Almost everyone loves potatoes, but many deprive themselves of the pleasure of indulging in this knobbly tuber as they think it will make them fat. This is just a misconception.
Potatoes have lots of minerals and vitamins. One surprise vitamin in your potato is Vitamin C. This vitamin is excellent for hair, skin and eyes. It also helps make protein easy to digest and boosts immunity. Potatoes are also excellent for curbing inflammation. Thus, it is good for arthritis, pain, swelling and heart diseases.
It is also excellent for cholesterol and other cardiovascular problems as it contains carotenoids, which are beneficial to all the internal organs, especially the heart. In addition, it is extremely easy to digest, thus being good for diarrhoea.
A potato is essentially a good source of carbohydrates, and is therefore recommended for athletes, giving them instant energy to sustain themselves during vigorous physical activity. Plus, it contains NO fat!
Along with carbohydrates, potatoes have other important nutrients as well. Most importantly, they are rich in calcium. They are a better source for humans than milk. Give it to growing children; it is extremely beneficial.
In spite of the presence of calcium, potatoes are good for kidney stones because of their high levels of magnesium. This magnesium content also helps elevate the mood, which is why potatoes are such a favourite comfort food. The skin of the potato is also excellent, it is full of fibre along with the nutrients of the potatoes.
So don’t be afraid of potatoes. But do remember that moderation is the key.
Now that you know how good potatoes are for you, enjoy some potato chaat.
The writer is a nutritionist