When you are on a diet or trying to lose weight everyone is going to tell you that you must avoid eating potatoes as they are very starchy and loaded with carbohydrates which can prevent weight loss. But what if I tell you that if you are trying to lose weight then you must eat potatoes. Truth to be told that potatoes are considered as one of the healthiest food items and have several health related benefits. So till the time you can control your portion size, use a healthy mode of cooking and don’t let your daily calorie intake go out of control, potatoes can be a great addition to your weight loss diet. Let’s have a look at some of the health-related benefits you get by consuming potatoes.
1. Treats high blood pressure- When we use potatoes skin our recipes we normally peel them and then use them. This is because most of the people are unaware of the fact that potato peels are very beneficial for people who are suffering from high blood pressure. Potato skin is very high in potassium content and thus plays an important role in keeping high blood pressure under control. One large baked potato with its skin on contains around 1600 mg of potassium which is nearly half the recommended amount for 1 day.
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2. Loaded with vitamin C- When we think of vitamin C rich foods we mostly think of citrus fruits and will never think of potatoes. But the truth is that potatoes too are very high in vitamin C content. A medium sized potato can provide you with almost 45% of your daily vitamin C requirement. And we all know that vitamin C is great for improving your immunity but it can also lower the level of stress by reducing the secretion of stress hormones.
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3. Helps in weight loss- Unlike the famous belief that potatoes make you put on weight, we are going to tell you the exact opposite. If you are trying to lose weight, make sure to eat potatoes with their skin on. Potatoes are very high in fibre content making them a crucial part of your weight loss diet. The fibre from the potato with improve your digestion and will also keep your heart healthy.
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4. It is a diet food- You surely didn’t know this that potatoes are very low in sodium and sugar content and they do not contain any fat at all. So on its own, a potato is not going to make you put on weight but if you fry it and combine it with other unhealthy toppings and additives then you are sure to gain weight.
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5. High in manganese- Even if you are not aware of the benefits and importance of this nutrient for your body doesn’t mean you can deprive your body of it. Manganese aids in the processing of carbohydrates, proteins and cholesterol. It also helps in the formation of bones as well. One large baked potato with its skin intact has 33% of your daily recommended amount.
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6. Has vitamin B6- Vitamin B6 is another important nutrient required for the healthy functioning of the body. Vitamin B6 helps in the production of important brain hormones. When you eat 1 potato with its skin intact you get 46% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin B6.
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