Potatoes are one of the most exciting foods we have today. There are different varieties like red potatoes, white potatoes, russet potatoes, and purple potatoes. The purple potato is unique, and not many people use it in their dishes. However, the purple potato not only adds some color and spice to your dish but also has many health benefits. This article examines the four top benefits of purple potatoes and why they should feature at your dinner table more frequently.
Highly Nutritious
Potatoes usually get a bad rep because they’re rich in starch. However, that’s not the only benefit that they offer. There are many nutrients that colorful potatoes like the purple and red potatoes bring to your dishes. Purple potatoes have high mineral content, although it usually depends on the soil. A medium-sized purple potato offers you over 3 grams of fiber, 6% of your daily manganese value, 2 grams of protein, and many more. Potatoes have a higher potassium content than bananas and are naturally low in sodium.
Improves Blood Sugar
The glycemic index shows the level to which any food will raise your blood sugar. Once the glycemic index is higher than 70, it is high. Compared to other potato types like the yellow and white potatoes, the purple potato GI is lower. All potato varieties usually have an impact on your blood sugar level because of their carbohydrate levels. However, colorful potatoes like the purple and red potatoes have less of an effect than others. Purple potato has a high level of polyphenol plant compound which can minimize the absorption of starch into your intestine.
Rich in Antioxidant
This colorful root vegetable is also high in antioxidants. It contains more antioxidants than yellow and white vegetables. These antioxidants assist in protecting your body from the dangerous effect of oxidative stress. Purple potatoes are rich in anthocyanins and help to improve your cholesterol level. It also significantly improves vision and reduces the risk of cancer and different heart diseases. It is also rich in selenium, tyrosine, and many more.
It Minimizes Risk of Cancer
A study revealed that some of the compounds found in purple potatoes could help prevent cancer. A study showed that cancer cells grew slower when treated with purple potato extract. There were cases where the purple potato extract led to the death of the cancer cells. A noteworthy fact is that this research is limited to cancer cells treated in lab rats in a cell.
