Potato Nutrition Facts you Should Know
A lot can be said about the potato nutrition facts. People have been familiar with potatoes for a long time but not many are aware of the true potential hidden in this tuber.
You may think they are just full of carbohydrates and taste good. The reality is they contain much more than simply carbohydrates; as a matter of fact there is a significant amount of nutrients inside a single potato.
There are an array of vitamins and minerals that are needed by the human body in the tubers. You will see they can be used to prepare flavorful dishes and are good for the health.
Potatoes and Carbohydrates
The high carbohydrate content of the tuber is a topic that has been going on for years. Some people believe if they eat lot of potatoes their weight will increase a lot but that’s not necessarily true. A typical large potato may contain about 63g of carbohydrates which is 21% of the daily recommended value.
They are a good energy source but you have to pay attention not all the carbohydrates are the same. Potatoes are known to have complex carbohydrates which are digested very slowly which means you won’t feel the immediate urge to continue eating after consuming them. This may even help you to lose some weight.
Fiber and fat
Another of the potato nutrition facts is the huge amount of fiber it posses. A single large potato can have 7g of fiber which is around 26% of the daily recommended value. This is very important as a diet high in fiber may reduce cholesterol levels, the chances of experiencing colon cancer and other intestinal problems.
Some people might be curious about how much fat it contains. The answer is simple; 1 large potato has around 0.4 g of fat which is 1% of daily accepted value. They do not have any cholesterol at all and even contain around 37 mg of omega 3 and 127 mg of omega 6 fatty acids. In other words the regular consumption of potatoes may help in decreasing the chances of suffering from high cholesterol and cardiovascular problems.
Vitamins
It may be surprising to you that potatoes are a decent source of several vitamins as well. One of the least known potato nutrition facts is the amount of vitamin C. A large potato may have 29 mg of it which counts for roughly 49% of the total recommended amount. As you probably know the vitamin C helps to boost the immune system plus it can be a powerful antioxidant.
Other vitamins present in high concentrations in a potato are: niacin (4 mg or 21% DV), folate (84 mcg or 21% DV), vitamin B6 (1 mg or 47% DV), thiamin (0.2 mg or 13% DV) and pantothenic acid (1.1 mg or 11% DV). All of these vitamins which are part of the B complex are necessary to transform the carbohydrates into energy plus they are essential to maintain the nerves healthy.
If you think this is all the potatoes can offer; you are mistaken, they are also very rich in minerals.
Minerals
Some of the minerals that are found in high amounts inside the potatoes are: potassium (1580 mg or 46% DV), manganese (0.8 mg or 33% DV), magnesium (84 mg or 21% DV), phosphorus (210 mg or 21% DV), copper (0.4mg or 18% DV) and iron (3.2 mg or 18% DV). It has always been said that bananas are an excellent source of this mineral but potatoes surpass them greatly.
One potato may have even more potassium than 3 bananas. This supports the fact that potatoes can assist in the regulation of the heartbeats maybe even better than bananas. As you have noticed potatoes are rich in all kinds of nutrients, making them a very important food that should be part of most meals.