EAT FIT/NOT FAT

Pick Up A Potato

Despite popular belief, potatoes can be a nutritious part of a healthy diet. Potatoes are rich in fiber and potassium, nutrients that the human body needs for health. However, the other ingredients you combine with potatoes to make dishes like mashed potatoes or a loaded baked potato can turn a healthy food into a less desirable choice.

Traditional toppings for potatoes, such as butter and sour cream, are high sources of saturated fat and cholesterol. Eating large amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol leads to an increase in the level of bad Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in a person’s blood, which is associated with an increased risk for heart disease. Stick margarine is another poor choice because it contains transfat. Eating transfat also leads to an increase in one’s LDL cholesterol level. To reduce your risk for heart disease, you should limit your intake of saturated fat and avoid eating transfat.

Whenever possible, substitute unsaturated fats, which do not elevate the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood. For example, replace butter with a spread that is made with vegetable oil. A vegetable oil spread is similar to a soft margarine. Look for spreads made with vegetable oils such as soybean oil, canola oil, sesame oil, and olive oil. These spreads primarily contain the unsaturated type of fat. You can usually find vegetable oil spreads in the butter and margarine section at your local grocery store. When selecting a vegetable oil spread, check the ingredients to make sure the product does not contain partially hydrogenated oil, which is a source of transfat. In addition, check the nutrition facts panel to make sure the product contains zero grams of transfat.

BE AWARE:

Mashed potatoes prepared with whole milk, butter, and sour cream

Sour cream, butter, and whole milk are rich sources of saturated fat and cholesterol.

BETTER:

Mashed potatoes prepared with light sour cream and one percent milk t-key-lasting-weight-loss.html

By using light sour cream and one percent milk, you can decrease the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the mashed potatoes. One half cup of regular sour cream contributes about 13 grams of saturated fat and 60 milligrams of cholesterol while one half cup of light sour cream contributes only about 7.5 grams of saturated fat and 40 milligrams of cholesterol. One cup of whole milk contributes about 4.5 grams of saturated fat and 24 milligrams of cholesterol while one cup of one percent milk contributes only about 1.5 grams of saturated fat and 10 milligrams of cholesterol.

SOURCE: www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1206765/Wh y-potatoes-suprising-health-benefi

19th century English and Spanish sailors ate potatoes to fend off scurvy.

BEST: Smashed red potatoes

In this recipe, skim milk and vegetable oil spread are used instead of whole milk and butter.

Ingredients:

4 (8-oz.) red potatoes (unpeeled) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil spread 1/4 cup skim milk

1 clove garlic, crushed Pepper and salt to taste

Directions:

1. Scrub potatoes, then quarter them into pieces of equal size.

2. Put potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover them and bring water to a boil. Cover pot with a lid and let the potatoes sit in the hot water until they are soft. The potatoes are soft enough when a fork can easily pierce the potatoes.

3. Drain water from potatoes.

4. Add vegetable oil spread and skim milk to potatoes.

5. Smash potatoes with a fork or a potato masher.

6. Add garlic. Then add pepper and salt to taste.

7. Reheat the smashed potatoes for a few seconds in a microwave immediately before serving.