By Anne Palumbo
Even though Americans eat more potatoes than any other vegetable, a good many of us don’t.
Worried about carbs and calories, we shun this tasty tuber.
Assuming we’re not missing anything anyway, we sail by these perceived starch bombs in the grocery store.
Years ago, I too was a spud-shunner. But then I did some digging and, much to my surprise, discovered multiple studies that linked potatoes and their nutrients to a variety of desirable perks.
Let’s begin with starch. Although potatoes don’t contain as much starch as flours, baked goods or cereals, they do contain more starch than other vegetables. However, unlike the refined starch in processed goods that causes blood sugar to spike and then drop, a potato’s “resistant starch” is not broken down and fully absorbed by the body. Instead, it feeds the “good” bacteria in your gut. Research has linked resistant starch to numerous health benefits, including better blood sugar control and improved gut health.
Red, white or purple, this popular vegetable is surprisingly rich in nutrients.
One serving provides decent amounts of brain-boosting vitamin B6, constipation-preventing fiber, and bone-strengthening manganese. The biggest surprise of all? Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium. A powerful antioxidant that protects cells from disease-forming free radicals, vitamin C supports the immune system and helps form collagen. Potassium, on the other hand, is a mineral that’s essential for heart health and plays a role in every heartbeat.
Potatoes are packed with antioxidants, compounds that neutralize potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals. When free radicals accumulate, they can increase the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Since the skin of colorful varieties like red and purple potatoes can have up to 12 times more antioxidants than the flesh, I gravitate to those.
Potatoes are quite filling, which means they may help you regulate or lose weight by curbing hunger pangs. Undoctored and simply boiled or roasted, potatoes are not that caloric: 110 calories per average serving. Deep-fry them in oil or smother them with the works, however, and this healthy spud quickly becomes a nutritional dud.
Helpful Tips
Select firm potatoes, minus sprouts and cuts. Remove any green spots in skin or eyes. If your potato is green in more than a few spots, it’s better to toss as cooking doesn’t get rid of the toxins. Properly stored in a cool, dark place—away from onions which expedite spoiling—most potatoes last about a month.
Red Pepper, Green Bean, and Red Potato Salad
Adapted from the “Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Cookbook.” Serves 5- 6
1 pound baby red potatoes, scrubbed
6 ounce green beans, trimmed
(about 1½ cup)
1 large bell red pepper
½ cup slivered red onion
2 tablespoons spicy mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
Tabasco sauce (optional)
1. Make potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut the potatoes in half (quarters if large) and place in a bowl. Toss with a little oil, salt, and pepper and then arrange, cut-side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork and golden brown. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Prep pepper and beans: While potatoes are cooking, cook beans until tender-crisp by steaming or microwaving. When cool, slice into 1½-inch pieces and add to the potatoes. Cut the pepper into sticks about the same width and length as the beans and place in the bowl, along with the slivered red onion.
3. Make dressing: Stir together mustard, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly to make a creamy dressing. Add a few dashes of Tabasco to boost flavor.
4. Mix it all up: Add dressing (some or all) to vegetables, give it a good stir, and serve. Note: leftover dressing tastes great on meat and meat alternatives.
Anne Palumbo is a lifestyle columnist, food guru, and seasoned cook, who has perfected the art of preparing nutritious, calorie-conscious dishes. She is hungry for your questions and comments about SmartBites, so be in touch with Anne at avpalumbo@aol.com.