Robert Seiler
Dr. Leake
WRIT1133-63
15 May 2013
Potatoes:
The Controversy
It
is no surprise that potatoes and various potato products were around the top of
the list for classmates’ food consumption. In America, the potato is one of the
most commonly consumed foods but is it healthy to eat potatoes on such a
regular basis? To put it bluntly, yes potatoes are actually very healthy for
your body and mind. However, unfortunately most Americans consume potatoes in
the form of deep fried French fries or greasy potato chips. This complicates
the discussion of potatoes but the objective truth is that the potato itself is
a very good source of many vital nutrients.
In the discussion
of potatoes, specifically here in America, a basis of understanding must be respected
in order to understand the truth behind this food. The North Carolina Potato
Association reports that the average American eats 142 pounds of potatoes a
year. That weight amounts to is almost 365 potatoes, which means that the
average American eats about one potato per day. However, this association fails
to tell you how the average American consumes these potatoes every year. On
average, an American will consume 96 one-ounce bags of potato chips per year-
equivalent to 6 pounds per year and we consume a whopping 29 pounds of French
fries in a year. To continue off this, 95% of all frozen potato products sold
in America are French fries. Finally, Americans consume over 4.5 billion pounds
of French fries, 6.7 billion pounds of potato chips, and 750 million pounds of
potato chips in just 365 days.
Potatoes are
considered by many to be the number one vegetable crop in the world, but they
are not for everyone and there are risks involved. WH Foods placed potatoes on
their top 10 controversial foods list because they belong to the nightshade
vegetable group, which can have negative effects on the body. This group
includes tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and potatoes to name a few. Doctor Ora
Smith, considered in his field to be one of the top potato researchers,
released his findings on the nightshade family of vegetables. His major
discovery is that nightshades can be attributed to arthritis, which is a
problem that most humans face at some point in their lives. His studies on
mammalian species including rats, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, and chicks
showed that these various nightshade products caused calcinosis, which is the
animal version of osteoarthritis. Shockingly, nightshades also contain a small
amount of nicotine, which is the addictive chemical in tobacco and there have
been numerous studies showing that these vegetables cause inflammation. This
can cause problems when rehabilitating from a bodily injury. Though these
findings may seem disturbing, especially since the Average American consumes
142 pounds of just potatoes alone, when consumed at an appropriate level,
potatoes can be a valuable and nutritious addition to your diet.
Potatoes come in
many varieties and they are packed with nutritious elements and they wont make
you gain a ton of weight. A single potato can provide you with many of your
daily food values: 27.6% Vitamin C, 27% Vitamin B6,26.4% Potassium, 21.8%
tryptophan, 19% manganese, 15.2% fiber, and contains 160 calories which is 8%
of your daily need. Potatoes also contain various phytonutrients that act as
antioxidants. WHFoods states, “Among
these important health-promoting compounds are carotenoids, flavonoids, and
caffeic acid, as well as unique tuber storage proteins, such as patatin, which
exhibit activity against free radicals.” Additionally, geneticist Roy Navarre
identified 60 different phytochemicals that compete with Broccoli- considered
by many to be a “super food.” Potatoes have also been found to lower blood
pressure, build cells, support brain cell and nervous system activity, keep
your heart healthy, and increase athletic performance. This plethora of health
benefits show that potatoes have the potential of being a superior addition to
your daily food intake.
Potatoes are, no doubt, a complicated
discussion in America. Due to the unhealthy ways most Americans consume
potatoes they received a bad reputation that has been mended in recent years. It
is safe to say that, even though there is some minor risk involved in consuming
too much potatoes, if eaten responsibly potatoes can benefit your mind and body
like many “super foods” we have commonly accepted here in America.
Works Consulted
No comments:
Post a Comment