Potatoes: harm and benefit of root vegetables with different methods of cooking

Potatoes, the harm and benefit of which is actively discussed both by specialists and ordinary people, has long taken a firm place in the menu of many Europeans. This applies to the countries of the post-Soviet space, where it is called "second bread" and is actively used as side dishes for cooking basic and even dietary dishes.

About the benefits of potatoes

If you consider a vegetable from a medical point of view, then it opens a lot of interesting properties. First, the tuber juice has anti-inflammatory properties. It is prescribed for external as well as for internal use in the treatment of various ulcers, purulent and other lesions. Due to the high content of potassium, vegetables are recommended for people with cardiovascular problems. The maximum number of useful elements is in the peel, so for a greater effect, the tubers are recommended not to be cleaned before cooking. In the treatment of diseases associated with colds, potatoes are used for inhalations and compresses, and its puree is recommended for people with digestive tract problems.

The nutritional value

In most cases, potatoes are perceived not as a medicinal product, but as a food product. In the world there are more than 50 thousand varieties of this plant. They were withdrawn by a man in order to provide the population with food. For this reason, potatoes are one of the key food products in America and Asia, Europe and Australia.

People are accustomed to seeing this vegetable on their table literally every day. There are thousands of recipes that include potatoes. The harm and benefit of tubers depends largely on the way they are cooked. On the one hand, the vegetable is low-calorie and contains a number of microelements necessary for humans. On the other, under certain conditions, poisonous substances can accumulate in tubers. And with some types of heat treatment (for example, frying in oil) - carcinogens.

On the dangers of potatoes

If we consider the plant as a whole from the point of view of botany, then this annual bush of the Solanaceae family is considered poisonous. In particular, it concerns the stem, flowers, and berries (similar to small tomatoes of green color) with seeds. However, only strawberries are used for food. They mean when they say "potatoes". The damage and benefit of this part of the plant is sufficiently studied to say that its consumption is absolutely safe. The exception is the greenish specimens, which may very well turn out to be poisonous. For this reason, it is not necessary to store potatoes in the light, and when buying, you should carefully examine each tuber, paying attention to the color.

With prolonged storage of the vegetable, solanine is accumulated in it. As a rule, its concentration reaches a dangerous value closer to spring, when the tubers begin to produce sprouts. Therefore, when using potatoes, starting from January, it is recommended to clean it (poison concentrates in the skin). Particular care should be taken in pregnancy, since solanine negatively affects the embryo and can lead to severe malformations.

Damage to fried potatoes

As mentioned earlier, the benefit of this product depends largely on the way it is prepared. According to most nutritionists, fried potatoes refer to dishes, the use of which is highly undesirable. There are several reasons for this. First, during the preparation of the tubers soak up a lot of oil, which then falls into the stomach. As a result, the dish is fat and very high in calories. Secondly, fried in itself is not very useful. And, thirdly, use it, usually 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 experts are inclined towards this method of preparation.

To minimize the negative impact of fried on the body, it is necessary in the process to adhere to certain rules. And use it is still better in moderation.

How correctly to fry potatoes?

It turns out that this dish can be translated from the class of "absolutely harmful and forbidden" to the category of "not very recommended, but quite acceptable." To do this, you must follow a few not too complicated rules.

First, do not soak peeled and chopped tubers in the water, as some mistresses recommend. Otherwise, most of the nutrients will remain in it, and potatoes will become just a bad snack.

Secondly, it can be fried exclusively on fresh refined oil, which must be poured out after use and not reused. Thirdly, first the potatoes are brought to a golden crust in a very hot frying pan, and after they remove the fire and continue to fry until ready for the weak. Salt and add the spices you need 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 will get boiled potatoes. The benefits and harms will undoubtedly be different. The simplest option is to cook the peeled tubers in salted water, adding a few laurel leaves and peas to them. Potatoes are prepared, depending on the variety, from 10 to 25-30 minutes. Then it can be smeared with a piece of butter and sprinkled with chopped herbs.

More useful option - potatoes, boiled in the skin. So in it the maximum of necessary elements is saved. True, the harmful ones are also preserved. So pre-tubers should be thoroughly washed and inspected for damage and gardening.

It's even better if you cook steamed potatoes. Perhaps this is the most useful way. Before you cook potatoes in a double boiler, you need to either wash it very well or peel it off. Such tubers can be used both for salad, and as a basis for filling pies or vareniki, and as an independent garnish.

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-airy, with milk, butter and egg yolk. In the first case, the potatoes are simply boiled in salted water. Then it is pressed by a tolter and brought to the state of mashed potatoes, pouring the liquid as necessary.

To make the dish tasty, while potatoes are brewed, you can put a couple of laurel leaves and a few peppercorns in the water. After all the pieces have been transferred, add butter and egg yolk, and to the desired condition bring boiled milk. It turns out a very delicate garnish.

How to cook stewed potatoes?

This dish is not a garnish. It can be served for dinner, and during lunch. It is advisable to add other vegetables there. And if you extinguish potatoes with meat, you will get a real feast. During fasting and those who are on a diet, it is better to be limited to a vegetable option. They are prepared approximately equally, except for the addition of meat.

Half a kilo of pork will need a half kilogram of potatoes. Also take a large carrot, an average onion, vegetable oil, salt, bay leaves, peppercorns, you can use other spices. Still useful a little greens.

Before you cook stewed potatoes with meat, it does not prevent it from marinating. To do this, pork is cut into small pieces (3x3 cm), salt, sprinkled with ground pepper, you can add other spices. Then it is left for half an hour. During this time, you need to clean all the vegetables. Potatoes are poured with water so that it does not darken.

Potatoes or a pot with a thick bottom pour vegetable oil and fry the meat on it until it crusts. Then add the chopped onion and carrots to it, continue frying, stirring. When the vegetables begin to brown, the potatoes are cut into cubes, equal in size to the meat, and sent to a pan. Pour hot water to cover all the pieces, add bay leaf and pepper peas, simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. At the end, the dish is salted to taste and sprinkled with chopped herbs.

That's how potatoes can be so different. Harm and benefit from its use are sometimes exaggerated. So in fact it is possible for everyone. The main thing is to cook properly and know the measure.