich in vitamin B6 are associated with reduced rates of heart disease. The cholesterol lowering properties of potatoes also help to reduce risk of heart disease.
Raw potato juice can help to get rid of the pain and discomfort caused by rheumatism. 2 tsp of raw potato juice should be taken just before meals.
Potatoes and Cancer
Research has revealed that lectins like those present in potatoes inhibit cancer cell growth.

Potatoes and Blood Pressure

A study has suggested that consuming potatoes each day can lower high blood pressure almost the same as oats without resulting in an increase in weight.
Researchers have identified potatoes as being the lowest cost source of dietary potassium, a nutrient lacking in the American diet, and important for reducing the risk of high blood pressure. One medium potato with skin provides 18% of the recommended daily value of potassium.

Potatoes for Healthy Bones

Minerals in potatoes such as phosphorous, iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc help with the maintenance of bone strength and structure.The tubers are one of the richest sources of B-complex group of vitamins such as pyridoxine (vitamin B6), thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folates.
Potatoes are one of the finest sources of starch, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. 100 g provides 70 calories, however, they contain very little fat (just 0.1 g per100 g) and no cholesterol.
The fiber content aids in slow digestion starch and absorption of simple sugars in the gut. It thus helps in keeping blood sugar levels within the normal range and avoid wide fluctuations. For the same reason, potato is considered as reliable source of carbohydrates even in diabetics.
Fresh potato along with its skin is one of a good source of antioxidant vitamin, vitamin-C. 100 g of fresh tuber provides 11.4 mg or 20% of daily required levels of this vitamin. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals
Recent studies at Agricultural research service (by plant genetics scientist Roy Navarre) suggests that flavonoid antioxidant, quercetinpresent in potatoes has anti-cancer and cardio-protective properties.

Brain functioning and nervous system health

The B6 vitamins in potatoes are critical to maintaining neurological health. Vitamin B6 helps create useful brain chemicals, including serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. This means that eating potatoes may help with depression, stress and even perhaps attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Potatoes' high level of carbohydrates may have some advantages, including helping maintain good levels of glucose in the blood, which is necessary to proper brain functioning. A 1995 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that modest increases in glucose could help enhance learning and memory. Potassium, which encourages the widening of blood vessels, also helps ensure your brain gets enough blood.

Skin Care: 

Vitamin-C and B-complex as well as minerals like potassium, magnesium, phosphorusand zinc are good for the skin. Apart from that, pulp obtained from crushed raw potatoes, mixed with honey, can work well in skin and face packs. This even helps to cure pimples and spots on the skin. Again, this pulp, if applied externally on burns, provides quick relief and faster healing. Smashed potatoes, and even water in which potatoes have been washed, are very good for softening and cleaning skin, especially around the elbows, and the back of the hands.

Digestion:

 Since potatoes predominantly contain carbohydrates, they are easy to digest and facilitate digestion. This property makes them a good diet for babies or for those who cannot digest hard food, but need energy. However, remember that eating too many potatoes on a regular basis may cause acidity over time. Potatoes also contain a considerable amount of fiber or roughage, more in raw potato and cold ones than boiled or hot ones. This stimulates peristaltic motion and increased secretion of gastric juices, which eases digestion and prevents conditions like constipation and protects the body from more serious conditions like colorectal cancer. Fiber is also connected with scraping cholesterol out of the arteries and blood vessels, thereby increasing heart health.

Blood pressure

Potatoes may help lower blood pressure for several reasons. Victoria Jarzabkowski, a nutritionist with the Fitness Institute of Texas at The University of Texas at Austin, said that the fiber found in potatoes can help lower cholesterol by binding with cholesterol in the blood. "After it binds, we excrete it," she said.
Potatoes are also a good source of potassium. "All potatoes are potassium rich," Jarzabkowski said. "They have even more potassium than a banana, and a lot of it is found in the [potato's] skin." She noted that the outer potato peel also contains a good deal of fiber. Potassium is a mineral that helps lower blood pressure, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Potassium, too, can help lower blood pressure through its actions as a vasodilator (blood vessel widener). Scientists at the Institute for Food Research have discovered that potatoes contain chemicals called kukoamines, which are associated with lowering blood pressure.

Cancer Prevention: 

Certain types of potatoes, particularly red and russet potatoes, contain high levels of flavonoid antioxidants and vitamin A like zeaxanthin and carotenes, they can protect you against many types of cancer. Also, research at the Agricultural Research service has shown that potatoes contain a compound called quercetin, which has been proven to have anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties. Finally, the high levels of vitamin A and C both have antioxidant qualities that can protect your body from the devastating effects of cancer

Rheumatism: 

There are two parts to the effect of potatoes on this condition. Vitamins like the calcium and magnesium in potatoes help to provide relief from rheumatism. Also, water obtained from boiling potatoes can relieve the pain and inflammation of rheumatism. However, due to high starch and carbohydrate content, it tends to increase body weight which may have adverse effects on rheumatic people. It is a fine balance, so you must apply it as a helpful approach without consuming the potato itself.

Weight Gain:

 Potatoes are primarily made of carbohydrates and contain very little protein. This makes it an ideal diet for those excessively lean or thin people who desperately want to put on weight. The vitamin content includes vitamin-C and B-complex, which also help in proper absorption of carbohydrates. That is one of the reasons that potatoes make up a large part of the diet of sumo wrestlers, as well as many other athletes who need large energy reserves to burn off in order to compete!
Inflammation: Potatoes are very effective in reducing inflammation, both internal and external. Since it is soft, easily digested and has a lot of vitamin-C (a very good antioxidant that repairs tissue wear and tear), potassium and vitamin-B6, it can relieve any inflammation of the intestines and the digestive system. It is a very good dietary element for those who have mouth ulcers as well. Therefore, people who suffer from arthritis and gout can use potatoes for their anti-inflammatory impact, but again, since it can add to weight gain, which exacerbates these conditions, and is commonly eaten with meat and other rich foods that make gout worse, a fine balance must be struck.