The potato phenomenon never ceases to amaze even after centuries. The root crop imported from overseas has taken root so much on the Eurasian continent that sometimes it is hard to believe in its "foreign" origin. Today it is difficult to imagine any menu at all, be it a festive dinner or a daily meal, without potato dishes. From this garden culture, you can prepare a lot of healthy and hearty snacks, soups, main courses. But, probably, even all delicious dishes are superior in popularity to simple boiled potatoes.

Potato myths and legends

Now it is hard to believe that the path to the top of popularity for the potato was long and arduous. At first, the overseas vegetable was not very popular in high society, and it was completely inaccessible to ordinary people. But, thanks to the art of the best culinary specialists of that time, the vegetable gradually began to win the sympathy of people. He relatively quickly cultivated in different countries, where he began to be actively cultivated and served to the table in the houses of the nobility and the poor.

But not everything went so smoothly. Myths about the negative impact of potatoes have significantly spoiled his ratings. When it first appeared in Europe, some scientists of that time expressed the opinion that the vegetable contains poisons and can cause serious poisoning. A little later, at the end of the 19th century, potatoes were accused of contributing to weight gain. Supporters of this hypothesis are found today. Of course, there is some truth in this. But the cause of obesity lies not in the product itself, but in the way it is prepared. Fried potatoes, and even flavored with a fat sauce - this is a source of extra calories. If you cook potato dishes according to all the rules, it will only benefit the body.

The advantages of potatoes

Let's try to figure out what potatoes are good for, and how they can harm.

The tubers of this unpretentious garden crop contain a lot of nutrients. First of all, these are antioxidants that remain in the product even after boiling. Young potatoes are considered the most useful, but tubers that are stored for a long time already practically do not have such qualities.

Boiled potatoes are useful for blood vessels and digestive organs, for renal pathologies and problems of the genitourinary sphere. And its high starch content blocks the accumulation of cholesterol. In general, potato starch is an invaluable product because it:

• possesses bactericidal properties;
• promotes wound healing;
• reduces the acidity of gastric secretions;
• normalizes the stomach and intestines.

Boiled potato tubers have many other advantages: neutral taste, product availability, high nutritional value. In addition, in this form, the vegetable goes well with any meat and fish.

What elements are contained in boiled potatoes

Contrary to popular belief that boiled vegetables are useful only for fiber, it has been scientifically proven that when potatoes are boiled, healthy elements are preserved in them. Most of them are found in "uniform" potatoes. But in a peeled vegetable there are a lot of useful substances:

• vitamin group - K, C, E, A, B;
• mineral complex: potassium, sodium, magnesium and other elements;
• choline is a substance that reduces the concentration of fatty acids.

Well-boiled potatoes are recommended for patients after abdominal surgeries as a dietary meal to restore nutrition. It helps people who are fasting to smoothly return to their normal diet. Traditional healers claim that boiled potatoes help with arthritis and other joint problems.

What diseases can be treated with potatoes

Potatoes have many useful properties. The main thing is to cook it correctly. It must be remembered that during cooking, a significant part of the starch remains in the broth. Many are accustomed to draining the liquid without even thinking about how useful it is for the body. The broth after boiling potatoes is considered a valuable dietary product that has a positive effect on digestion.

Boiled potatoes can help you lose weight. To do this, you should cook mashed potatoes with dill, and then supplement the dishes with natural yogurt. The recipe is as follows: for ½ kg of potatoes, you need 100 g of yogurt and about 30 g of dill (it must be finely chopped). To make the puree light and airy, it is better to pass it through a blender.

In addition to improving the shape of the figure, boiled potatoes are capable of:

• improve the elastic properties of blood vessels;
• reduce blood pressure (you need to regularly drink potato broth);
• cure a cough and a runny nose by breathing steam over potatoes boiled in a peel;
• bronchitis can be quickly cured by applying potato cakes to the chest.

baked potato

The baked product is useful not only because it has a low calorie content, it is also able to show its healing qualities. Traditional healers advise using mashed potatoes prepared in this way to treat boils, carbuncles and other pustular skin diseases. For a therapeutic effect, it is enough to apply a potato cake to the inflamed area. Ash-baked potatoes are also used to treat bronchitis and laryngitis using potato chest wrap.

Important! Warming compresses are not placed on the heart area. This rule applies to other similar procedures.

How potatoes can harm

One thing can be said about the harmful properties of this wonderful vegetable - it is a relative concept. Of course, if the diet does not consist of one potato. If you eat boiled or baked potatoes no more than 200 g per day, then you don't have to worry about weight at all. You should not cook dishes with potatoes for dinner, then calories will not accumulate in the form of fat deposits. It is best to use any kind of vegetable for lunch.

If boiled potatoes do not pose any threat to health, then the same cannot be said about another popular dish - French fries. Unfortunately, manufacturers do not always change the oil in the deep fryer, which contributes to the formation of carcinogens. Fried potatoes are not recommended for people with diseases of the liver, stomach, kidneys. The dish is contraindicated for those who have problems with cholesterol.

An important point! Potatoes need to be stored properly, otherwise the tubers may take on a greenish tint. This color indicates the formation of a component of solanine, which can cause severe poisoning.

Potatoes are a unique product that is always and in any form appropriate on the table. And in order for it to really bring maximum health benefits, you need to create optimal conditions for its storage and properly prepare dishes from it.

Video: the benefits and harms of potatoes

Potatoes are a product with a very complex and surprising destiny. Our people rebelled against him for a long time.

Complex, contradictory, but today such a strong love of the Russian people for this product has been crystallizing for 200 years, starting from the time of Alexei Mikhailovich, when potatoes were called nothing but "devil's apple".

And in other countries, these starchy tubers had hard times. In 1630, the French parliament banned the potato because of its toxicity. Diderot considered such food to be coarse and unassuming. But these are the French - for centuries they have been the most sensitive nation in terms of food.

If there is a product in the world that is able to feed a person in the absence of other food, then it is potatoes. Take a look at the nutritional comparison chart for potatoes and some other foods. She explains a lot.

When consumed in food, a feeling of satiety comes rather quickly due to the presence of starch. But potatoes are not only an excellent source of carbohydrates. It is high in potassium and vitamin C, as well as easily digestible proteins - the building blocks of cells, tissues and muscles.

Among the beneficial properties of potatoes, there is a slight diuretic effect due to the high concentration of potassium and low concentration of sodium. And the specific mineral composition makes this root vegetable curative for the kidneys and cardiovascular system.

You've probably heard that potatoes, baked or boiled with their skins (in their skins), are considered the most useful. Indeed, in the peel itself and directly in the layer of pulp under it, a large amount of valuable substances is concentrated, such as potassium and ascorbic acid.

Although it is better to peel off the peel of purchased potatoes - who knows what it was sprayed with away from prying eyes.

Ascorbic benefits

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is needed by the body for immune defense, maintaining vigor and optimism, as well as for effectively fighting against harmful free radicals.

It is through potatoes that we most often replenish our vitamin C reserves, because we eat them much more often than, for example, lemons, oranges or black currants. Unfortunately, this vitamin evaporates extremely quickly. In the tubers that survived the winter, it becomes at least 6 times less.

What is useful

Rescue of hypertensive patients

For hypertensive patients, addiction to potatoes can save lives. Their dietary plan should contain as little meat as possible, because it contains the amino acid tyrosine, which contributes to the production of hormones that increase blood pressure.

Animal products can successfully replace potatoes, but only if you do not have diabetes. In this case, this useful root vegetable should not appear on the table too often.

Potato broth for vivacity

Seasonal depression, lack of energy, lack of motivation, low performance - all this is treated with potato broth. In the morning on an empty stomach, drink 1 glass of warm broth. This tool is more useful than modern power engineers. It will return clarity of thoughts and former enthusiasm.

Inhalation

Our mothers and grandmothers know this recipe by heart. A stuffy nose, sore throat, and a severe cough all heal with healing potato steam. Simply boil jacket potatoes in a small saucepan, cover with a towel and breathe over the steam for a few minutes.

With sinusitis, traditional medicine recommends applying hot potatoes with a fresh cut to the inflamed sinuses. Care is needed here: in case of acute inflammation, accompanied by severe pain and swelling, any warming up is prohibited.

In gastroenterology

In folk medicine, raw potato juice is widely used to treat heartburn, gastritis and peptic ulcer disease with high acidity. And this is despite the fact that in large quantities it can be harmful and even poisonous.

Diet horror story

Take almost any diet program, and you will really feel sorry for the potatoes. Healthy food aficionados give generous slaps to this nutritious and healthy product. He is charged with high calorie content, exceptional harm to a slender figure and other sins.

In fact, potatoes themselves are a good and not at all harmful product. It just absorbs animal and vegetable fats well: milk, butter and sunflower oil. But we still strive to flavor our favorite potatoes with mayonnaise, fatty sauce, ketchup. Here's the real reason for potato diet opal.

Not so long ago, the US Department of Agriculture conducted a large-scale study of the diet of Americans. For two years, experts managed to collect information on more than 10,000 people.

In a country whose population is 55% overweight, potato lovers are almost the slimmest. Indeed, healthy foods that are high in carbohydrates are highly nutritious and significantly lower in calories than meat products.

Rehabilitated

According to the BBC news television, American scientists are ready to completely and completely rehabilitate the potato, which many nutritionists have rejected for so long and advised especially obese patients to exclude from the diet.

The fate of the vegetable, beloved by many Russians, was attended by the staff of the University. Scranton under the direction of Dr. Joe Vinson. The conscientious pundit admitted that he was inflamed with righteous anger after reading an opponent's article on the dangers of potatoes in one of the medical journals.

For many years, Vinson has been researching natural antioxidants, so he could not agree with this opinion.

A two-month experiment, as usual, was put on mice suffering from high blood pressure. Each animal ate at least 2 potatoes per day, which is really a lot in comparison with its weight. No increase in body weight or blood sugar was observed.

It turns out that potatoes can and should be eaten almost daily. Scientists have found biologically active substances in it that help strengthen the immune system. With a properly selected menu, potatoes do not cause obesity, since they contain few calories, there is no cholesterol, but a lot of B vitamins.

Joe Vinson recommends paying attention to red and purple potatoes, since there has not yet been a full-fledged experiment with white potatoes. It is especially good, the American researcher notes, to eat potatoes boiled in their uniforms, because it is in the peel that useful substances are concentrated.

“Unless you regularly eat fried potatoes or salty chips, you don't have to worry about gaining weight,” concluded Dr. Vinson.

According to the 16 WNEP news channel, the results of the potato study have attracted the attention of the American Chemical Society and the American Potato Council. They will facilitate further research.

Yellow is the most useful

Apart from the amazing variety of varieties, all edible potatoes can be conditionally divided into 2 types - with white and yellow flesh. And if the Europeans are much nicer to the first, then in the conventional homeland of the beloved root crop by many Russians, on the island of Chiloe, which is located in Chile, they prefer yellow potatoes.

The yellow color is a clear sign of a high concentration of beta-carotene, a substance responsible for good vision, beautiful skin and long-lasting youth.

If you do not know what else to make such a new thing from potatoes, pay attention to the recipes of Belarusian cuisine. There are more than 200 potato dishes in it: grandma, kamyaki, pugna, komoviki, potato pancakes, dumplings, dumplings, porridge, taukanitsa and so on.

I wonder if there are potato fans among our readers?

Potatoes are a root vegetable that has recently become known to the Russian population. Even in the time of Peter the Great, they began to eat it steamed and boiled.

At the moment, a rare feast does without his participation in the composition of a particular dish. Both men and women, children and the elderly are very fond of this root vegetable, which has excellent taste, and also goes well with other products, which allows you to add potato tubers to salads and soups. Most people are also very fond of mashed potatoes, which can be eaten with salads, pickles, and various other snacks.

What are the benefits of potatoes? Few can answer this question, but a large number of nutritionists recommend using this product.

About the composition

The composition of potatoes contains a considerable amount of nutrients that contribute to the development and maintenance of the health of the human body. Also, as you know, there is a considerable amount of starch in it, but the value of the tubers is far from this.

As part of this vegetable, vitamins such as C, PP and several elements belonging to group B are isolated. As you know, they have a beneficial effect on the body's work, improving the quality of blood, kidney function and more.

Potatoes also contain several types of nutrients, among which nutritionists secrete iron, potassium, magnesium, carbohydrates, chromium and phosphorus. What these and other substances that make up the composition affect are indicated below.

Benefits for the digestive system

As you know, potatoes are recommended to be eaten by small children. This is due to the fact that at an early age, special attention should be paid to work from the digestive system, which is perfectly adjusted by this type of vegetable. So, what are the benefits of potatoes for the digestive system? First of all, by the fact that it improves metabolism, eliminating excess acid entering the intestines and stomach.

Almost all gastroenterologists advise people with diseases of the intestinal tract to drink potato juice on an empty stomach, the beneficial properties of which are that it significantly reduces the level of acidity in the intestines and stomach.

For bones

Particular attention to potatoes in any form should be paid to those people who suffer from a shortage in the body of substances such as zinc, iron, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. These components are responsible for the proper development and health of the musculoskeletal system and bones in general. In addition, these minerals ensure the proper condition and development of bone tissue, which is especially necessary for children of any age.

As for zinc, which is also found in potatoes, it has a beneficial effect on collagen production, which is necessary for the normal health of cartilage, joints, skin and ligaments.

Strengthening the nervous system

In modern conditions, strengthening the nervous system is a paramount task. In particular, all those who wish to improve the level of activity of their brain, as well as the state of the nervous system, must necessarily include potato dishes in their diet. This is due to the fact that this vegetable contains a large amount of vitamin B6, which forms norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin, which help a person get out of stress.

The vegetable also has a high level of glucose, which contributes to the development of human brain activity.

Improving the cardiovascular system

Anyone suffering from cardiovascular diseases should also pay attention to potatoes. It is this product that contains vitamin C, B-6 and fiber - substances that strengthen this body system and rarely halves the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease.

In addition, the presence of fiber helps to dramatically reduce the level of cholesterol contained in the blood, and vitamin B-6 reduces the likelihood of vascular damage.

Application in traditional medicine

The fact that potatoes are an incredibly healthy vegetable has long been known in Russia. Even in those days, its tubers were widely used to treat cuts, burns, eczema. Currently, modern grandmothers and mothers cure bronchitis in their children with the help of potato steam, which has a beneficial effect on the respiratory canals.

About the benefits of juice

What are potatoes good for? First of all, with its juice, which is rich in various vitamins and minerals. This fresh product has pronounced diuretic properties, and also perfectly helps with belching, heartburn, and other problems with the digestive system, including gastritis.

Among the positive properties of potato juice, such as cleansing the body are also known. Regular use of it, even in small amounts, helps to cleanse the entire body of unwanted toxins, toxins and salts. And if you combine it with the juice of other vegetables (for example, carrots and celery), you can get an excellent remedy that has a calming effect on the human nervous system.

About the dangers of potato juice

However, despite the beneficial properties of potato juice, contraindications and problems associated precisely with its excessive use, has not yet been canceled. First of all, they are associated with the presence of certain diseases in a person who consumes this vegetable. First of all, it is not recommended to abnormally consume freshly squeezed potato juice for those who suffer from obesity. Despite the beneficial properties of potato juice, a contraindication and even a ban on its use can be imposed for those who have pancreatic diseases. Moreover, this is despite the fact that this product has a beneficial effect on the entire digestive system as a whole.

About the dangers of potato tubers

Despite the presence of a large number of useful properties in potatoes, there are still contraindications and even prohibitions on its use. And they are primarily associated with improper preparation. For example, studies have shown that cooking potatoes above 120 ℃ produces a chemical known as acrylamide. This compound, which is found in plastics, glues, dyes, and cigarette smoke, has been found to play a role in some forms of cancer. According to most nutritionists, fried potatoes are highly undesirable foods. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, during the cooking process, the tubers absorb a lot of oil, which then enters the stomach. As a result, the dish turns out to be fatty and very high in calories. Secondly, fried in itself is not very healthy. And, thirdly, they usually consume it with a lot of salt and sauces, which are also quite harmful. For this reason, it is better to replace it with baked potatoes, the benefits and harms of which are also ambiguous, but nevertheless, most experts are inclined towards this particular cooking method.

Also, any housewife who buys tubers of such a vegetable in a store should pay attention to the presence of green spots on them. In the event that they are available on root crops, it is advisable to refrain from buying this product, since these defects strictly indicate that the vegetable contains a large amount of solanine, which can accumulate if potatoes are stored for a long time. Why is this substance dangerous? First of all, the fact that they can be poisoned. As a rule, the first symptoms of poisoning after eating such poor-quality products are the presence of a feeling of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, shortness of breath.

Jacket potatoes

Often, experienced housewives cook potatoes exclusively in their skins on their table. What are the benefits of jacket potatoes? First of all, its beneficial effect is due to the fact that the composition of the root vegetable cooked in the peel contains a very high content of fiber (many nutritionists claim that it contains five times more fiber than a banana). In addition, the tuber prepared in this way contains a high percentage of vitamin C, which helps the human body to protect itself from viral diseases, as well as from colds, which is especially important in cool seasons. It is also known that vitamin C favorably fights free radicals that cause premature aging.

Boiled potatoes in their skins also strengthen the immune system due to the presence of a large amount of selenium in their composition. This microelement also improves the structure of nails and hair, which is especially appreciated by the fair sex.

People who suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular system and obesity can drink the decoction that remains after cooking jacket potatoes - it helps to fight such problems.

Baked potato

Such a vegetable, cooked in a baked form, belongs to the category of low-calorie dishes, which are often recommended by nutritionists for those who want to lose weight, but would like to eat tasty, inexpensive and healthy food at the same time. What are the benefits of baked potatoes?

A vegetable prepared in this way contains a huge amount of vitamins, carbohydrates and proteins necessary for the normal development of the body.

When eating such a product, one should not forget that its peel contains a large amount of potassium, which is very useful for a person, especially for his kidneys and cardiovascular system. Such tubers are well absorbed in the stomach and do not cause the feeling of heaviness inherent in some other products.

Raw potatoes

The contraindications of potato juice and its benefits were mentioned above. However, no less useful component is the pulp of a fresh vegetable, which remains after the squeeze is made. The fact is that it has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. It will also help well with burns and wounds. Vegetable gruel will relieve inflammation well. And any wound with such a compress will heal faster.

Helps raw potatoes in the process of personal care. So, for example, many women know the results obtained from applying raw potatoes to the blue circles under the eyes - they disappear literally in 10 minutes.

What else is raw potatoes good for? It contains a lot of zinc and potassium, which are very necessary for the body at any age. Their greatest concentration is in the peel, which, unfortunately, most housewives throw in the trash. In addition, it contains the largest number of components that can help in the assimilation of starch by the human body.

The potato, spread throughout the world from the American continent, is rightly considered one of the most popular and widely consumed foods. It can be used as a side dish for meat and fish dishes, added to soups, baked, fried, boiled, dried like chips and even dried. Nutritionists around the world recognize the high nutritional value and great benefits of the root crop for the human body. Vitamins in potatoes, and especially in their skins, are contained in a fairly high concentration. To date, breeders have bred more than 7 thousand varieties of the nightshade plant, among which the most expensive is the French variety La Bonnotte, a kilogram of tubers of which costs almost 500 euros.

What is the nutritional value of potatoes?

Not surprisingly, potatoes are replacing bread all over the world. This plant product contains a large amount of carbohydrates, fiber, starch and pectins, which contribute to the rapid saturation of the body. It is enough to eat only two boiled potatoes in order not to feel hunger for a long time. The root vegetable contains as many amino acids, plant sugars, sterols and trace elements as is needed to build complete proteins and ensure the normal functioning of organs and systems.

The calorie content of potatoes depends on how they are cooked. Least of all kilocalories in a cooked product, only 80 units per hundred grams of weight. In the baked root vegetable there are already 110 kilocalories, and in the fried one - 205. Potato dishes cannot be called high-calorie, but they perfectly replenish the lack of energy in the body, improve the efficiency of the brain, and stimulate the digestive processes in the gastrointestinal tract. Nutritionists especially recommend eating boiled potatoes in their uniforms. Due to its low calorie content and high nutritional value, it is optimal for a dietary menu, and unpeeled peel retains all vitamins and useful microelements in the tuber. But fried potatoes, although they are very tasty, are often undesirable for people watching their figure.

One hundred grams of cooked product contains the following amount of nutrients:

• proteins - 2.0%;
• carbohydrates - 20.0%;
• fat - 0.2%;
• fiber - 1.8%;
• water - 76.0%.

One hundred grams of baked potatoes have the following nutrients:

• proteins - 2.5%;
• carbohydrates - 20.5%;
• fat - 0.7%;
• fiber - 2.1%;
• water - 74.2%.

One hundred grams of fried potatoes contains the following nutrients:

• proteins - 2.2%;
• carbohydrates - 23.4%;
• fat - 9.6%;
• fiber - 2.3%;
• water - 62.5%.

What vitamins are contained in the root vegetable?

Incredibly, ordinary potatoes contain as much ascorbic acid as citrus fruit. To provide the body with a daily requirement of vitamin C, it is enough to eat about 400 grams of the product. Also, the tubers, and especially the peel, contain a lot of beta-carotene pigment, which has high antioxidant properties, and organic acids. That is why nutritionists advise eating jacket potatoes. What vitamins does the root vegetable contain in the highest concentration? One hundred grams of it contains the following amount of nutrients:

• retinol (A) - 0.003 mg;
• ascorbic acid (C) - 20 mg;
• tocopherol (E) - 0.1 mg;
• thiamine (B 1) - 0.2 mg;
• riboflavin (B2) - 0.07 mg;
• nicotinic acid (B 3) - 2 mg;
• pantothenic acid (B 5) - 0.3 mg;
• pyridoxine (B 6) - 0.3 mg;
• folic acid (B 9) - 0.01 mg.

What minerals are in the root vegetable?

Potatoes contain a lot of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium. To replenish the daily intake of these substances, it is enough to eat 200 - 300 grams of the product. But you should know that in overwintered tubers the concentration of vitamins and microelements is noticeably reduced. Therefore, if possible, when buying, you should give preference to potatoes of the new crop. One hundred grams of the root vegetable contains the following amount of mineral elements:

• potassium - 570 mg;
• phosphorus - 60 mg;
• chlorine - 58 mg;
• sulfur - 30 mg;
• magnesium - 23 mg;
• calcium - 10 mg;
• sodium - 5 mg;
• zinc - 0.4 mg;
• manganese - 0.2 mg;
• copper - 0.2 mg;
• iron - 0.1 mg;
• boron - 0.1 mg;
• molybdenum - 0.1 mg.

What are the benefits of potatoes to the human body?

Baked

Potatoes baked in the oven or oven are a truly unique dish, very useful for the human body. During cooking, the concentration of minerals and ascorbic acid increases significantly in the layer of pulp just below the skin. The content of vitamin C in potatoes increases several times. If a person eats, instead of an orange or currant, a portion of a root vegetable baked with a peel of a similar mass, then he receives no less potassium and ascorbic acid. It is better to bake unpeeled tubers grown in a summer cottage or bought from private traders, and not store-bought, treated with hazardous chemicals to protect against pests and increase shelf life.

Boiled

Boiled potatoes are recommended for people suffering from diseases of the digestive tract. When boiled, the fiber in the pulp is practically not destroyed, it activates the work of the stomach and intestines, softens and envelops the mucous membranes of organs, protecting them from injury and irritants. Ash particles contained in the product in a sufficiently high concentration have a strong absorbing property, intensively absorb and remove toxins and toxic substances from the body. Vitamins in jacket potatoes and minerals help to cope with colds and acute viral infections. Every person from childhood knows about health-improving potato inhalations, which perfectly cleanse the nasopharynx of mucus and relieve inflammation in the nose and throat.

Potato juice

Not many people know that fresh potato juice is as beneficial to the body as the root vegetable itself. The drink contains almost thirty different useful microelements. What vitamins in juice strengthen the human immune system, help resist viruses and fungal infections? A natural drink made from raw potatoes contains high concentrations of ascorbic acid, tocopherol, nicotinic acid, B vitamins. They not only increase the body's defenses, but also remove heavy metal salts, poisons, and decay products from it. Doctors recommend using the juice for people suffering from diseases of the digestive system, including stomach ulcers, hypertensive patients. Thanks to its analgesic and antiseptic properties, the drink promotes the rapid healing of injuries and inflammations.

Can potatoes harm the human body?

Due to the high starch content, it is undesirable to include potatoes in the menu for people with intestinal diseases. Potato juice is contraindicated for people with low stomach acidity and diabetics.

The benefits of potatoes

The beneficial properties of potatoes are known to most people. It is widely used for cooking and in folk medicine. Thanks to its nutritional and healing properties, potatoes are our second bread. Now many cannot imagine a day without this product.

Historical reference

Blinded by the glitter of gold and silver, the conquerors of South America did not see the main wealth of the Inca tribe. He was not noticed in Europe either. These are regular potatoes.

In truth, for two centuries this vegetable has only been fed to pigs, horses, and prisoners. Because the fruit growing underground and therefore dirty was considered unsuitable food for eating. During the constant and massive famine, skeptics were not convinced even by the fact that potatoes yield three times more harvest than wheat, and, moreover, are more nutritious.

In the end, the French pharmacist Antoine Auguste Parmentier, freed from Prussian captivity at the end of the Seven Years War, managed to distribute the vegetable. With the help of a dinner party, where the treats consisted of potato dishes, he convinced King Louis XVI and all of France of the high taste and nutritional properties of the fruit. Since then, it began to be used throughout Europe, except Italy. Even now, Italians eat potatoes less than the rest of the world.

In Russia, the plant did not take root. But the society succeeded in promoting potatoes thanks to Andrei Timofeevich Bolotov. This is the first person who began to grow a vegetable not for fun, but to get a harvest and scientifically study the properties of potatoes and the process of their growth. Later, Bolotov's articles on the benefits of the new plant began to be published. But the "potato revolution" was still a long way off.

The peasant population did not accept potatoes because of frequent cases of poisoning. They ate ground parts of it, which led to negative consequences. Riots began against this culture. Over time, the "potato revolution" was crowned with success. And by the beginning of the twentieth century, the vegetable was already popular on the tables of thousands of people.

Vegetable composition

What are potatoes useful for? Approximately 30% of the vegetable mass is carbohydrates, 2% - proteins, 0.4% - lipids. Potatoes are rich in various amino acids. The potassium content in the fruit per 100 grams is 568 mg, as well as a significant amount of magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and cobalt. Potatoes contain vitamins C, B, PP and others. Potatoes also contain fiber and folic acid. The calorie content of a vegetable is on average 77 kcal per 100 g.

Young potatoes have the highest nutritional value. It is low in carbohydrates and high in nutrients. This is enough to keep the immune system in combat condition. Young potatoes contain bioflavonoids that strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Young potatoes are almost a dietary product. It lowers cholesterol levels and prevents water from retaining in tissues. Also, potatoes have a beneficial effect on many processes in the body.

The nutritional value of a young vegetable is much higher than that of long-term storage potatoes. A common method of making it is boiling. When potatoes are boiled and baked, more nutrients are retained in the skins.

Properties

1. It has properties to strengthen the immune system and fight free radicals thanks to its vitamin C in the composition. With its properties, it will definitely provide you with energy and vitality.
2. Potatoes normalize protein and carbohydrate balance. The phosphorus present in it helps maintain the acid-base balance and form active forms of vitamins.
3. The folic acid in this vegetable is needed to form new cells and keep them healthy. It is necessary for pregnant women for the normal development of the fetus.
4. Adding raw young vegetables to food helps to strengthen the nail plates and improve the appearance of hair. This is possible due to the presence of keratins in the composition.
5. The consumption of potatoes reduces the concentration of cholesterol, improves blood microcirculation, removes vasospasm.
6. Potatoes are used as a prophylactic against scurvy and rheumatism.
7. Potato juice activates anti-inflammatory processes. It is recommended for the prevention of cancer.
8. Potato starch protects the stomach lining from damage when taking potent drugs. It is also recommended to take a bath with potato starch to relieve itching and redness of the skin.
9. The vegetable works well for dehydration and flaking of the skin. For such problems, it is recommended to make masks from raw potatoes or use potato juice instead of tonic.
10. This vegetable is an excellent alkalizing agent. It is used when getting out of fasting or dieting, as well as in case of high blood acidity.
11. With the regular use of the "blue" variety of vegetables in food, blood pressure decreases and the heart rate normalizes.

Potential harm

The fruits of the potatoes, which are located above the aerial part of the plant, contain a lot of poisonous substance - solanine. It leads to severe poisoning, and in some cases even death is possible. This substance is distributed throughout the plant. A small part of it spreads to tubers.

Solanine is comparable to bee venom. Small amounts of it are even beneficial to the body. The substance is used in pharmacology, creating drugs for the treatment of asthma. But if there is a lot of solanine, it can lead to nausea, headaches, fever, and stomach inflammation.

Potatoes produce this dangerous substance to protect themselves from pests and the sun. For your safety, choose tubers that have not been stored in the sun, have not been cut during harvest, and have no green spots on the skin.

Some people are frightened by the fact that there is a large amount of starch in the plant. Many consider it harmful for the figure. This is partly true. There is little starch in a young vegetable, which means that it can be considered useful and not harmful to the figure. But during storage, the amount of starch increases. The longer a vegetable is stored, the more starch it contains and the less useful vitamins and minerals are retained.

There are some contraindications to eating potatoes:

• obesity,
• digestive problems
• urolithiasis disease,
• flatulence,
• sexually transmitted diseases.

To get the most of the nutrients, avoid fruits with green spots. Cutting them off when peeling a vegetable does not mean you have gotten rid of the solanine in the product. Better to boil or bake the skinned potatoes. For mashed potatoes, cut raw potatoes into large pieces. Fried vegetable is of little use, it is better to exclude this dish from the diet.

So, we have answered the question, what is the use of potatoes. It provides us with the necessary vitamins and minerals, and also gives us energy for the whole day. By adhering to the rules for choosing a vegetable and storing it, you will only benefit yourself. Good health to you!