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There are few more important food in the world than the potatoes. Potato is the staple food for 2/3rd of the world population. The per capita consumption is very high in European countries where potato is a major food crop. India is presently the 3rd largest potato growing country in the world.
HISTORY OF POTATO
The potato was discovered by Pre Inca Indians in South America. To the inhabitants of Peru and Bolivia potato was the bread of life for centuries. The first recorded information of potato was written in 1553 by a Spanish conqueror Pedro Cieza de Leon. The first purchase of Potato was done in 1573 by a Hospital in Seville. Potato was recognized in Europe as nutritional and inexpensive and Govt. persuaded their farmers to start growing the same. Potato helped support population explosion in Europe in 1800.The Potato plant cycle
The botanical name of potato is POTATOUS SOLUNUM TUBEROSUM and the only edible part is tuber. It can grow in a wide range of climatic cycle. The growing cycle is 90-140 days.
THE POWER OF POTATO NUTRITION
. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming sufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. In addition, the Guidelines recommend choosing a variety of fruits and vegetables from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables and other vegetables) several times per week. This translates to 2 ½ cups of vegetables per day for a 2000 calorie diet. Why not start with the vegetable everyone already loves, the potato?. One medium potato counts as one cup of vegetables.
Potassium
- Potassium is a mineral that is part of every body cell. It helps regulate fluids and mineral balance in and out of cells and in doing so, helps maintain normal blood pressure. Potassium is also vital for transmitting nerve impulses or signals, and in helping muscles contract.
- One medium potato (5.3 ounces) with skin is a good source of potassium, providing 620 milligrams or 18% of the recommended daily value (DV) per serving.
- Potatoes rank highest for potassium content among the top 20 most frequently consumed raw vegetables and the top 20 most frequently consumed raw fruits.
- A 2006 report from the American Heart Association indicates that almost 1/3 of Americans have hypertension and that potassium is a powerful dietary factor that can lower blood pressure. Unfortunately, few Americans are getting the potassium they need. Data from the most recently published National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicated that only 6% of men and < 3% of women are meeting the recommended potassium intake of 4700 milligrams per day!
- Eating just one medium potato - about the size of a computer mouse - can get you well on your way to meeting your daily potassium requirement.
Vitamin C
- Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant stabilizing free radicals, thus helping prevent cellular damage.
- In addition, Vitamin C aids in collagen production; assists with iron absorption; and helps heal wounds and keep your gums healthy.
- Vitamin C may help support the body's immune system.
- Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C (45% of the DV), which is more vitamin C than one medium tomato (40% DV) or sweet potato (30% DV).
Fiber
- One medium potato (5.3 ounces) with the skin contributes 2 grams of fiber or 8% of the daily value per serving.
B6
- Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that plays important roles in carbohydrate and protein metabolism. It helps the body make nonessential amino acids needed to make various body proteins; it is a cofactor for several co-enzymes involved in energy metabolism; and is required for the synthesis of hemoglobin - an essential component of red blood cells.
- Potatoes are a good source of vitamin B6 with 10% of the recommended daily value.
Iron
- One medium potato provides 6% of the recommended daily value of iron.
Combining Potatoes with other Vegetables for Better Nutrition
- Potatoes provide the perfect complement to many other vegetables and, because of their immense popularity, they can serve as a conduit for increasing overall vegetable consumption. For example, a baked potato topped with broccoli and cauliflower; mashed potatoes mixed with spinach and onions; roasted potatoes with onion, peppers, and mushrooms; or a tuna Nicoise salad with asparagus, potatoes and lettuce each provide at least 3 servings of vegetables.
- For additional information and recipes, visit www.healthypotato.com
NUVAL OF POTATO
For many years, organizations like the United States Potato Board, the Potato Council and many other associations and companies are working hard to educate the public that the potato is a very healthy food. Problem is, part of that message is lost, because the organisations conveying this message are obviously stakeholders. Let's just say that we do not expect a "rice board" to convey any other message than that rice is the best food in the world. That is why it is of particular interest to read that Dr. Katz of the Yale Prevention Research Center, together with a group of scientists had developed what they call an "Overall Nutritional Quality Index" or Nuval Score.
A single score between 1 and 100 summarizes all nutritional aspects of a food, the higher the number, the healthier the food. It will serve similar objectives as the Health Check label of the Heart and Stroke foundation or the traffic light system in the UK: help the consumer make healthy choices. The Researchers developed complex and proprietary algorithm with as input a range of "healthy" and the "unhealthy" substances in the food, that eventually results in a single score. The idea is summarized in the graph below :
This Nuval score is now published for a range of foods. Here are some highlights :
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Potatoes score better than all meats and fish and better than milk, even if it is skim milk . Although many vegetables and fruits score higher than potatoes, potatoes score better than grapes, banana, blackberries and Iceberg Lettuce.
The system will be introduced shortly - probably still this year - by at least three supermarket chains in the United States.
So remember, that the potato is healthy, the number is :
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