Potatoes, a representative tuber crop in our country, have been a reliable source of sustenance during difficult times such as wars and famines since ancient times. These days, they are widely used as snacks, side dishes, and a meal substitute. Although often misunderstood as just a lump of carbohydrates, potatoes are a highly nutritious food. Let’s explore the benefits of potatoes and the best ways to enjoy them.
Potatoes, also known as the ‘apple of the earth’
Potatoes are in season from June to October, and especially the new potatoes harvested in June, also known as ‘earth’s apple,’ contain three times more vitamin C than apples. There is an average of 36mg of vitamin C in 100g potatoes. Vitamin C has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which can prevent aging and keep the skin healthy. It also helps absorb iron in the intestine, preventing anemia.
Potatoes have less vitamin loss
The vitamins in most vegetables are destroyed when heated, but potatoes form a barrier with starch particles, resulting in less vitamin loss than other vegetables. This means that eating just two potatoes daily can meet the recommended daily vitamin C intake for adults.
Rich in magnesium and potassium
The potassium in potatoes helps excrete sodium and contributes to blood pressure regulation. If you often eat salty food or have high blood pressure, getting familiar with potatoes is good. They help prevent high blood pressure and heart disease by dilating blood vessels. The fiber in potatoes reduces cholesterol in the blood, and the fiber in one boiled potato with skin is about 5.5 times that of one banana.
How to choose tasty potatoes
Choose potatoes covered in dirt and feel heavy and solid when picked up. Fresh ones have no scratches on the surface, are smooth, and have no wrinkles on the skin. Avoid potatoes with sprouts or green spots, as they contain a substance called ‘solanine,’ a toxic substance found in nightshade plants that can cause gastrointestinal and neurological disorders. When potatoes begin to rot, they produce a toxic substance and should not be consumed.
Classified by starch content
Based on their starch content, potatoes are divided into ‘mealy potatoes’ and ‘waxy potatoes.’ Mealy potatoes have a high starch content, a white interior, and a fluffy texture when cooked, making them ideal for grilling or frying. On the other hand, waxy potatoes have a yellow interior and retain a lot of moisture, so they don’t break apart easily when cooked, making them ideal for salads or stews.
Helpful to eat when you have a stomachache
Eating potatoes when you have a stomachache can help alleviate symptoms. Eating potatoes is beneficial for those with gastric ulcers because the starch and pantothenic acid in potatoes strengthen and soothe the gastric mucosa, making them effective for treating gastric ulcers. For those with severe stomachaches, drinking grated raw potatoes soaked in vinegar or lemon water on an empty stomach in the morning is recommended.
Good to roast with the skin on
If you peel and slice potatoes before boiling them, they tend to lose vitamin C, so it’s better to boil them with the skin on. A study on the vitamin C content of potatoes found that boiling them with the skin on destroys 15.3% of their vitamin C but peeling them before boiling destroys 24.1% of their vitamin C.
Eat with milk and cheese
Potatoes have an excellent nutritional combination with dairy products such as milk and cheese, as these foods supplement the vitamin A, protein, and fat that potatoes lack. On the other hand, potatoes supplement the vitamin C that milk lacks and the magnesium that cheese lacks, so they make a good combination when eaten together.
Cook at low temperatures
Many people avoid potatoes because they are high in carbohydrates, but about 80% of a potato is water. If you choose the right cooking method, it can actually help with dieting! Potatoes produce a carcinogenic substance called ‘acrylamide’ when cooked at high temperatures, so it’s important to cook potatoes below 248°F, fry at 320°F, and set the oven not to exceed 392°F.
How to keep potatoes for a long time?
How should you store these delicious seasonal potatoes to enjoy them for a long time? After purchasing potatoes, please keep them where direct sunlight does not reach and where the air flows well. You can prevent sprouting if you store them in a basket with apples. To prevent peeled potatoes from oxidizing when exposed to air, it is recommended that you soak them in vinegar or lemon water, drain the water, and then wrap them in a plastic bag or wrap.
By. Jeon Shin Yeong
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