Potatoes turned out to be much healthier: scientists discovered unexpected properties

Researchers from McMaster University (Canada) have discovered that potatoes can be a source of high-quality protein that helps maintain muscle.

The results, presented in the journal Nutrients, emphasize the potential benefits of an unconventional source of protein, especially in light of changing dietary trends and increasing global demand for plant-based alternatives to animal proteins, sciencedaily.com reports.

"Although the amount of protein found in potatoes is small, we grow quite a bit of them, and protein, when isolated, can provide some tangible benefits," says Sarah Oikawa, a former graduate student in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster and lead author of the paper.

The study involved young women in their early 20s who consumed 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. One group received supplemental potato protein isolate (in the form of pudding), doubling their protein intake to 1.6 g/kg/day. The other group received a placebo.

The researchers found that the women who consumed the additional potato protein increased the rate of new protein production in their muscles, while the placebo group did not.

This was an unexpected finding that showed that the recommended daily intake is not enough to maintain muscle mass in young women. But more interesting was the fact that this form of plant protein, which is believed to be of lower quality than animal protein, can have a beneficial effect on the female body.