Gastroenterologist Ekaterina Kashukh: potatoes can strengthen cardiovascular health, but you need to eat them wisely.
Doctor Kashukh stated that eating young and fresh potatoes strengthens the heart and blood vessels.
“Some studies show that people who eat potatoes regularly have a lower risk of cardiovascular complications,” she noted in a commentary for Life.
According to the doctor, this effect is due to the fact that potatoes contain potassium, a microelement that helps regulate blood pressure. In addition, it contains vitamin C, which is extremely beneficial for the immune system and specifically for blood vessels. In addition, potatoes are a source of phenolic acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties, which is important for the prevention of heart and brain diseases.
At the same time, the doctor emphasized, it is unsafe to abuse this product – it is high in calories and contains a lot of carbohydrates, passion for potatoes can contribute to excess weight and the development of insulin resistance.
Doctor Kashukh told how to eat potatoes with health benefits:
“You should boil it, preferably in the skin, and then cool it. In this case, resistant starch is formed, which is not digested in the small intestine and reaches the large intestine unchanged. There it acts as a prebiotic, feeding beneficial bacteria, breaks down more slowly and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels.”
The specialist emphasized that no more than 1-2 medium potatoes per day should be consumed in this form. The doctor added that if potatoes are stored for a long time, their beneficial substances are destroyed, and there are almost no vitamins and minerals left.
Earlier, the MedikForum.ru portal wrote about which vegetables improve the body's defense against cancer.
Important! Information provided for reference purposes. Ask a specialist about contraindications and side effects and do not self-medicate under any circumstances. At the first signs of illness, consult a doctor.
Ekaterina Kashukh Healthy lifestyle gastroenterologist