USA
May 24, 2013

Source: PLOS ONE via EurekAlert!

A frequently expressed concern in the ongoing public health debate is the lack of affordability of fresh vegetables, especially those that are nutrient dense. A new study, "Vegetable Cost Metrics Show That Potatoes and Beans Provide Most Nutrients Per Penny," published in the journal PLOS ONE, shows that potatoes are one of the best nutritional values in the produce aisle, providing one of the better nutritional values per penny than most other raw vegetables and delivering one of the most affordable source of potassium of the more frequently consumed vegetables, second only to beans.

Dr. Adam Drewnowski and colleagues from the University of Washington used a combination of nutrient profiling methods and national food prices data to create an "affordability index," which was then used to examine the nutrients per unit cost of 98 individual vegetables as well as five vegetable subgroups including dark green, orange/red, starchy, legumes (beans and peas) and "other" vegetables.

The results indicated while dark green vegetables had the highest nutrient density scores, after accounting for cost, starchy vegetables (including potatoes) and beans provided better nutritional value for the money. Potatoes, in particular, provide one of the lowest cost options for four key nutrients including potassium, fiber, vitamin C and magnesium. Among the most frequently consumed vegetables, potatoes and beans were the lowest-cost sources of potassium and fiber—nutrients of concern, as identified by the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines.

"The ability to identify affordable, nutrient dense vegetables is important to families focused on stretching their food dollar as well as government policy makers looking to balance nutrition and economics for food programs such as the school lunch program and WIC," said lead researcher Adam Drewnowski, PhD. "And, when it comes to affordable nutrition, it's hard to beat potatoes."

The study was funded by the United States Potato Board and adds to the growing database of nutrition science that supports potatoes in a healthful diet. In addition, one medium-size (5.3 ounce) skin-on potato contains just 110 calories per serving, boasts more potassium (620g) than a banana (450g), provides almost half the daily value of vitamin C (45 percent), and contains no fat, sodium or cholesterol.

Visit potatogoodness.com for healthy potato recipes, videos and nutrition information.

The United States Potato Board (USPB) is the nation's potato marketing and research organization. Based in Denver, Colorado, the USPB represents more than 2,500 potato growers and handlers across the country. The USPB was established in 1971 by a group of potato growers to promote the benefits of eating potatoes. Today, as the largest vegetable commodity board, the USPB is proud to be recognized as an innovator in the produce industry and dedicated to positioning potatoes as a nutrition powerhouse—truly, goodness unearthed.

White vegetables redeemed!

Source: United States Potato Board

May 23, 2013– White vegetables can provide key nutrients lacking in the diets of many Americans, and they can help increase overall vegetable consumption,  according to the authors of a special scientific supplement published last week in the peer-reviewed journal, Advances in Nutrition.

In fact, a key finding was that color does not necessarily predict nutritive value of a vegetable. White vegetables, including nutrient-dense potatoes, contribute important amounts of essential shortfall nutrients to the American diet across all age groups.  This includes potassium—a nutrient essential to healthy blood pressure, of which only 3 percent of American adults consume the recommended daily.

“It’s recommended that the variety of fruits and vegetables consumed daily should include dark green and orange vegetables, but no such recommendation exists for white vegetables, even though they are rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin C and magnesium,” says the supplement’s editor Connie Weaver, PhD, distinguished professor of nutrition science at Purdue University. “Overall, Americans are not eating enough vegetables. Promoting white vegetables, some of which are common and affordable, may be a pathway to increasing vegetable consumption in general.”

The Advances in Nutrition supplement, “White Vegetables: A Forgotten Source of Nutrients,” published by the American Society for Nutrition, features 10 papers by leading nutrition scientists that explore the state of the science on white vegetables (potatoes, cauliflower, onions, mushrooms, turnips and kohlrabi) in supporting a healthy diet. The supplement authors identify a substantial body of evidence demonstrating  white vegetables, such as potatoes, can help increase intake of shortfall nutrients, notably fiber, potassium and magnesium, as well as help increase overall vegetable consumption among children, teens and adults in the U.S

Why Nutrients Found in Potatoes are Important to Your Good Health

There is good reason potatoes are a staple food of choice for cultures throughout the world. In addition to their flavor and versatility, potatoes, especially with skin, are an important source of the following nutrients, which play a vital role in your good health.  Just read the label:

Potassium:  Diets rich in potassium and low in sodium reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke.  Accumulating evidence also suggests that increasing dietary potassium and lowering sodium can provide greater heart health  than intervention alone.

Vitamin C:  This nutrient acts as an antioxidant, which helps prevent cellular damage.  Vitamin C also aids in collagen production, a process that helps maintain healthy gums and is important in healing wounds.  It also assists with the absorption of iron and may help support the body’s immune system.

Vitamin B6:  This nutrient helps the body make non-essential amino acids needed to make various body proteins.  It is a cofactor for several enzymes involved in energy metabolism and it is required for the synthesis of hemoglobin—an essential component of red blood cells.

Magnesium:  This essential mineral is involved in more than 300 metabolic reactions including the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, the conduction of nerve impulses, muscle contraction, and normal heart rhythm.  In addition, magnesium plays a structural role in bone and cell membranes and is required for a number of steps during nucleic acid (DNA and RNA) and protein synthesis.

Dietary fiber:  Dietary fiber is a complex carbohydrate.  It has been shown to improve blood lipid levels, regulating blood glucose and increasing satiety, which may help with weight loss.

Resistant starch: the consumption of resistant starch may help regulate blood glucose levels and favorably alter bacteria in the colon.   Emerging research in animals has linked resistant starch to satiety.

The journal supplement is the outcome of a June 2012 Purdue University roundtable on white vegetable nutrition. The forum was supported by an unrestricted grant by the Alliance for Potato Research and Education, a non-for-profit organization dedicated to expanding and translating the latest scientific research and information on potato nutrition, consumption and affordability.

The executive summary for “White Vegetables: A Forgotten Source of Nutrients,” is available at http://advances.nutrition.org/content/4/3/318S.full.pdf+html.  All papers are available http://advances.nutrition.org/content/4/3#content-block.

For more nutrition information or a vast collection of healthy potato recipes, please visit www.potatogoodness.com.