The power of the Peruvian, purple potato – try saying that fast three times. All joking aside, the purple potato is an unusual vegetable with unusual health effects.
In a recent study, researchers found that eating two servings of purple potatoes daily for one month lead to a decrease in blood pressure in overweight people. They also found that adding these potatoes to their diet did cause the overweight subjects to lose weight. The participants were split into two groups. One group was asked to eat about six to eight of the purple potatoes with their skin twice a day for one month. The other group did not eat the potatoes. After one month, they switched. The one group started to eat the potatoes while the other stopped.
The observed drop in blood pressure was small. Participants eating the potatoes saw a drop of approximately 4% in both their diastolic (the higher number) and the systolic (lower number). Although they ate more calories, the potato groups did not gain weight.
The chemicals, which give vegetables, their color generally are very good antioxidants. Purple vegetables in general have chemicals called carotenoids, which have been linked to reduced inflammation. Chronic inflammation has been linked to heart disease and stroke.
The purple spuds also contain a substance called chlorogenicacid, which has been shown to lower blood pressure in animals. Microwaving or baking vegetables are the best way to make sure that the phytochemicals stay intact. Boiling can dilute them. You shouldn’t peel them because much of the nutrients are in the skins.
For more helpful information on healthy eating, check out Anvanca.com. We are focused on weight loss, and the healthy benefits of losing weight. In order to make it work, I think people need coaching. This is why we developed Anvanca®. Anvanca is the only program that combines an effective weight loss supplement with free personalized coaching to help you lose weight and keep it off. We believe coaching is critical in the first month as you learn new behaviors. If you are interested in learning more, check us out at Anvanca.com.
TMB
