The effect of potatoes on the human body

History of the origin of potatoes

Potatoes were first cultivated in South America, and this happened about 8 thousand years ago. For a long time, the product was not known on other continents, but after the conquest of South America by European sailors, potatoes came to the territory of the Old World - this happened in the 16th century. At first, the product was considered the food of the poor, but then the nobility tasted its taste, and since then potatoes began to be consumed everywhere.

As for Russia, potatoes were brought to it under Peter I - and at first the tuber crop was spread literally by force. After they learned how to process potatoes correctly, they became a favorite not only for peasants, but also for noble people. The great advantages of the culture still remain the ease of cultivation, accessibility and the existence of a large number of varieties.

Potato juice

Tuber juice is only suitable when freshly squeezed; the juice quickly deteriorates in air (remember how a tuber left without water darkens when cut).

The exception is tonsillitis, in which the juice is left to sit for 40 minutes and drained from the sediment. Juice without sediment can be diluted in half with berry juice (lingonberries, currants, cranberries - any is medicinal).

Half a glass three times a day will quickly relieve the condition.

Potato juice is used for:

• Decreased blood pressure;
• Treatment of peptic ulcer;
• Relieving symptoms of gastrointestinal diseases - nausea, pain, heartburn;
• Regulating the acidity of the stomach - here the juice is universal. The damaged one will be returned to normal levels. If it is high, it will lower it, if it is reduced, it will move it up to the norm;
• Healing of wounds - not only external, but also internal - inflammation, ulceration;
• Elimination of hemorrhoids (dosage, administration, as an infusion of flowers for oncology - see below, “Potato flowers”);
• Treatment of arrhythmia. The juice slows down the rhythm due to the potassium it contains. Contraindicated for bradycardia (rare heartbeats);
• Normalization of stool (elimination of constipation);
• To get rid of hemorrhoids - a microenema (a tablespoon of juice) at night - a week and a half. Take the juice of unpeeled potatoes;
• Treatment of thrombophlebitis with potatoes - drink the juice and apply bandages moistened with it externally. Inflamed veins reduce swelling, thinning out the thick blood in them;
• Eliminate imbalances in the nervous system.

Vitamins and minerals in potatoes

Potatoes are a product that is beneficial for human health. The inconspicuous tubers contain many valuable substances. Namely, in the composition of potatoes you can find:

• an abundance of B vitamins - among them B9 and B6, B2 and B1, B5;
• vitamins E and K;
• ascorbic acid;
• acid PP;
• beta-carotene and choline;
• mineral components iron, potassium, magnesium, copper and calcium;
• sodium, zinc, phosphorus, manganese and selenium;
• antioxidants;
• ash and fiber.

Chemical composition and characteristics of potatoes

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a perennial plant of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). It is cultivated as an annual to produce edible tubers.

The potato bush reaches a height of 0.6-1 m. The number of stems on one bush is 4-8. The caliber of seed material directly affects the number of stems.

The stems are ribbed and thick. The underground part forms stolons - lateral processes on which tubers appear.

Potato tuber cells are filled with starch. The tuber is covered with a thin cork tissue. On its surface there are eyes ranging from 3 to 15 pieces. Sprouts appear from them. The main eye germinates first, the rest are in a state of suspended animation. If the main kidney is damaged, the “sleepers” wake up. Weaker seedlings emerge from them.

The shape of the tubers can be round, oval, or oblong. Potato skins are pink, yellow, red, purple. The pulp is cream, white, yellow, purple.

What's in potatoes? Tubers are rich in vitamins and minerals and have high nutritional value. The table shows the chemical composition of raw potatoes (per 100 g).

How much sugar is in the product

100 g of raw tubers contain the following carbohydrates:

• starch and dextrins - 15 g;
• mono- and disaccharides (sugars) - 1.3 g;
• glucose (dextrose) - 0.6 g;
• sucrose - 0.6 g;
• fructose - 0.1 g.

What does the composition depend on?

The chemical composition of potatoes and nutritional value depend on:

• varietal characteristics (Chervona Ruta potatoes contain 26% starch, Sifra tubers - from 11 to 15%);
• fertilizers applied to the soil;
• the type of soil on which it was grown;
• digging period (young tubers have less starch and more vitamins);
• shelf life (closer to spring, the tubers dry out, the amount of vitamin C in them decreases and toxic substances accumulate).

What are the benefits of potatoes for the body?

The product not only perfectly saturates and replenishes energy reserves, but also has beneficial properties. Potatoes are capable of:

• increase body tone and have a beneficial effect on the nervous system;
• reduce blood pressure and protect blood vessels from atherosclerosis;
• help in the treatment of heartburn, gastritis with high acidity and ulcers;
• fight cold symptoms - potatoes are often used for compresses and inhalations;
• relieve inflammation and promote healing of mucous membranes;
• eliminate swelling and headache.

The highest concentration of useful substances is present in yellow varieties of potatoes; they contain an increased amount of beta-carotene, which is also beneficial for vision, skin and hair.

Raw potatoes

The benefits of raw potatoes for the body are very great. It retains all the initially present beneficial substances, whereas when boiling or baking, some of them are inevitably lost.

Raw potatoes are effective in strengthening the immune system and relieving inflammation in the joints. Tubers help get rid of swelling and speed up metabolic processes, improve skin condition and stop hair loss. The benefits of fresh potatoes are evident in cases of inflammation of the oral cavity, since the product quickly heals teeth and gums.

baked potato

The benefits of oven-baked potatoes are highly appreciated by culinary specialists and nutritionists. When baked, the tubers turn out soft and crumbly, very pleasant to the taste. At the same time, quite a lot of valuable substances are retained - the product remains useful for digestion, is well absorbed, neutralizes acids and helps the liver.

The benefit of baked potatoes lies in its low calorie content. The product can be consumed even on a diet, but in small portions.

Jacket potato

Since the peel of potato tubers also contains a lot of valuable substances, sometimes the product is baked or boiled in an unrefined form. The finished dish is very beneficial for the stomach and blood vessels, and brings a lot of vitamins to the body. The benefit of jacket potatoes is that they supply a large amount of vitamin C - with conventional cooking methods, most of the vitamin is lost.

Important! Before cooking potatoes directly in their peels, you need to make sure that there are no damage, diseased areas or green spots on them, otherwise the tubers will do harm, not good.

Boiled potatoes

Cooking remains the most popular method of processing the product. True, in this case, many of the beneficial properties contained in potatoes are lost, but the tubers are boiled very quickly and become soft and pleasant to the taste. Boiled potatoes are perfectly absorbed by the intestines and are suitable as an addition to most dishes.

The benefit of boiled potatoes also lies in the reduced starch content in the product after processing. Because of this, boiled potatoes become especially dietary.

Recommended reading: Benefits of boiled beets for the body

The benefits of thermally processed potatoes

Whether a cooked vegetable is healthy or harmful depends on how it is processed. For example, jacket potatoes are useful because the concentration of vitamins is higher in the upper layer of the tubers. Boiled young potatoes of medium size, grown in home beds, are especially useful in this regard. You can even eat it with the peel on. If you still need to remove the peel from the tubers, it will be easier to do this if you immediately take them out after cooking and let them sit for 5 seconds. into cold water. To minimize the loss of nutrients when peeling old tubers and preserve the benefits of the peel, it should be cut as thin as possible.

In general, the benefits of boiled potatoes and their harm depend on whether they are young or old. Young tubers have more vitamins, old tubers have more vitamins. It follows from this that freshly dug vegetables are most useful, and not those that have lain in storage.

To preserve as many vitamins as possible, boil the potatoes in a small amount of water, pouring it into the pan so that it just covers the vegetables. It’s even better to boil the potatoes by pouring them not with cold water, but by dipping them into already boiling water. Hot potato decoction is also useful, for example, it is a well-known cough remedy used in folk medicine.

The baked vegetable retains most of the vitamins and has no fat, so it is as healthy as the boiled one. Of all the possible processing methods, the least attention needs to be paid to frying. Fried potatoes are loaded with fat and contain the carcinogen acrylamide. French fries cooked in a large amount of oil are the most harmful.

Is it possible to eat potatoes

The health benefits and harms of potatoes vary for different ailments. It is necessary to know what effect the product can produce in certain situations.

When losing weight

Dietary nutrition does not require a complete abstinence from potatoes. Boiled, steamed or baked tubers without adding vegetable oil will not harm your figure. The only thing you need to exclude from your diet is fried potatoes; they have a high calorie content and contribute to gaining extra pounds.

In addition, during the diet, it is recommended to eat potatoes only during the daytime. In the evening, potatoes will be harmful because the calories will be stored in fatty tissue.

Pregnant and lactating women

During pregnancy, the product helps replenish potassium, folic acid, calcium and phosphorus - this is the benefit of potatoes for a woman’s body. However, tubers can only be consumed boiled or baked - fried or stewed potatoes will be harmful. Raw tubers can also cause harm if they turn out to be greenish or sprouted; solanine is very dangerous for the mother and the fetus.

During lactation, potatoes can be returned to the diet 2 months after birth. Boiled or baked, it will not cause harm to the body and will be well received by the baby.

For diabetes

If blood glucose levels are high, potatoes are an undesirable product. It is too high in calories and has a fairly high glycemic index, so it can lead to a sharp increase in sugar.

Fried potatoes, mashed potatoes and French fries, as well as chips, are strictly prohibited for diabetics. If you have permission from your doctor, you can consume the boiled product - but not more than 200 g per day. Sugar levels must be carefully monitored.

For gastritis and pancreatitis

Potatoes have anti-inflammatory properties and are well absorbed by the stomach, so they are allowed to be consumed for gastritis. There are even special treatment regimens based on fresh potato juice - they help to quickly relieve exacerbations of gastritis and ulcers.

The benefits and harms of potatoes for pancreatic inflammation are controversial. In general, the product is allowed, but only after the acute pain has subsided. Potatoes need to be boiled or baked, then they will have a positive effect on the secretion of the pancreas. The fried product will have to be excluded from the diet - in this case, potatoes will cause harm, causing an exacerbation.

For gout

Potatoes contain a lot of potassium, calcium, phosphorus and amino acids, which is very useful for patients with gout. Animal protein is not recommended for consumption in case of illness, but vegetable protein, present in potatoes, will help strengthen joints and will not contribute to the deposition of harmful salts.

If you have gout, you can eat potatoes in all forms, except fried. The beneficial properties of potatoes will help remove excess toxins from the body and improve metabolism.

For diarrhea

Potatoes have mild strengthening properties and do not cause upset. Therefore, you can use it for diarrhea. There are also healing recipes based on the product - fresh potato juice helps to quickly cope with intestinal upset.

The benefits of potatoes for the human body

In the context of a healthy diet, potatoes with skins can provide health benefits.

Heart Health

Hypertension, a condition characterized by abnormally high blood pressure, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Potatoes contain a number of minerals and plant compounds that may help lower blood pressure. The high potassium content in this vegetable deserves special attention.

Several observational studies and randomized controlled trials have associated high potassium intake with a reduced risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease (, , ).

Other substances in potatoes that may help lower blood pressure include chlorogenic acid and cucoamines (,).

Summary:

Eating potatoes may help reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Body weight control

The benefits of potatoes for humans are also due to the fact that this product helps control body weight. Satiety is the feeling of a full stomach and fullness that occurs after eating. Satisfying foods that produce significant satiety may promote weight control by prolonging feelings of fullness after eating and reducing food and energy intake ().

Compared to other carbohydrate-rich foods, potatoes seem to be a particularly filling food. One study that compared the satiety index of 40 common foods found that boiled potatoes were the most filling ().

Another small study of 11 men found that eating boiled potatoes as a side dish with pork steak resulted in fewer calories consumed at the meal compared to pasta or white rice ().

It is unclear which components of potatoes contribute to their satiating effect. However, research suggests that a potato protein known as proteinase inhibitor 2 (PI2) may suppress appetite (, ).

Although PI2 may suppress appetite when taken in its pure form, it is unclear whether trace amounts present in potatoes have any effect on appetite.

Summary:

Potatoes are a filling food. For this reason, it may be useful as part of a weight loss diet.

At what age can potatoes be given to children?

You can introduce potato dishes into your baby’s diet from the age of 6-8 months - potatoes are steamed, crushed, and pureed soups are prepared from them. The beneficial properties of potatoes for children are that the product supplies the child’s body with potassium, calcium, phosphorus and other substances, promotes the formation of muscles and bones, strengthens the immune system and nervous system.

In this case, potatoes should appear in complementary foods after other foods and make up only a small part of the diet. Tubers contain a lot of starch, so in large quantities they can cause constipation and colic in babies. It is better not to give potatoes to children with a tendency to gain excess weight.

Attention! Sometimes potatoes can be harmful, and allergies are possible.

Therefore, before adding this product to your children’s diet, you should definitely consult with your pediatrician.

Eating potatoes for diabetes

Depending on the method of cooking potatoes, their glycemic index changes. Chips have a very high level - as much as 80 units, which makes them a prohibited product for consumption if you have diabetes.

The glycemic index of potatoes, simply boiled or in their jackets, ranges from 65 to 70 units. This means that only moderate consumption of such a product is possible.

And the most interesting thing is that mashed potatoes have the highest glycemic index - 90 units.

The use of potatoes in folk medicine

The benefits of potatoes for the human body are often used to treat certain ailments. And the effectiveness of folk recipes is confirmed by practice.

Cough treatment

Potatoes are effective in treating persistent wet coughs. There are two ways to relieve symptoms.

1. For colds and bronchitis, potato inhalations are performed. The benefit of breathing over potatoes when coughing is that the healing steam warms the airways and relieves inflammation. It is enough to boil a few potatoes in a liter of water, and then sit for ten minutes with your head bent over the pan.
2. The baked potatoes are ground into puree, placed on a piece of gauze and applied as a compress to the chest, closer to the collarbones. You need to keep the compress until the potatoes cool down; in total, it is recommended to do about 7 procedures daily for a week.

For headache relief

Potatoes help eliminate migraines - you need to take 50 ml of fresh potato juice daily on an empty stomach. The remedy primarily normalizes blood pressure, so headaches quickly subside.

For mastitis

Mashed potatoes are diluted with half a glass of vegetable oil, mixed thoroughly, spread on a piece of gauze and made a compress for a sore chest. You need to keep it for about an hour, so it is more convenient to fix the compress with a scarf or towel. You need to do the procedure until the symptoms subside.

For burns and eczema

Healthy potato juice helps restore the skin and relieve inflammation. You need to wipe the sore areas with the product several times a day, then healing will happen faster.

Treatment of joints

For arthritis, osteochondrosis and radiculitis, it is recommended to mash boiled potatoes and mix them with a small amount of iodine. For medicinal purposes, it is better to take tubers of pink varieties. The resulting mass is applied as a compress to the sore spots, secured with cling film and a bandage and left overnight. The medicinal properties of potatoes effectively relieve swelling, soothe pain and reduce inflammation.

For ear pain and high fever

For ear pain, nasal congestion and sore throat, it is recommended to do potato inhalation first of all. To do this, boil several tubers and then breathe hot steam over the pan for 10 minutes.

Sometimes fresh potato juice is used to treat otitis; a few warm drops are instilled into each ear.

You can also make compresses against temperature - fresh potatoes should be grated, mixed with 1 large spoon of table vinegar and the resulting mass should be placed on cheesecloth. Keep the compress on the forehead for about half an hour, repeat the procedure if necessary, and the fever quickly subsides.

Advice! When inhaling potato steam, it is important to take slow and shallow breaths, otherwise you can burn your mucous membranes and harm yourself.

For hemorrhoids

The healing properties of potatoes will help cure hemorrhoids and fissures. You need to cut a small oblong candle with blunt ends from a raw potato and insert it into the anus overnight. In the morning, the candle will leave the body on its own during bowel movements.

For insect bites

It is recommended to treat the bite areas with raw potato compresses. The tuber needs to be grated, mixed with a small amount of olive oil and applied on a piece of gauze to the sore spot. The product will eliminate swelling and relieve itching and burning if you repeat the procedure several times a day.

Recommended reading: Benefits and how to take olive oil

Cleansing the body of toxins and wastes

Cleansing the stomach, intestines and blood vessels from accumulated toxins is carried out with fresh potato juice. To do this, you need to drink a glass of healing juice in the morning for 1.5 weeks. After the procedure, it is recommended to lie down for a while, and an hour after taking the product you can have breakfast.

Benefits of raw potato juice

Potato juice helps with diseases of the ovaries and appendages. It allows you to speed up the healing process of cervical erosion. In addition to internal use, the juice is used for tampons. The juice is soaked in them and left for the whole night. At the same time, they drink fresh root vegetables, 200 ml per day.

In the early stages of fibroids, it is recommended to drink half a glass of juice daily.

Potato juice can help you cope with hemorrhoids. Tampons are soaked in juice and placed in the anus for the whole night; you can make a small candle from the fruit. But this method is only suitable for the early stages of the disease.

How to use potatoes in home cosmetology

The beneficial properties of tubers are highly valued in folk beauty recipes. Potatoes significantly improve skin condition and have a strong rejuvenating effect.

Potatoes for bruises under the eyes

The benefit of potatoes for the face is that it eliminates dark circles under the eyes and puffiness. Necessary:

• mix a teaspoon of raw grated potatoes with a large spoon of chopped parsley;
• add a large spoon of olive oil;
• dilute the mixture with oatmeal or wheat flour to give it a viscous consistency.

The mask is applied to a washed face and left on for about a quarter of an hour. The product improves blood circulation under the skin and helps to eliminate dark circles under the eyes.

Anti-wrinkle mask with potatoes

To eliminate fine wrinkles and tighten your face, you need to grate one raw potato, mix with a teaspoon of rice flour and add 2 teaspoons of milk. The mixture is distributed over the face and kept for the standard time - about 15 minutes. It is recommended to carry out the procedure weekly.

Potato mask for acne

The cleansing and anti-inflammatory properties of potatoes will help get rid of acne. It is necessary to dilute a teaspoon of honey with fresh potato juice, apply the mask to the skin and leave for a quarter of an hour. If you do the procedure once every 3 days, the result will be noticeable within a week.

Nourishing mask with sour cream

To nourish the skin with vitamins, improve its tone and increase elasticity, you can make the following mask:

• 1 boiled potato is mashed and mixed with a teaspoon of sour cream;
• add a teaspoon of olive oil;
• Apply to the face in a double layer, smoothing the skin along the massage lines, and leave for a quarter of an hour.

You need to make the mask regularly, at least twice a week, then it will have a quick effect.

The benefits and harms of potato peels

The properties of potato flowers and the benefits of tubers are widely known. But there are a lot of valuable elements in the peel; it is not necessary to remove it during cooking.

In particular, it contains potassium and zinc in large quantities, which are necessary for the healthy functioning of the heart and blood vessels. The peel contains important enzymes that improve the absorption of starch, so jacket potatoes are digested faster and easier than peeled potatoes.

But the peel can also cause harm. It contains the substance solanine, which is dangerous to human health, especially in the greenish areas of the tuber. In addition, it is the peel that accumulates the most pesticides, which are often used when growing tubers.

Medicinal properties of potato sprouts

Despite the fact that solanine is present in young potato sprouts, they have a lot of beneficial properties. The sprouts are used to make medicinal products that help with vision diseases and joint ailments, with fungal infections and dermatitis, and with inflammatory diseases. Sprouts are used both for compresses and for preparing tinctures and decoctions.

As for solanine, in small doses this substance does not cause harm. If you follow proven dosages when using medicinal products, the properties of sprouts will have a positive effect on your health.

Other useful properties

1. This product promotes the construction of proteins in the human body, and also plays an important role in the creation of the “hormone of joy” - serotonin.
2. It has been found that people who consume potatoes are less likely to experience insomnia and have stronger memory.
3. Raw potato juice is beneficial for the body, helping to fight migraines and digestive problems. In addition, compresses made from the raw product heal skin diseases.
4. Even the insidious solanine, which cannot be consumed as food, is successfully used in medicine to treat burns.

How to choose potatoes when buying

The benefits and harms of potatoes for human health largely depend on its quality.

1. You should not buy green or heavily sprouted potatoes; they have been stored for too long, and harmful substances have accumulated in the skin.
2. Rough areas, growths or ulcers on the skin indicate poor quality of tubers.
3. Potatoes with rotten sides are not suitable for eating.

Good potatoes should have clean skin and an even color.

It is also recommended to pay attention to the variety. Yellow potatoes are considered especially sweet, they contain many carotenes, and they boil well. Potatoes of white and red varieties have a reduced content of starch and fiber. In addition, less starch is present in young potatoes; you can distinguish them from old ones by their thinner skin.

Composition of potatoes

Potatoes are useful for humans because they are a storehouse of valuable vitamins and substances we need. There is no need to talk about the benefits of vitamin C - it is a powerful support for our immunity, a weapon against free radicals, an assistant in the absorption of iron, an important component of the normal functioning of the circulatory system. It is worth recalling the B vitamins, especially B6. Its presence makes ordinary potatoes an important assistant in the functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, extremely useful for anemia, toxicosis, neuralgia and dermatitis.

The high potassium content has a beneficial effect on heart function, improves metabolism, and reduces the level of “bad” cholesterol. Starch, which this vegetable abounds in, helps cope with mucosal irritation caused by the effects of medications. In addition, chemical compounds found in potatoes can lower blood pressure. We should not forget about the nutritional value of this vegetable: properly cooked potatoes supply us with useful substances, and in addition, they help cleanse the body and remove excess fluid.

Effect of solanine

Whether potatoes will be harmful or beneficial largely depends on the presence of a certain insidious substance called solanine in it. It is found in the peel, green areas and sprouts of potatoes, and if stored improperly, it penetrates under the peel and deeper inside the vegetable. (By improper storage we mean saving the tubers for too long and storing them in a bright place.)

If sprouts appear on the tubers, this is a sign that the level of solanine in the vegetable has increased significantly. It is better not to consume such tubers, but if you have to, cut off the skin on them in a very thick layer.

A vegetable that contains this substance can cause serious problems in the digestive and nervous systems. The most serious contraindication to consuming sprouted potatoes concerns pregnant women, as well as young children. To avoid dangerous changes in the properties of potatoes, they should be stored in a cold and dark place (the best option is a cellar with a temperature no higher than six degrees).