Scared of eating regular fries? 4 healthiest potatoes to try

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healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by dzenina)

If you feel guilty about indulging in your usual fries, look at the four healthiest potatoes options to combat this. Common dishes highlight potatoes, such as mashed potatoes, cheesy cream potatoes, and fast-food-style fries.

Starch becomes a carbohydrate, which turns into glucose inside our bodies, serving as energy. Therefore, starchy edibles could serve as a wonderful calorie adder or to complete a meal.

The key elements found in potatoes include fibre, potassium, and carbohydrates. They offer health rewards when baked, grilled, or roasted. Coupling them with minor amounts of protein and healthy fats also proves beneficial.

Potatoes occasionally get overlooked due to their carb richness, yet they are packed with nutrients. Potatoes offer a good amount of fibre, essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.


4 healthiest potatoes to try

1) Russet potatoes

Russet potatoes, arguably one of the most popular and widely used potato varieties, are a feature in kitchens throughout the country. Russet potatoes are available in several kinds, including Goldrush, Centennial, and Burbank.

Russets possess a mild, earthy flavour with a light, dry texture. They are best used for frying and baking. This results in a crispy exterior and a light, fluffy interior. This sort of potato tastes great when baked, cut into made-at-home french fries, or grilled in wedges. They have a sturdy, light-brown exterior and pale yellow or white flesh inside.

healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by pixabay)
healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by pixabay)

2) Sweet potatoes

Contrary to what their name suggests, sweet potatoes are not directly related to their milky-white counterparts; instead, they are part of the blended family.

Sweet potatoes bring a diverse bounty of vitamins and minerals to the table, including iron, calcium, selenium, vitamin C, and B vitamins. They also boast an unmatched content of beta-carotene, an antioxidant known to significantly improve vitamin A levels in the blood.

healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by venessa)
healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by venessa)

Surprisingly, they have equivalent levels of water, carbohydrates, fat, and protein compared to regular potatoes. However, they score more on the beneficial side with a lower glycemic index, along with enhanced fat and sugar content.

Sweet potatoes demonstrate remarkable versatility. Whether you want to boil, bake, steam, or fry, sweet potatoes are up to everything.

healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by pixabay)
healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by pixabay)

3) Purple potatoes

The appealing hue of purple sweet potatoes is attributed to anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants popularly associated with numerous health benefits. These benefits include anti-inflammatory capabilities and an enhancement in cognitive functions.

They're also high in fibre, minerals, vitamins, and minerals. These sweet potatoes possess dark purple flesh and an almost nutty flavor. They are frequently found in desserts and have developed appeal because of their distinct colour and potential health advantages.

healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by polina)
healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by polina)

4) Red potatoes

They have the greatest levels of minerals, vitamins, and beneficial phytochemicals. They are rich in quercetin, a type of flavonoid with potent anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. They also include more lutein as well as choline (for cognitive function) than every other potato on the list.

healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by askar)
healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by askar)

One large red potato contains half of the suggested daily amount of vitamin B6, and it helps with protein, carbohydrate, and fat metabolism as well as red blood cell synthesis.

Just one red potato also contains 30 percent of the necessary daily niacin consumption, which is required for energy synthesis from food and aids digestion. Niacin also aids in the reduction of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), as well as the maintenance of youthful-looking skin and nerves.

healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by tima)
healthiest potatoes (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by tima)

To summarise, avoid French fries if possible. Although non-fried potatoes may increase your diabetes risk, you can minimise it by eating colourful potatoes, chilling them, or incorporating vinegar or broccoli.

It would still be preferable to consume, for example, sweet potatoes that could lengthen your life rather than provide a neutral impact, and perhaps even better, purple sweet potatoes.

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