Bring back the spud, researcher says

The humble potato has been much abused of late, garnering an image as a less-than-healthy option. But a Purdue University researcher says we should reconsider our opinion of spuds and other white vegetables as they are just as important to a healthy diet as their colourful cousins.

“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 fibre, potassium and magnesium,” said Connie Weaver, PhD, distinguished professor of nutrition science at Purdue University.

“Overall, Americans are not eating enough vegetables, and promoting white vegetables, some of which are common and affordable, may be a pathway to increasing vegetable consumption in general.”

Weaver published her findings on white vegetables in a scientific supplement published in the peer-reviewed journal Advances in Nutrition. The supplement, ‘White Vegetables: A Forgotten Source of Nutrients’, published by the American Society for Nutrition, features an executive summary and nine papers by leading nutrition scientists that explore the role white vegetables play in supporting a healthy diet.

The supplement authors identify a substantial body of evidence that demonstrates how the inclusion of white vegetables, such as potatoes, can increase intake of shortfall nutrients, notably fibre, potassium and magnesium, as well as help increase overall vegetable consumption among children, teens and adults.

In addition, the papers detail the current and emerging science about key health benefits associated with consumption of potatoes and other white vegetables such as cauliflower, onions, mushrooms, turnips and kohlrabi. Some key findings are:

• Colour does not necessarily predict nutritive value of a vegetable. In fact, white vegetables, including nutrient-dense potatoes, contribute important amounts of essential shortfall nutrients to the American diet across all age groups.
• Vegetable intake, including consumption of starchy vegetables like potatoes, is about half of what is recommended by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
• Improvements in cooking oils, coatings, preparation methods and processing technologies are enhancing the nutritional profile of the white potato in all forms, making an already healthy package even healthier.

The journal supplement is the outcome of a Purdue University roundtable on white vegetable nutrition. The forum was supported by an unrestricted grant from the Alliance for Potato Research and Education, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to expanding and translating scientific research into potato nutrition, consumption and affordability.