Why intake of potatoes is very important for us?
Posted on: 31/Aug/2018 2:46:50 PM
Is there anyone who doesn’t like eating potato? Potato is highly favoured vegetable by us as they are superb to taste after cooking. It is well known that they belong to family solanaceae and are starchy tuberous crop. Potato could be either edible tuber or a plant itself. In the year 2014, after maize, wheat and rice, potato was fourth largest food crop in the world. Potatoes have become so popular across the world that it is difficult to think of a food without potato.
Nutritional contents of potatoes:
These potatoes are considered highly nutritious. Potatoes are rich in minerals like potassium, calcium, phosphorous, iron etc. Vitamin C is present in potatoes and along with vitamins A, B and P and they are superb for our health. Seventeen percent of starch is present in potatoes. Intake of potatoes is tremendous for our health.
Various health benefits of consuming potatoes are
Maintains blood pressure:
This is one fantastic health benefit of consuming potatoes. High amounts of potassium are essential to maintain healthy BP in us. Widening of blood vessels or vasodilation is got by the intake of potatoes. Our BP or blood pressure gets controlled naturally by the presence of other minerals like calcium, magnesium etc.
Cancer is prevented:
These days many research activities have been going across the world to find a solution for cancers. The presence of folate in potatoes does superbly in the synthesis of DNA and repair. Formation of several types of cancer cells due to mutations in DNA is avoided or prevented. The vitamin C and quercetin could protect our body from harmful effects of cancer.
Good for heart health:
The potatoes are rich in fibre, vitamin C, B6 etc and these play their part in reducing the cholesterol level in our blood. The risk of getting heart diseases is prevented.
Proper brain functioning:
Potatoes have glucose level, vitamin B complex, oxygen supply, fatty acids like omega 3 fatty acids, hormones, amino acids etc in them. These help in the proper functioning of our brain. Good levels of glucose in the blood is maintained by high levels of carbohydrates, starch etc in potatoes. Brain is prevented from getting exhausted. As a result our brain functions properly.
Treats diarrhoea:
Not many know that potatoes could treat diarrhoea as they are easy to digest and have mild roughage. People with diarrhoea could take potatoes as they are energy rich diet. Enough care must be taken so that excess of potatoes are not consumed.
Kidney stones could be treated:
Renal calculi or kidney stones are caused due to deposits of calcium in the kidneys. The magnesium present in potatoes plays an important role in inhibiting accumulation or deposition of calcium in the kidney etc.
Treatment of scurvy:
Lack of vitamin C in the food could result in scurvy. People affected by this would have sore arms, sore legs, weakness, cracked lip corners, spongy and bleeding gums etc. Vitamin C could prevent scurvy effectively. Hence the intake of potatoes rich h in vitamin C is highly beneficial.
Good for our skin:
Potatoes have vitamin C and vitamin B complex plus minerals like potassium, magnesium, phosphorus in them and these are superb for our skin. Honey mixed with pulp got by crushing raw potatoes could be used in face and skin packs. Pimples and spots could be treated.
