For a long time, people's impression of potatoes has mostly been "high in starch, easy to cause obesity." The unique advantages of potatoes as a staple food.
Data shows: 100 grams of fresh potatoes contain 17.2 grams of carbohydrates, 100 grams of steamed rice contain 25.9 grams of carbohydrates, 100 grams of steamed buns contain 47 grams of carbohydrates... In fact, the carbohydrate content in potatoes is lower than that of commonly eaten foods such as rice, steamed buns, and bread. In terms of the same amount of starch, 1 jin of dry rice is equivalent to about 4 jin of potatoes; 1 jin of cooked rice is equivalent to about 1.5 jin of cooked potatoes.
Mashed Potatoes
In addition, the vitamins and minerals in potatoes have also received unanimous praise from nutrition experts. Fan Zhihong, an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at the College of Food Science, China Agricultural University, said on her blog: "All kinds of tubers not only contain vitamin C that is completely absent in grains, but are also rich in various B vitamins that are insufficient in rice. For example, the vitamin C content in potatoes can be comparable to that of tomatoes, and because of the protection from starch, the loss of vitamin C during cooking is relatively small."
Using potatoes as a staple food may have a positive impact on blood sugar and weight control
For both obese individuals and diabetic patients, controlling post-meal blood sugar fluctuations and inhibiting the rapid, large secretion of insulin are important factors in controlling weight and diabetes, and a reasonable diet is a key means. Although both rice and potatoes contain starch and can easily cause blood sugar to rise after a meal, when used as a staple food, tubers have a slower rate of blood sugar increase compared to rice and white flour. Domestic blood sugar test data shows that the glycemic response of potatoes and sweet potatoes is higher than that of oats and buckwheat but lower than that of rice, steamed buns, and bread. This is because the dietary fiber and resistant starch in potatoes cause slow digestion, a slower increase in blood sugar, which in turn makes it easier to control post-meal blood sugar and insulin secretion. Coupled with the characteristics of being filling and slow to digest, people are less likely to feel hungry, which can reduce food intake and aid in weight loss.
Fan Zhihong believes: "If a portion of the staple food can be replaced with potatoes and other tubers, it is not only beneficial for preventing obesity, but also for controlling blood pressure, and has no adverse effects on the prevention of diabetes. At the same time, the intake of various vitamins will increase significantly, with more fiber and more minerals, which is greatly beneficial for improving the nutritional quality of the day."
When using potatoes as a staple food, it is especially important to supplement protein
Although potatoes have many advantages, from a nutritional perspective, they have a hard-to-make-up shortcoming: they contain almost no protein. Data shows that every 100 grams of steamed buns contain 7 grams of protein, every 100 grams of japonica rice contain 7.7 grams of protein, while every 100 grams of fresh potatoes contain only 2 grams of protein. Ma Guansheng, Deputy Director of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, points out: "The nutritional components of potatoes are rich. The 'Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents' suggests appropriately increasing the intake of tubers, about 5 times a week, with an intake of 50-100 grams each time. However, because the protein content of tubers is relatively low, long-term excessive consumption by children can be detrimental to their growth and development." Therefore, when potatoes are used as the staple food, protein intake should be increased specifically. Potatoes can be mixed with beans and rice to be consumed as a staple, or a small amount of high-quality animal protein can be added daily, such as lean meat, liver, fish, and shellfish. In addition, when not yet accustomed to using potatoes as the staple food, it is best not to immediately change the staple food to all potatoes, especially in families with elderly members and children. The proportion and frequency of potatoes as a staple food can be gradually increased, while maintaining a balanced diet.