With water, fried, hash brown or gratin, the potato, in all its forms, delight the taste buds of children as well as those of adults. In addition to having good taste, it has many nutritional properties. To take full advantage of it, read our article regarding Potato a wealth of benefits.
Summary for Potato a wealth of benefits
- A variable caloric intake depending on the method of preparation
- The potato: a vegetable or a starchy food?
- The potato, a wealth of benefits
- Pay attention to the storage of potatoes!
- Three things to know to properly prepare potatoes
The potato, colloquially called “potato“, is one of the favorite foods of the people.
A variable caloric intake depending on the method of preparation
During a low-calorie diet, do not exclude the potato: for 100 g, it provides only 81 kcal! However, the energy value of the potato varies greatly depending on the method of preparation you choose.
If boiled potatoes contain less than 100 kcal (source: table of the nutritional composition of Ciqual foods), the same amount of fries contains 245 kcal and that of crisps, 500 kcal … However, the potato has the advantage of being rich in water (77 g per 100 g) and very low in fat (0.1 g of lipids per 100 g).
The potato: a vegetable or a starchy food?
“In the dietetic classification, the potato is one of the tuber vegetables. However, in the food pyramid, it is placed at the same level as bread and starchy foods because it is very rich in complex carbohydrates (slow sugars) contained in the form of starch (15%), “explains expert dieticians.
This help regulate the level of sugar in the blood (blood sugar) and therefore, the secretion of insulin. Thanks to potatoes, you escape fatigue, but also fat storage, which is sometimes unnecessary.
The potato, a wealth of benefits
“The potato also provides fibre (1.5% soluble and insoluble fibre) which, consumed regularly and in sufficient quantity, helps regulate transit, prevent cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, lower postprandial blood sugar (after the meal), while bringing satiety ”, underlines experts.
The mineral content of the vegetable varies depending on its variety, how it is grown and the nature of the soil on which it is grown. Minerals are mostly found on the periphery, but not necessarily, in the skin. A fine peeling therefore allows them to be kept for the most part.
It has non-negligible magnesium content, again muscularly interesting insofar as it helps to combat cramps. The other well-known advantages of this mineral. Its role in combating constipation, its slightly calming effect which is “antidepressant“.
“The vitamins are located on the periphery, with the exception of those of group B which are found in the centre of the tuber,” says expert dietitians. Potatoes are rich in vitamins B1 and B6, but especially in vitamin C (10 mg per 100 g).
Three hundred grams of potato cover 25% of the ANC (recommended nutritional intake) in vitamin C. Vitamin C, in addition to stimulating the absorption of iron, also has an interesting anti-infectious role. “
Pay attention to the storage of potatoes!
Different problems can arise during the storage of these tuber vegetables.
They turn green: this green colour is due to solanine, a substance responsible for stomach and headaches, which gives a bitter taste to the potato. The formation of this substance is favoured by contact with light. Even if a large part of the solanine is eliminated during cooking. You should avoid consuming the green parts and keeping the potatoes in the dark.
They blacken: “Contrary to what many people think, our potatoes are fragile, and we must not throw the bag at the bottom of the cart if we do not want them to blacken at shock”, insists experts.
Note: Another darkening can occur if you leave your peeled potatoes in the open air before cooking. The dietitian’s advice: place them immediately after peeling in a bowl of cold water.
They germinate: keep your potatoes away from light, but also cool and dry to slow germination. Note: sprouted potatoes generally have a slightly sweeter taste than some people like. The spring harvested potatoes can be kept for a week in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. Those of conservation, mature, are stored at an ideal temperature of 7 ° C protected from light and dry for one to two months.
Three things to know to properly prepare potatoes
Always wash your potatoes very carefully before cooking them because vegetables growing in the ground are the dirtiest and most easily carrying infectious germs.
Do not peel your potatoes before cooking if you want to avoid loss of vitamins and minerals in the water. Rather, peel them very finely once cooked. And if you want to keep as much fibre as possible, don’t peel them.
Do not cut them before cooking to avoid, again, too much vitamin and mineral loss. Similarly, prefer cooking with water or steam rather than the oven. Grinding them in the cooking juice keeps all the minerals.
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