Research documents health benefits of antioxidants from colored potatoes

Farm and Ranch January 7, 2011 In the first known study of its kind, researchers in Washington have documented that consumption of both yellow and purple potatoes decreased oxidative damage and inflammation in participants compared to those who consumed white potatoes. The study involved males under 40 years of age from Washington State University and the surrounding area.

Among the researchers involved were Boon Chew, of WSU’s School of Food Science and Charles Brown and Roy Navarre of the USDA-ARS at Prosser.

Navarre says the findings are significant because they counter those who say potatoes are of little nutritional value.

Navarre: “We have identified potatoes that are over double the amount of some of these compounds than the ones they used in the feeding study. So the prediction would be that they would have even stronger effects. So, I think this has a lot of potential to change consumer perceptions about potatoes and convince them that they are not just getting empty calories when they are eating and in fact they can be getting a lot of antioxidants from potato.”

Navarre says research from Cornell found that just ordinary white fleshed potatoes are the third largest source of antioxidants in the American diet after apples and oranges. He adds that research that is in the process of being published found that a purple potato, Magic Molly, tested the highest in antioxidants compared to 15 other vegetables including spinach and broccoli.

That’s Washington Ag Today. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today. Good health tomorrow. I’m Bob Hoff on Northwest Aginfo Net.

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