5 Amazing Health Benefits of Eating Potatoes
Potatoes are the fourth most cultivated food crop in the world after rice, wheat, and corn. Thus, it is a basic ingredient used in many dishes and cuisines. Apart from being delicious and easy to cook, potatoes are very nutritious. Continue reading to find out about some of the health benefits of eating potatoes.
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5 Health Benefits of Eating Potatoes
The health benefits of eating potatoes are plentiful, but here are the five most important ones. Not only are potatoes easy to prepare and delicious, but they are also very healthy!
1. They Help You Lose Weight
Are you trying to lose weight? Luckily, potatoes contain complex carbohydrates and other nutrients. This means that instead of being bad for you, a properly cooked potato only has 26 calories and is a great option to include in your diet.
This food also has a low glycemic index, which makes your stomach feel full for longer, helping keep your cravings at bay.
2. Stress Eliminators
Potatoes are extremely rich in vitamin B6, a necessary substance for cellular renovation, a healthy nervous system, and a stable mood. Just 100 g of oven-baked potatoes have 21 percent of your recommended daily value of this vitamin.
Aside from this, potatoes produce a hormone called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which can also reduce stress and help the brain relax and rest.
3. Inflammation Reducers
If you suffer from internal or external chronic inflammation, you can use the benefits of eating potatoes to your advantage for this ailment. The composition of an oven-baked potato is gentle on your digestive system. As a result, eating potatoes helps alleviate intestinal irritation.
To soothe any external inflammation, just rub a raw potato on the affected area(s) (including mouth ulcers).
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4. Potatoes Help Improve Brain Function
The benefits of eating potatoes are endless: they even help improve your general health and brain function. The high amounts of copper and iron in potatoes fuel brain activity.
Oven-baking a potato (with skin) and without salt can lead to better memory. Manganese, potassium, and vitamins B6 and C are all known for increasing and improving brain function, while the nerve centers respond positively to the fatty acids and amino acids found in potatoes.
5. They Help Keep your Intestine Healthy
The potato is a superfood rich in fiber. In addition, it’s one of the best ingredients to use in moderation. Only one oven-baked potato provides almost 12 percent of the daily recommended amount of fiber. As a result, it supplies fiber amounts similar to those of whole grains, pasta, and cereals.
How to Get the Full Benefits of Eating Potatoes
If you want to take full advantage of the benefits of eating potatoes, it’s best to eat them boiled or oven-baked. Additionally, when possible, also eat the skin because it contains fiber, flavonoids, and other nutrients.
Avoid eating potatoes or French fries cooked in oil since the oil blocks your arteries. Likewise, the oil has a lot of unnecessary fat and calories that will cause you to gain weight. Of course, this is not healthy either.
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All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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