TO EAT IS HUMAN; TO DIGEST DIVINE” Can you relate?

Have you ever eaten a raw potato? Irish peasants called their potatoes “bog apples” and ate them raw.  Besides saving lives through the years of famine, potatoes “help keep the doctor away” just like apples.

Eaten raw, pound for pound, a potato furnishes about 1/3 less calories than bread.   Its superior digestibility and food value as a source of protein, vitamins and minerals make it ideal for reducing caloric intake without losing many essential food factors.

One medium-sized raw potato contains about 100 calories  – much less than a serving of spaghetti, pie or cake.  It’s easy to digest.  A potato has very little sugar or fat and is high in potassium, (which helps regulate your heart beat), phosphorus and calcium, as well as protein.

Potato skins (my favorite part) are not very thick, but contain about 9% of the protein. Close under the skin is where you find the most solid portion of the potato.  Cooking and eating potatoes with the skin on, conserves most of the vitamins and minerals –

About 25 % of the vitamins are lost in cooking, especially Vitamin C.  Thus the recommendation to eat ‘em raw.  Try the “fingerling” potatoes raw-thinly sliced.  Dip them in salt & butter or a salad dressing - the “crunch” is great.  And chewing helps digestion. Cooking in salted water conserves Vit. C and drop them carefully into boiling water, not cold.

For anyone with gluten intolerance, potatoes are far better than pasta.  also try spaghetti squash in place of pasta – lots more vitamins, minerals and less fattening!!

Fact: Depletion or deficiencies of certain vitamins or minerals can lead to a variety of general health problems and specific nutritional disorders, among which depression and other psychological challenges are listed. If it’s potatoes vs Prozac for relaxing then potatoes win in my book: Food makes the difference