Health Articles

The Power Of Purple Potatoes

With our consciousness and mindfulness towards good nutrition growing, we are increasingly turning away from the conventional foods that we’re often presented with, looking further afield for some nutritious and exotic food items.

One such food is the purple potato which has seen a surge in popularity in recent times.

Aptly named, the purple potato appears as you would imagine, a bright purple potato, but what about it makes it different.

 

 

What Are Purple Potatoes?

 

Aside from just literally being potatoes that are purple, purple potatoes also have a few unique attributes that set them aside from other similar tubers.

 

Indigenous to South America, these dark blue-purple spuds come in several varieties, but one thing that rings consistent with all of them is the flavor.

 

Much more aromatic than your regular white potatoes, purple potatoes have an earthy flavor.

 

They also have a more dense, firm texture that regular potatoes.

 

Aside from different physical properties, purple potatoes have a different nutrient profile altogether.

 

They are much denser in essential nutrients than regular potatoes, and also come with a bunch of other health-boosting qualities.

 

This article is going to look at some of these health benefits, and hopefully help you make the switch to more purple potatoes in your diet.

 

 

5 Health Benefits Of Purple Potatoes

 

 

Purple Potatoes

 

 

Amazing Nutrient Profile

Purple potatoes come with quite a load of essential nutrients, especially where potatoes are concerned.

 

Here’s a quick checklist for you:

 

  • Manganese

  • Copper

  • Iron

  • Potassium

  • Vitamin B6

  • Vitamin C

 

This nutrient profile allows you to gain quite a few essentials in one serving.

 

Another great thing about purple potatoes, nutritionally speaking, is their low-calorie value.

 

Coming in at just 87 kCal per 100 grams, purple potatoes seem like a great option if you’re trying to shed calories from your plate and ultimately pounds off your body.

 

 

High in Antioxidants

Purple potatoes are high in antioxidants.

 

Their deep purple color is a dead giveaway to this fact since deep plant pigments are often an indication of antioxidant availability.

 

Antioxidants are good for you because they help limit and prevent damage to your cells that would otherwise increase the rate of aging.

 

That’s because oxidative stress caused by free radicals, damages the membranes of your cells, leaving them vulnerable to a quicker demise.

 

The antioxidant profile of purple potatoes includes vitamin C. some carotenoids, polyphenols, selenium, and tyrosine.

 

 

Great Source Of Fiber

Purple potatoes are an amazing source of fiber.

 

Their fiber content is higher than regular potatoes which already dish our a decent amount.

 

Fiber is an essential component to digestive health.

 

You are probably aware that fiber helps keep your gut functioning regularly by helping move waste material out effectively.

 

But fiber also has an important function as a prebiotic.

 

It helps feed the micro-ecosystem of gut bacteria that live in your colon, allowing them to perform the activities that boost your health optimally.

 

 

Low GI Carb Source

Purple potatoes are a low glycaemic index food. This is in major part due to the aforementioned fiber content.

 

That’s because fiber assists in mediating the uptake of glucose from the digestive system into the bloodstream.

 

This mediation helps reduce sugar spikes, which over a long period, can result in insulin resistance, thus increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

 

 

Lowers Risk Of Hypertension.

Purple potatoes have been shown to lower the risk of chronic high blood pressure also known as hypertension.

 

Through the presence of antioxidants and management of blood sugar levels, you’re already on your way to lower blood pressure.

 

This is especially true from the polyphenolic compounds present in these interesting tubers.

 

These compounds help stimulate vasodilation (widening of blood vessels). This improves blood flow and decreases pressure.

Conclusion

So there you have it everybody, 5 amazing benefits of the little known purple potatoes.

 

The exciting and exotic color, texture and flavor already make this an exciting thing to include in your meals, so why not also enjoy it for its plethora of profound health benefits?

 

If you have any questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to drop us a line in the comment section below.

 

We’ll be sure to get back to you in no time.

 

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