Potatoes - A Health, Low Calorie And High Fiber Food

Potato is an year-round staple food, widely used in a number of dishes at homes, restaurants, hotels, local food stalls and fast-food chains. The global consumption of potatoes is more than any other vegetable crop in the world. On an estimate, over two third of the potato’s global production is eaten directly by humans, while the rest is fed to animals or used to produce starch. To be more precise with the statistics, an average annual diet of a global citizen includes about 30 kg of potatoes.

Health benefits of potatoes

Potatoes are rich in carbohydrate (approximately 26 grams in a medium-sized potato). The predominant form carbohydrate found in potatoes is starch. A small portion of this starch is however resistant to digestion by enzymes in small intestine. So, this essentially reaches the large intestine for digestion. This resistant starch (often referred to as fiber) has considerable physiological and health benefits. It provides protection against colon cancer, lowers plasma cholesterol, increases satiety, and improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. The preparation methods determine the amount of resistant starch in potatoes. Cooking and then cooling potatoes result in increasing resistant starch. For example, cooked potatoes contain about 7% of resistant starch, which slightly increases up to13% upon cooling.

Potatoes are a popular food with high nutritional value. But, people usually eat them in the form of greasy French fries or chips, which contain high amount of fats and calories. When baked or fried, potatoes may contain some amount of butter, sour cream or melted cheese. These fat contents can make potatoes a potential contributor to many health problems. When prepared carefully, potatoes can turn out to be an exceptionally healthy, low calorie and high fiber food, and can offer several health benefits. So, potatoes are a healthy takeaway option in Sheffield.

Fresh potatoes are boiled, baked, grilled or fried to prepare a wide selection of recipes. In domestic kitchens, they are mainly used to prepare local dishes. Apart from just domestic use, potatoes are also largely served in restaurants and fast-food chains worldwide. Today, the world’s appetite for factory-made chips and French fries has increased up to than 7 million tonnes a year. If you are a restaurant owner, you must be looking for the best quality fresh potatoes to serve your guests with a number of delectable potato dishes. You can buy them directly from farms or as a succulent dish from a takeaway restaurant.

Author’s bio- author of this article is an avid writer on such sites. Here, the author has explained about consumption and health benefits of potatoes.