Potatoes, the harm and benefits of which are actively discussed by both specialists and ordinary people, have long taken a strong place in the menu of many Europeans. This also applies to the countries of the former Soviet Union, where it is called the “second bread” and is actively used as side dishes for the preparation of basic and even dietary dishes.
About the benefits of potatoes
If we consider the vegetable from a medical point of view, then it opens up a lot of interesting properties. Firstly, tuber juice has anti-inflammatory properties. It is prescribed for both external and internal use in the treatment of various ulcers, purulent and other lesions. Due to its high potassium content, the vegetable is recommended for people with problems of the cardiovascular system. The maximum amount of useful elements is in the peel, so for a better effect, the tubers are recommended not to peel before cooking. In the treatment of ailments associated with colds, potatoes are used for inhalation and compresses, and mashed potatoes are recommended for people with digestive tract problems.
The nutritional value
In most cases, potatoes are not perceived as a medicine, but as a food product. In the world there are more than 50 thousand varieties of this plant. They were bred by humans in order to provide the population with food. For this reason, potatoes are one of the key foods in America and Asia, Europe and Australia.
People are used to seeing this vegetable on their table literally every day. There are thousands of recipes that include potatoes. The harm and benefits of tubers largely depends on the method of preparation. On the one hand, this vegetable is low-calorie and contains a number of trace elements necessary for a person. On the other hand, under certain conditions, toxic substances can accumulate in the tubers. And with some types of heat treatment (for example, frying in oil) - carcinogens.
About the dangers of potatoes
If we consider the plant as a whole from the point of view of botany, then this annual shrub of the nightshade family is considered poisonous. In particular, this applies to the stem, flowers, as well as berries (similar to small green tomatoes) with seeds. However, only tubers are eaten. They are meant when they say "potato". The harm and benefits of this part of the plant has been studied enough to say that its use in food is absolutely safe. The exception is greened specimens, which indeed may well be poisonous. For this reason, do not store potatoes in the light, and when buying, you should carefully inspect each tuber, paying attention to color.
With prolonged storage of the vegetable, solanine poison accumulates in it. As a rule, its concentration reaches a dangerous value closer to spring, when the tubers begin to sprout. Therefore, when consuming potatoes, starting in January, it is recommended to peel it (the poison is concentrated in the peel). Special care should be taken by pregnant women, since solanine negatively affects the embryo and can lead to severe malformations.
Fried potatoes
As mentioned earlier, the benefits of this product largely depend on the method of its preparation. According to most nutritionists, fried potatoes are dishes that are highly undesirable. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, in the process of preparing the tubers absorb a lot of oil, which then enters the stomach. As a result, the dish is fatty and very high-calorie. Secondly, fried in itself is not very useful. And, thirdly, they use it, as a rule, with a lot of salt and sauces, which are also quite harmful. For this reason, it is better to replace it with baked potatoes, the benefits and harms of which are also ambiguous, but still most specialists are inclined to this method of preparation.
To minimize the negative impact of fried on the body, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules in the process. And it is still better to use it in moderation.
How to fry potatoes?
It turns out that this dish can be completely transferred from the class of “categorically harmful and forbidden” to the category of “not very recommended, but quite acceptable”. To do this, you must follow some not too complicated rules.
First, do not soak peeled and cut tubers in water, as some housewives recommend. Otherwise, most of the nutrients will remain in it, and potatoes will become just a bad snack.
Secondly, it can only be fried in fresh refined oil, which, after cooking, must be poured out and not reused. Thirdly, first the potatoes are brought to a golden crust in a very hot pan, and then they remove the fire and continue to fry until tender on a weak one. You need to salt and add spices at the very end, when the dish is ready.
Boiled potatoes
This is one of the most common side dishes. And you can cook it in several ways: mashed potatoes, slices or in "uniforms". In all cases, you get boiled potatoes. The benefits and harms will undoubtedly be different. The easiest option is to cook peeled tubers in salted water, adding a few bay leaves and peppercorns to them. Potatoes are prepared, depending on the variety, from 10 to 25-30 minutes. Then it can be greased with a piece of butter and sprinkled with chopped herbs.
A more useful option is boiled potatoes. So in it the maximum of necessary elements is saved. True, harmful ones also persist. So pre-tubers should be thoroughly washed and inspected for damage and greening.
Even better if steamed potatoes. This is perhaps the most useful way. Before cooking potatoes in a double boiler, it must either be washed very well or peeled. Such tubers are suitable for salad, and as the basis of the filling of the pie or dumplings, and as an independent side dish.
Mashed potatoes
Favorite dish of children and adults, which is quite easy to prepare. It can be made dietary using a minimum of spices and fat, or creamy-air, with milk, butter and egg yolk. In the first case, the potatoes are simply boiled in salted water. Then it is crushed by a crush and brought to a state of puree, adding liquid as necessary.
To make the dish tasty while the potatoes are being boiled, you can put a couple of bay leaves and a little pepper in the water. After all the pieces have been transferred, add butter and egg yolk, and bring to the desired condition with boiled milk. It turns out a very delicate tasty side dish.
How to cook stewed potatoes?
Such a dish is not called a side dish. It can well be served for dinner and during lunch. It is advisable to add other vegetables there. And if you stew potatoes with meat, you get a real feast. During fasting and those on a diet, it is better to limit yourself to the vegetable option. They are cooked approximately the same, with the exception of the addition of meat.
A pound of pork will need one and a half kilograms of potato. They also take large carrots, medium onions, vegetable oil, salt, bay leaves, peppercorns, and other spices can be used. Still a little greens come in handy.
Before cooking
stewed potatoes with meat, it will not hurt to marinate it. To do this, pork is cut into small pieces (3x3 cm), salted, sprinkled with ground pepper, you can add other spices. Then it is left for half an hour. During this time, you need to peel all the vegetables. Potatoes are poured with water so that it does not darken.
Vegetable oil is poured into a cauldron or pan with a thick bottom and the meat is fried on it until crusted. Then coarsely chopped onions and carrots are added there, continue to fry, stirring occasionally. When the vegetables begin to brown, the potatoes are cut into cubes, equal in size to the meat, and sent to the pan. Pour hot water so that it covers all the pieces, add bay leaf and peppercorns, simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. At the end, the dish is salted to taste and sprinkled with chopped herbs.
Potatoes can be so different. The harm and benefits of its use are sometimes a little exaggerated. So in fact, it is possible for everyone. The main thing is to properly prepare and know the measure.