Baked Potatoes: Nutritional Value And Advantages

Potatoes are typically linked to obesity and weight gain. They also help prevent hunger and famine globally. Preparing potatoes affects their nutritional value and health impacts.

This article examines baked potato health.

Baked Potato Nutrition

Potatoes provide vital macro- and micronutrients.

One 173-gram cooked potato with skin contains these nutrients:

• 161 kcal
• 37g carbs
• 8g fiber
• 3 grams protein
• 2g fat
• 25% of daily B6 (DV)
• 26% DV potassium
• 27% DV vitamin C
• 12% DV folate
• 12% DV for magnesium

Potatoes are heavy in carbs and poor in protein and fat.

Their carbohydrates are predominantly digestible amylopectin and nondigestible amylose (known as resistant starch). This resistant starch helps potatoes’ health.

Potato Skins Include Fiber

Potatoes aren’t usually considered high-protein foods, yet their amino acids make them high-quality.

Proteins include amino acids. Potatoes include lysine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan.

Potatoes include iron and zinc, which your body needs for oxygen delivery and immunological function.

Cooking techniques impact potatoes’ macronutrient composition, notably fat.

100g of fried potatoes include 14g of fat. Baked or boiled potatoes provide 0.1 grams of fat per serving.

Plus, cooking potatoes might reduce micronutrients.

Potatoes contain vitamin C. Baked or microwaved potatoes have twice as much as boiled or fried.

Advantages

Baked potato in oven provides health advantages:

Appetite Suppression

Potatoes are full, so they can help you lose weight by controlling your hunger.

Potatoes induce satiety more than other carb-rich diets, according to research.

This may be related to PI2, a naturally occurring chemical in potatoes that suppresses hunger.

PI2 blocks an enzyme that breaks down cholecystokinin (CCK), which reduces appetite and enhances fullness. CCK levels rise, reducing food consumption.

High CCK levels slow stomach emptying, causing fullness.

PI2’s appetite-suppressing action makes it a popular weight-loss supplement.

In a trial of 44 healthy women, taking 15 or 30 mg of PI2 1 hour before breakfast decreased appetite and increased fullness.

Manages Blood Sugar

Potatoes include resistant starch and potassium.

Resistant starch is indigestible. It reduces blood sugar and enhances insulin sensitivity like dietary fiber.

Resistant starch reduces a food’s GI. GI measures how carbohydrate-containing diets impact blood sugar levels.

High GI meals raise blood sugar, whereas low GI foods increase it steadily.

Chilled cooked potatoes have a reduced GI compared to freshly cooked potatoes. Due to starch retrogradation, cold starches are difficult to digest.

Cooking procedures also alter potato-resistant starch. Baked potatoes contain more resistant starch than boiled.

In one study, individuals’ blood sugar levels were lower 90 minutes after eating baked potatoes than mashed potatoes, French fries, and white bread.

Potatoes’ potassium concentration improves insulin sensitivity and production, studies reveal.

Baked potatoes have more potassium than boiled ones because boiling releases potassium into the water.

Baked potatoes may lower blood sugar.

More Advantages:

• Better Heart Health. Test-tube and animal research reveal potato protein and resistant starch may decrease blood cholesterol.
• Healthy Stomach. Baked potatoes’ resistant starch produces butyrate. This short-chain fatty acid helps digestive health.
• Cancer-Fighting Potential. Baked potato antioxidants may slow cancer development and kill cancer cells.