Potatoes can be healthy!
In This Article Health Benefits of Cooked Potatoes
Popular Ways to Cook Potatoes
Tips for Cooking the Healthiest Potatoes
The Healthiest Way to Cook a Potato
Photo: Getty Images As America’s favorite veggie, potatoes can be found on menus nationwide at any point of the year. However, as we inch towards winter, potatoes are even more prevalent as frequent inclusions in hearty, comforting dishes.
While potatoes are often thought of as less-than-healthy food options, this isn’t always the case, depending on their preparation. In fact, the main driver behind the overall positive (or negative) health benefits of potatoes is how they’re cooked. Read on to learn how different potato cooking techniques influence their healthfulness, so you can discover the healthiest way to cook a potato. Roxana Ehsani , MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, and a sports dietitian based in Miami, Florida
Health Benefits of Cooked Potatoes
It may surprise some to learn that potatoes are rich in quite a few vital nutrients. “Potatoes are high in potassium , vitamin C , fiber, protein, and energy-dense carbohydrates,” says Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN. Additionally, spuds are a great source of B vitamins, iron , magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and plant compounds like flavonoids and phenolic compounds. And while this nutrient composition will vary slightly between potato varieties , you can generally count on some amount of these nutrients to be present in most all taters.These nutrients work together to support heart, bone, immune, gut, blood, metabolic, and brain health . The protein and fiber found in potatoes also help to boost feelings of satiety after eating, yielding more stable blood sugar and energy levels.However, the key to obtaining these nutrients is found in the skin of the potato, where they are most concentrated. When potatoes are peeled, what’s left behind is mostly quickly-metabolized starch, which often yields a rapid spike and subsequent drop in blood sugars, leaving us feeling hungry soon after enjoying them. How to Clean Potatoes Before You Cook With Them Popular Ways to Cook Potatoes Potatoes just might be one […]
The 4 Healthiest (and Best!) Ways to Cook a Potato, According to an RD
