Paltry Potatoes

Potatoes dominate our diet pattern. Affection for potatoes transcends geographical boundaries. It is hard to dislike them, though this delectable spud has received maligned reviews, without being at fault. Potatoes are fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free and saturated fat free. Potatoes are not fattening. Rather, our cooking technique makes them. What do we expect when we deep fry potatoes, dunk it in cheese and top it with cream.

Fun facts

• The name potato owes its origin to the native American Indian word batata. Inca Indians in Peru were the first to cultivate it.
• The ancient Inca used potato as a measure of time. Units of time were correlated to how long it took a potato to cook.
• This ubiquitous spud is a member of the nightshade family along with pepper, eggplant and tomatoes.
• Potatoes were the first vegetable grown in space in 1995.

Nutrition diary

Despite being an integral part of any meal, little information is there on the nutrition facets of potatoes. This humble spud stores most of its nutrients near its skin. When cooking potatoes try to retain the skin, or peel as close to the skin as possible in order to preserve the nutrients. Baked potato retains maximum nutrients.

Energy-intensive

• For starters potatoes are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, the body’s best energy source. Cooking them accelerates the process of digestion and results in an energy spurt, mimicking the pattern of simple carbohydrates. For delayed digestion sprinkle potato salad with vinegar or lemon juice. This results in a slower and steadier raise in the blood sugar levels, consequently providing energy for a longer period of time.
  Energy-intensive potato starch is an anti-inflammatory ingredient for gastro-intestinal disease. It is an expert at flushing out toxins.
  Get your A-B & C’s
• Potatoes are a rich source of vitamin A, some B vitamins and have the tang of vitamin C too. A single serving of a potato will provide a person with 40% of the daily value needed of vitamin C. This vitamin helps us fight infections and revs up our stamina.

Fiber food

Potatoes are high in fibre. They soak up water in the digestive tract, thereby increasing the feeling of fullness post meal and keep hunger at bay. An average serving of potatoes gives about 10 per cent of our daily requirement of fibre, which is essential for good digestion.
Iron

Eat potatoes daily and you will get more iron than any other vegetable.
Savouring spud

Potatoes lend wings to your culinary skills. You can innovate recipes with them. Drink them in soups, relish them in salads and raitas, sauté them as an accompaniment to main course, bake them in their jackets and enjoy them with paneer.

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