POTATOES PATATOES

Hellllloooo all my vegetable loving friends!  This is Alex again, here to let you know why you should NEVER cut potatoes out of you or your family's diet.

BAD ROOT?
Potatoes have gained a bad reputation from fad diets, but what you should know is that every food, especially fruits and vegetables, can fit in a healthy diet.  With that said, there are many different ways to prepare potatoes and consuming them in the fried form may not be the best choice.  There are many delicious and healthy recipes that don't involve deep frying your potatoes.  

NUTRITION

Potatoes are packed full of nutrients and according to www.potatogoodness.com, potatoes provide the most nutrients per penny compared to all other vegetables.  Containing 620 mg of potassium in each medium potato, potatoes have more potassium than the famous banana!  Not only do potatoes have loads of potassium, they are also a great source of vitamin C, containing 45% of your daily value.  Another benefit potatoes have are found in their skin.  Within a medium potato, there is 2 g of fiber, which is great for digestive health and helping you feel fuller faster.  So, keep those skins on people!

If you have little kids that tire you out by running around all day, potatoes are a great food to have in your diet for the simple reason supplying you with energy.  Our bodies need fuel and not the kind that we put in our vehicles. The best and main source of fuel our bodies love to use is in the form of complex carbohydrates which is found in potatoes! Potatoes are also fairly low in calories with 110 per medium potato and contain NO FAT, SODIUM, or CHOLESTEROL.  (Everything we try to avoid).  Can anyone guess what potatoes (non-fried) can be classified as with having no fat, sodium, or cholesterol?  HEART HEALTHY!!!!!

EASY FIXES:  To keep your potato recipes heart healthy, there are simple ways to modify your choice of ingredients to help.  These include subbing low fat, plain or Greek yogurt, salsa, cottage cheese, or mixed vegetables instead of sour cream, shredded cheese and bacon!

FUN FACT: There are over 100 different varieties of potatoes!

THE POPULAR POTATO

I'm sure many of you have gone out to lunch or dinner within the last year or so and have now seen sweet potato fries as an alternative to regular fries.  Sweet potatoes are definitely gaining popularity, but this doesn't mean that the "other" potato is not good for you.

ROSEMARY ROASTED POTATOES

If you haven't noticed by now, I love to roasts things!  Roasting is a healthier way to prepare food such as vegetables rather than deep frying.  One recipe I use all the time is roasted potatoes.

RECIPE (again, I don't like to use exact measurements)

• 10-20 baby red potatoes (my favorite)
• 1 white onion
• Olive oil
• Rosemary (or herb/seasoning of your choice)
• Salt & Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Wash potatoes (do not use any potatoes that are green!)
3. Cut potatoes into four
4. Slice onion
5. Mix onions, potatoes, salt, pepper, rosemary, and olive oil in a bowl until completely covered
6. Place on greased baking sheet
7. Place in oven for 20-40 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes

Potatoes are a root vegetable and grow in the ground.  This means it is best to store potatoes in a similar environment to the ground such as a dark, cool place (not in the refrigerator).

I hope you found this blog post mouth-watering and encouraging to add potatoes to your diet more often!

Stay tuned for some delicous summer potato salad recipes!

RESOURCES

Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal. Pleasantville, NY.: Reader's Digest, 2004. Print.
http://www.idahopotato.com/nutrition_education
www.potatogoodness.com
www.eatright.org