Potatoes are edible tubers produced by the plant solanum tuberosum, belonging to the Solanaceae family. Potatoes aren’t a fatty food and, from the nutritional point of view, they are characterized by a high content in vitamins, such as group B and C, mineral salts, such as calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium, that makes the potatoes a food able to relax, proteins and anti inflammatory and antioxidant substances (Camire et al, Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2009). In the previous post we have seen some tips on how to cook potatoes in order to keep them digestible and healthy and also to preserve, at least partially, their content in vitamin C. Today we’ll see the food combinations to prefer in order to maximize the calming action of these tubers and to make the potatoes a perfect dish for the evening or before important exams. Finally, we will see that fried potatoes, in some cases, may be useful for the health. Potatoes should be limited in case of diabetes.
Potatoes, benefits and food combinations
Potatoes are a great food when it comes to calming a very agitated nervous system, before important exams or in case of insomnia or cramps. For example, you can offer baked potatoes, much more digestible than boiled potatoes, served with some chopped leaves of sage. Sage should be added at the end of cooking and always without exaggeration, in this way you can increase the sedative power of the recipe. Rosemary instead will make the preparation more digestible. Then, here for you another idea to take advantage of the relaxing action of potatoes, you can prepare a soup of pasta and potatoes! In this case, in fact, you can benefit also from the action of tryptophan and the carbohydrates of pasta. These substances increase in the brain, indeed, the levels of serotonin, the hormone of good mood able to regulate the sleep wake rhythm (Spring, Nutr Health, 1984). And for an even more effective relaxing action, for example before school exams, agitation and insomnia, you can exploit the calming properties of garlic and prepare potatoes, garlic and parsley. Garlic in fact acts by relaxing the muscles, by increasing vasodilation and thus reducing blood pressure (Ried et al, Integr Blood Press Control, 2014) while parsley, thanks to the iron contained in it, will help to make the other compounds more available ( Aufiero, The nutritional and therapeutic role of foods). The recipe is simple, peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces. Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Add the chopped parsley, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a clove of crushed garlic. Cook over a low heat until the potatoes are completely cooked. Instead, in case of stones and high blood pressure, here is another food combination, potatoes and leeks, characterized by a diuretic action (Aufiero, The nutritional and therapeutic role of food). In this case, you just have to cut the leeks into slices and the same quantity of potatoes into cubes. Brown the leeks in a pan with extra virgin olive oil, then add the potatoes and, after a few minutes, cover with hot water. Cook over a low heat until the potatoes are ready.
French fries
French fries are so good that it is difficult to find someone who doesn’t love them. Always without excess and keeping in mind to prefer a good homemade fry food, prepared in extra virgin olive oil before it reaches the point of smoke, even the French fries, eaten occasionally, are able to deeply stimulate the work of the liver and gall bladder and improve the flow of bile.
