A breakthrough in nutrition: potatoes are good for overweight people

Today, it cannot be stated unequivocally that potatoes are harmful because of their high-calorie content and should be excluded from the diet.

Nutritionist Olena Yudina wrote about this on her Facebook page.

"Let's start refuting the myth that potatoes are bad for your figure and should be urgently excluded from your diet. On the contrary, potatoes are good for overweight people. And let me start by saying that it's not the potato itself that's terrible, but the way we cook it and season it with what," the nutritionist said, noting that the most dangerous cooking methods are frying in a pan in oil or fat and deep-frying.

Such treatments turn the starch contained in potatoes into harmful carbohydrates.

"It turns out that when potatoes are not properly heat-treated, our body reacts to them as if they were sweet and floury. Therefore, the blood glucose level immediately rises, and the pancreas secretes a lot of insulin to break it down. And if this continues often enough, insulin resistance can soon develop, which leads to diabetes," the nutritionist said.

Potatoes should be boiled in their skins, steamed, or baked in the oven. Then it will bring maximum benefits to our body.

The nutritionist also noted the beneficial properties of potatoes:

• improves digestion;
• lowers cholesterol levels;
• is a prevention of cardiovascular diseases;
• prevention of cancer;
• strengthens the immune system;
• reduces external manifestations of aging;
• improves blood circulation;
• reduces blood pressure;
• maintaining fluid balance in the body.

According to Yudina, this is why potatoes are so necessary for athletes, children, and pregnant women who need large reserves of energy for an active day.

Chemical composition of potatoes (per 100 g):

• water - 76 g;
• proteins - 2 g;
• carbohydrates - 18 g (including mono- and disaccharides - 1.2 g);
• dietary fiber (fiber) - 1 g;
• pectins - 0.7 g;
• organic acids - 0.2 g;
• ash - 1.1 g.

Vitamins:

• vitamin A (beta-carotene) - 0.02 mg;
• vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 0.09 mg;
• vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 0.05 mg;
• niacin (vitamin B3 or vitamin PP) - 1.3 mg;
• choline (vitamin B4) - 13 mg;
• vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) - 0.32 mg;
• vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) - 0.25 mg;
• folic acid (vitamin B9) - 10-16 mcg;
• vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - 15 mg;
• vitamin K (phylloquinone) - 2.1 mcg.

Macro- and microelements:

• Potassium - 460 mg;
• calcium - 10 mg;
• magnesium - 20 mg;
• sodium - 28 mg;
• phosphorus - 56 mg;
• iron - 0.9 mg;
• cobalt - 5 mcg;
• manganese - 170 mcg;
• copper - 140 mcg;
• molybdenum - 8 mcg;
• selenium - 0.4 mcg;
• fluorine - 30 mcg;
• zinc - 0.36 mg.

The calorie content of potatoes (per 100 g) is on average about 80 kcal.

"Now, I hope you have realized how wrong you were to exclude potatoes from your diet. Starch is one of the main suppliers of carbohydrates from potatoes, and it is the one that those who want to lose weight are most afraid of. However, for some reason, they forget that potato carbohydrates have a good effect on digestion and reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol. However, this applies to "young" potatoes. Potatoes also contain such useful substances as fat metabolism regulators, thanks to which high-calorie potatoes are not stored as extra pounds, unless you pour them with fatty sauces, overeat, and eat them exclusively for lunch, not dinner," the doctor noted.

The nutritionist also reminded that potatoes contain substances called cocoaamines. They can lower blood pressure. However, it is recommended to steam the potatoes, otherwise these substances are destroyed.

In addition, potatoes contain the most complete vegetable protein in terms of amino acid composition of all plant products.

According to the nutritionist, all of this suggests that potatoes are a very valuable food product that should be included in your diet.