Discover the Incredible Health Benefits of Purple Potatoes Colors can indicate a food’s nutritional value in addition to being aesthetically pleasing. Purple is also powerful. Anthocyanins, which are antioxidants that combat sickness, are the source of this regal shade. Depending on the kind of anthocyanin (there are hundreds), the pigment results in foods that are red, blue, and violet (like tomatoes and asparagus). According to a 2021 study published in Antioxidants, purple sweet potatoes in particular have a high antioxidant content that helps reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease by fighting inflammation Discover the Incredible Health Benefits of Purple Potato.
Contents
Purple Sweet Potato Nutrition
Discover the Incredible Health Benefits of Purple Potato also known as purple sweet potatoes, have a lot going for them nutritionally. In addition to antioxidants, they are packed with fiber, vitamin C and potassium, which can help with weight loss, immunity and heart health.
The nutrition for one medium baked purple potato is as follows, per the USDA
- 151 calories
- 4 g protein
- 0 g fat
- 34 g carbohydrates
- 3 g fiber
- 943 mg potassium (20% Daily Value)
- 22 mg vitamin C (24% DV)
Purple Sweet Potato Benefits
Generally speaking, the deeper the hue, the better when it comes to antioxidants. Anthocyanins, a class of antioxidant found in abundance in purple potato, have been demonstrated to lower the risk of a number of chronic illnesses.
Red and purple-fleshed potatoes provide an average of 16 to 57 milligrams of anthocyanins per 100 grams, according to a 2015 study published in Food Science and Technology. According to a 2019 review in Molecules, this is far higher than the typical orange-fleshed sweet potato.
In certain cases, the antioxidant content of food might be affected by the cooking method. Researchers examined the implications of this for purple potato in particular in a 2016 study that was published in Food Chemistry.
While boiling (8%) and microwaving (6%) maintained the most nutrients, stir-frying (60%) and baking (22%), on the other hand, caused the largest antioxidant losses Discover the Incredible Health Benefits of Purple Potato.
This is not to say that you should never bake or stir-fry purple potatoes, but try alternate cooking techniques, such as vacuum-sealed boiling, to achieve the greatest antioxidant value. Researchers investigated boiling, steaming, and vacuum-sealed boiling in a 2021 study published in Antioxidants to see which method maintained the most antioxidants in purple potato. The results showed that vacuum-sealed boiling was the most effective method.
Heart Healthy
The heart health advantages of purple potatoes are remarkable due to their strong antioxidant content. The effects of purple potato extract (180 milliliters per day) and captopril, a common blood pressure drug, were examined in a 2015 study published in the Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare.
In addition to lowering blood pressure considerably, the purple potato extract also raised blood levels of superoxide dismutase, an antioxidant that fights hypertension. These results have been confirmed by additional human and animal studies Discover the Incredible Health Benefits of Purple Potato.
To take things a step further, a 2018 study in Plant Foods for Human Nutrition tried to find out how eating whole purple potato affects arterial stiffness, which can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease.
People in this study were either given 200 g of purple potato (approximately one medium potato) rich with anthocyanins or 200 g of white potato with insignificant anthocyanins. Compared to those who ate white potatoes, those who ate purple potato saw a significant improvement in blood pressure after two weeks Discover the Incredible Health Benefits of Purple Potato.
Cuts Inflammation
Is it possible for purple potatoes to lessen inflammation? A review published in 2021 in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety says that the answer is yes. One study included in the review revealed that when purple potato extract was blended with yellow potatoes, it positively influenced more of the 92 inflammatory markers in healthy males compared to a meal of only yellow potatoes (without the purple potato extract).
Additionally, in another study, eating 150 g of purple potato every day for six weeks decreased fasting state C-reactive protein, an indicator of inflammation, more than eating the same amount of white potatoes in healthy people.
Numerous studies have examined whether organs, notably the liver and kidneys, may benefit from the chemicals found in purple potato. The majority of these studies, such as the 2017 study published in Molecules and the 2019 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, have so far been conducted on mice or rats.
In contrast, a 2020 study published in Food Chemistry examined the effects of purple potato extract on inflammation that may occur following a large, high-carb meal by tracking 17 healthy men. Even four hours after eating, the men had improved digestion and reduced levels of post-meal inflammation. Purple potato and other foods high in antioxidants can help your body receive more of what it needs and less of what it doesn’t.
Cancer-Fighting
A 2015 study published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found that baked purple potato and purple potato extract slowed down one of the regulators for colon cancer growth (called beta-catenin) and inhibited several of its dangerous byproducts from forming.
Some of the same researchers conducted a similar study, published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry in 2017, and found that purple potato suppressed interleukin-6, a key regulator of chronic intestinal inflammation and cancer. Antioxidants have some promising research to support their anti-cancer potential, and purple potatoes are no exception.
Additionally, a 2018 study in Oncology Reports found promising results for purple potatoes’ anthocyanins in targeting and suppressing bladder cancer cells. Though potatoes are no substitute for treatment, their powerful antioxidant compounds do show the potential to help prevent and stall the development of several kinds of cancer cells.
The Bottom Line
The majority of purple potatoes’ many health advantages are attributed to their high antioxidant content. Consuming them could reduce inflammation and damage that can cause long-term conditions including cancer and heart disease. There are many strong reasons to eat these vibrantly colored beauties, and we have a few recipes to get you started, such as Purple Sweet Potato Pie, German-Style Purple Potato Salad, and Roasted Garlic Mashed Purple Potatoes.
