10 Health Facts You Didn’t Know About US Potatoes

As a kid, when I think about potatoes, french fries comes to mind. In my teenage years, I remember home-made dishes lola (grandma) used to prepare with square-cut potatoes including Bulalo (Beef-Marrow Stew), Kaldereta, and Affritada. Continuing, we reminisce on memory lane of mornings with hashbrowns we enjoyed with the ‘barkada‘ (group of friends) as young adults.

In latter years, upon developing a more sophisticated taste through different restaurants and hotels experiences, we now appreciate mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, potatoes au gratin, and boiled potatoes, among others.

Thinking about it, potatoes are among the most common versatile food we have in our kitchen that we usually take for granted. Moreover, most are not aware of the nutritional values we can get from household potatoes!

So in this feature, we decided to give potatoes – more specifically US Potatoes – the much needed spotlight it well deserves! 🙂

10 Health Facts You Didn’t Know About Potatoes

1. High Water Content
   • While the human body basically consists of 70% water, the average US Potato wins with 80%. The other 20% is solid and a medium-sized one only has about 110 calories.
   • US Potatoes are also considered among the top 20 most frequently consumed raw vegetables and fruits.
2. US Potatoes Have More Potassium than Bananas
   • Did you know that potatoes have more potassium than bananas? One medium US potato with skin provides 620 milligrams or 18% of the recommended daily value of potassium per serving!
   • It is considered one of the best foods with potassium!
3. US Potatoes Have More Vitamin C than Oranges
   • US Potatoes contain 45% Vitamin C, which is more than one medium tomato (40%) or sweet potato (30%).
   • Aside from acting as an antioxidant strengthening the immune system, Vitamin C aids in collagen production and iron absorption. Damn, I should change my fruit diet into US Potatoes!
     

     US Potatoes Have More Potassium than Bananas

4. US Potatoes are Fiber-Rich
   • A medium-sized US Potato with skin contributes 2 grams of fiber (8% of the daily value) per serving.
   • Soluble dietary fiber may help with weight loss as it makes you feel full longer, and research has shown it also may help lower blood cholesterol.
5. Potato was once “worth its weight in gold“
   • During the Klondike Gold Rush in Canada, potatoes were once “worth its weight in gold” as it served to prevent an imminent famine in the winter years of 1897.
6. 

   Nutritional Value of US Potatoes

   US Potatoes Have Iron

   • At 1.08mg per serving of a medium-sized 148g potato, it provides 6% of the recommended daily value of iron.
7. US Potatoes Have more Vitamins than You Think
   • US Potatoes contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity.
   • Among these important health-promoting compounds are carotenoids, flavonoids, and caffeic acid, as well as unique tuber storage proteins, such as patatin, which exhibit activity against free radicals.
8. Potatoes can be the Food of the Future
   • When the time comes that we have to leave mother Earth, potatoes may very well be the staple food for the next generation as potatoes currently grown in space.
   • 22 years ago, potatoes were among the first food to be grown in space. University of Wisconsin and the US NASA successfully did so in 1995. They were called “Quantum Tubers“
9. US Potatoes are Good for the Heart
   • In addition to being rich in potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and fiber, US Potatoes does not contain fat and sodium, is cholesterol-free and have zero saturated fat that may help lower blood pressure.
   • The recent 2010 Dietary guidelines by the USDA and Department of Health supports such. While many factors affect heart disease, diets low in cholesterol and saturated fat may reduce its risk.
10. US Potatoes are Recommended for Athletic Performances and Active Lifestyle via Vitamin B6
    • US Potatoes are a good source of Vitamin B6 with one medium potato providing 10% of the recommended daily value.
    • Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that plays important roles in carbohydrate and protein metabolism as it helps the body make nonessential amino acids needed to make various body proteins. It is also necessary for the breakdown of glycogen, the form in which sugar is stored in our muscle cells and liver, so this vitamin is a key player in athletic performance and endurance.

Amazing isn’t it? Who would have thought a simple and common US Potato can be packed with so much vitamins and nutritional value?

So the next time you eat a potato. create a recipe, or cook a dish for the family, consider adding some healthy potatoes with it!

Our key references for the aforementioned nutritional facts include the following:

• Potato Goodness
• Alliance for Potato Nutrition
• Potatoes USA-Philippines
• Potatoes USA-Philippines Facebook Page

About US Potatoes

In the US, the top 5 best growing regions of potatoes are led by Idaho with a total of 165,000 harvested acres in 2016 and followed by Washington, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Maine.

Potatoes USA is the marketing organization for the 2,500 commercial potato growers operating in the United States promoting fresh table-stock potatoes, fresh chipping potatoes, seed potatoes, frozen potato products and dehydrated potato products.

Among the reasons why US Potatoes stand out in the market are due to its quality, consistency, sustainability, and service programs through training and promotions.

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Now you know! We hope that this simple list of “Healthy Facts” about US Potatoes was an eye-opener for you as it was for us!

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