Potatoes: Underrated nutritional powerhouse or misunderstood villain?

Our grandparents couldn't imagine a meal without potatoes, but now they are increasingly being added to the "blacklist." Many people avoid them and accuse them of causing weight gain and having no nutritional value. Such opinions are unfair and far from the truth.

Although our grandparents cooked potatoes almost every day, they didn't fully appreciate them. Hence the famous saying, "eat the meat and salad, you can leave the potatoes." Meanwhile, potatoes are very healthy and not at all fattening. In addition to lots of minerals and vitamins, potatoes contain ingredients that lower blood pressure, regulate the digestive system, help remove excess water from the body, improve skin condition, support vision, improve blood clotting, and reduce stress.

• Vitamin C - You only need to eat four potatoes to meet your daily requirement for this vitamin.
• Vitamins from the B group - They positively affect the nervous system and proper carbohydrate metabolism.
• Fiber - It contributes to the proper functioning of the digestive system.
• Minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and iron - These components lower blood pressure, are building blocks for bones and teeth, and care for healthy skin, hair, and nails.

Potatoes are not as high in calories as we might think. They have significantly fewer calories than groats and pasta. Early potatoes contain just 69 calories per 3.5 ounces, and late potatoes have 85 calories per 3.5 ounces. They are also suitable for diets because they are easy to digest and absorb. They contain trace amounts of fat and have an alkaline-forming effect, which counteracts the acid-forming effect of eating meat.