A real diet helper: That’s why you should eat more potatoes!

perfect filling

Potatoes also provide the body with high-quality protein and contain almost no fat. It also contains many healthy elements such as minerals, fiber and vitamins. Since they consist of slowly digested carbohydrates, they create a long-term feeling of fullness and also stimulate digestion.

Although potatoes may not be on the menu of low-carb diets, they are a real game changer on low-calorie diets: Since you can eat significantly larger amounts of potatoes instead of pasta or rice for the same amount of calories, you’ll also be better off when you’re fed up.

Even healthier when reheated

But the important thing is the right preparation! The healthy tuber, which is fried in oil or gratin with oily cream sauce, also turns into a calorie bomb. Of course, the lowest-calorie preparation is made in water, for example, Gschwellti or boiled potatoes.

If you reheat potatoes the day before, you can save a small amount of calories: 100 grams of chilled potatoes contain about 3.5 calories less than freshly cooked ones. This is because cooling creates a particularly valuable fiber (called resistant starch). Crystal structures that cannot be broken down by digestive enzymes are formed; These structures remain intact even when reheated, and thus the starch becomes unusable for the body.

Are sweet potatoes the “healthier” tuber?

Resistant starch is extremely healthy for our large intestine: it is broken down there by lactic acid bacteria. This creates a short-chain fatty acid called butyric acid. This has a positive effect on the body: Butyric acid is the most important energy supplier for the intestinal mucosa, protects against inflammation and, for example, also supports healthy intestinal flora.

There’s been a lot of hype in recent years about sweet potatoes, which don’t develop resistant starch when cooled: the sweet tuber is often touted online as a “healthier” potato.

More calories but also more vitamins

In fact, there are approximately 86 calories in 100 grams of sweet potato; This is more calories than traditional potatoes. It also comes in second place when it comes to carbohydrates: with 20 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams of sweet potato, a quarter more than the standard tuber.

When it comes to micronutrients, sweet potatoes are clearly ahead: in particular, the relevant amounts of calcium, potassium, folic acid and phosphorus are significantly higher. The sweet version of potatoes contributes to healthy bones and a strong heart. Sweet potatoes also score significantly higher for vitamins: Their vitamin C content is nearly twice as high!