Purple potatoes are more than just beautiful; they provide health benefits that range from fighting inflammation to protecting the heart. Take good care in choosing this beautiful and beneficial vegetable!
Colorful food doesn’t just add beauty; they can also indicate nutritional strength. Purple is particularly impressive: its bright hue comes from anthocyanins–antioxidants that fight illness–and is produced in food sources with red, blue and violet hues depending on which variety (there are hundreds). Pigmented potatoes contain plenty of these health-promoting antioxidants to combat inflammation as well as reduce coronary illness risk and cancer risks.
Purple Potato Nutrition
Purple potatoes offer many nutritional advantages beyond antioxidants, including fiber, vitamin C and potassium that may assist with weight reduction, immunity and heart health. One medium prepared purple potato provides approximately the following:
151 Calories
4 Grams Of Protein, Zero Grams Of Fat And 34 Grams Of Carbohydrates With Three Grams Of Fiber for 943mg Potassium (20% Daily Value), And 22 Milligrams Of Vitamin C (24% DV).
Antioxidant Powerhouse
In terms of antioxidants, deeper colored fruits and vegetables tend to be superior. Purple potatoes contain anthocyanins – a type of antioxidant proven to lower risk of chronic illnesses – with recent reports citing 16 to 57 mg anthocyanins per 100 g from red and purple-fleshed potatoes; their antioxidant power compares favorably with Brussels sprouts or spinach in some studies.
Food Science researchers examined how how you prepare food can have an effect on its antioxidant levels, specifically purple potatoes. Pan-searing (60%) and baking (22%), both were associated with significant nutrient losses; microwaving (6%) and bubbling (8%) provided the greatest protection of essential vitamins and minerals. While pan sear or heat purple potatoes might taste delicious, to get maximum value from this investment try other techniques as well.
Heart Healthy
Purple potatoes’ high antioxidant content translates into numerous heart health advantages. According to research published in the Diary of Science, Agribusiness, and Healthcare, 180mL daily of purple potato extract was found to significantly lower blood pressure while simultaneously increasing superoxide dismutase antioxidant levels in bloodstreams of study participants compared with captopril medication for controlling hypertension. Other investigations conducted both with people and animals has corroborated these results.
Plant Food sources for Human Nutrition conducted an investigation to assess what eating entire purple potatoes meant for blood vessel health, which can contribute to hypertension and coronary illness. Participants received either 200 g (the equivalent of one medium-sized potato) loaded with anthocyanins or 200 g of white potato with negligible anthocyanin levels; after fourteen days, blood pressure significantly dropped among those eating purple instead of white potatoes.
Cuts Inflammation
Could Purple Potatoes Reduce Inflammation
Do Purple Potatoes Help Decrease Inflammation
A recent report examined Taiwanese purple potatoes to answer this question, finding their concentrate specialists had high concentrations of anti-inflammatories, which may also halt future inflammation formation and possibly help thwart cancer development as well.
Studies on purple potatoes have focused mainly on their benefits to organs like liver and kidneys, including mice or rodents. A new report from Food Science tracked 17 healthy men for four hours after eating to see how purple potato extract could benefit post-meal inflammation; four hours after this meal the men experienced increased absorption and decreased levels of inflammation post meal – showing the importance of including antioxidant-rich food sources such as purple potatoes in your meals to ensure you get all the essential vitamins your body needs while cutting down on unwanted calories and inflammation levels post meal!
Cancer-Battling
Fighting cancer can be a complex challenge, yet antioxidants provide hope of research to support their anticancer properties. Purple potatoes contain plenty of these anti-cancer agents; in fact, its unique combination of antioxidants and protective compounds has been found to halt cancer cell formation. This could have profound ramifications for certain forms of cancer. A review published in the Diary of Nutritional Organic Chemistry found that processed purple potato and purple potato isolate can significantly decrease beta-catenin’s effects and its potentially dangerous side-effects on colon cancer development, and prevent its harmful side-effects from manifesting themselves. A recent report suggested encouraging results when it came to treating bladder cancer cells using purple potato anthocyanins as therapy. Although not a replacement therapy option, their antioxidant compounds could potentially halt or slow down their progression in certain kinds of cancer cells.
Bottom Line
Bottom Line Its Purple potatoes provide many health benefits, most notably their rich antioxidant content. Eating these vibrantly hued tubers may help with inflammation reduction and damage reduction that leads to chronic conditions like coronary illness and cancer, among others. There are plenty of compelling arguments in favour of adding these beautiful hues to your plate – for more inspiration check out our Healthy Potato Plans.