Potatoes

his is part two in my Food of the Month series about “produce outcasts.” Potatoes are perhaps the best example of a shunned produce item that doesn’t always deserve its bad rap.

Sometimes potatoes do merit their reputation. Spuds are this country’s most popular vegetable, but unfortunately that’s because they’re most commonly cut up into matchsticks, deep fried in trans fat-containing oil, salted and dipped in sodium-rich ketchup. Yes, folks, French fries are usually the only “vegetable” eaten by most Americans on any given day. Because of this, potatoes are often unfairly labeled as fattening by diet gurus and weight loss experts who usually prohibit potatoes on their highly specialized and exclusive eating plans. I agree that you should avoid eating processed potatoes such as frozen, canned, refrigerated, and fried potato products, but I do recommend that you include potatoes in their whole natural forms in your diet. Although French fries can contribute to ill health when eaten regularly, it is not the potatoes that are necessarily the deleterious ingredient; it is the unhealthy fat, salt and other ingredients added in processing and cooking that make them unhealthful. Potatoes are a great starchy vegetable that can stand in for a whole grain at a meal while offering an array of important nutrients.

Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium, as well as a good source of fiber, magnesium, copper, manganese, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate. In fact, a baked potato has twice as much potassium as a banana! Potatoes also offer two special phytonutrients that you may not have heard of before: chlorogenic acid and kukoamines. Chlorogenic acid sounds dangerous but it actually protects the liver and the colon against the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines. Kukoamines can help maintain optimal blood pressure levels.

There are hundreds of different types of potatoes, with Russet being the most popular (they’re used for French fries). At Gelson’s we like to carry bakers, boilers and all-purpose as well as mature and baby varieties. Boilers refer to potatoes that are waxy and have a high-moisture, low-starch content. Since they are waxy and low in starch, they are preferable for those who are concerned with controlling their blood sugar (dry heat cooking methods produce the best blood sugar responses). These varieties can be boiled without losing their shape but they are wonderful when roasted, too. Examples of boilers include all baby potatoes (including baby purple and baby red), as well as Russian banana fingerlings, round reds, round whites and oblong White Rose. Bakers refer to mealy, low-moisture, high-starch potatoes that get dry and fluffy when cooked whether baked or boiled. Russets are a prime example of a Bakers potato. All-purpose potatoes have moderate moisture and starch contents, placing them somewhere between starchy and waxy. Yukon Gold and Red Gold are examples of good all-purpose potatoes. Baby potatoes are freshly harvested and have thin skins, while mature potatoes have been stored for several months to produce a thick skin.

When selecting potatoes, look for firm specimens without any sprouts or green spots. At home, store them in a cool, dry, dark, ventilated area such as a pantry but never in a refrigerator. Discard potatoes that get soft, moldy or green as they can cause other potatoes in the batch to spoil rapidly. You must either cut out sprouts and green spots or discard the whole potato. Use a vegetable brush and running water to clean the skin of your spuds before you cook them. Never use aluminum or iron pots to cook potatoes, as their flesh will react with the metals and turn gray. Leave skin on whenever possible, since it offers plenty of fiber, iron, calcium, potassium and zinc. You’ll be surprised at how often skin can be left on for grating and mashing without compromising the finished recipe. My favorite method of cooking spuds, especially baby varieties, is to toss them with olive oil and dried herbs and roast them at 375º Fahrenheit for 45-60 minutes. Russets or Yukon Golds can be boiled and blended into soups for adding creaminess without adding actual cream. Always add potatoes to boiling rather than cold water to preserve the vitamin C. This month, try my recipe for Potato Fingers, a Kid-Friendly Recipe.

Sipping on the Pounds

everal new research studies indicate that your choice in beverages could be causing you to gain weight. Soft drinks have been blamed, in part, for the rising rates of obesity in this county and it’s no surprise why: Americans drink an average of 52 gallons of soda per person per year! That’s 80,704 calories a year if you drink just 18 ounces of soda a day.

Soda and caloric beverages play a role in your calorie intake, since research has proven that drinking calories will only add to the number of calories you eat. In other words, calories from liquids are not as satisfying as calories from solid foods. Furthermore, beverages that contain high-fructose corn syrup may even stimulate your appetite.

Soft drinks are also problematic because they provide little or no nutrition and they can contribute to tooth decay and weakened bones. Juice, although nutritious, is a caloric beverage, as well, and can contribute to weight gain in the same manner as other caloric beverages. If you add just 12 ounces of soda or juice to your daily diet and don’t change anything else, you could potentially gain 15 pounds over the course of a year.

If you are trying to lose weight, take a look at what you’re drinking. Water should be your main source of fluid, with a serving or two of nonfat milk or soy milk added in for bone-building nutrients. Brewed coffee and teas are virtually calorie-free, but be mindful of what you add to them. If you are trying to gain weight, then fresh juices, such as pomegranate and orange juice, are a healthful way to increase your calorie intake. If you currently drink a high-quality juice and your weight is healthy and stable, then you can probably continue with your routine. By the way, artificially sweetened beverages are not a smart solution to the caloric beverage issue, as they may tempt you to over-indulge in something else because you think you’re being “good” by drinking a “diet” beverage.