Just in time for summer, let’s revisit an old favourite, the potato salad. Now with something extra. Maybe you think that potato salad is not to be tampered with as you picture all those wonderful picnics and summer barbeques from days gone by. Well, it is 2015, we can all do what we like and experimenting with food is one of my favourite things to do. The recipe below is a great combination of prebiotic and probiotic, making it a perfect salad for gut health. Despite what you make think, potatoes are a really healthy food. Don’t listen to what anyone says.
So what is so great about them? They are high in B6 which is essential for brain and nervous system health and is necessary as a building block for protein and enzyme activity. They are also a good source of vitamin C, manganese and potassium. Did you know that the vitamin C in many supplements comes from potatoes?
Potatoes contain kukoamine, a compound that help lower blood pressure. They also contain phenolic compounds, which have many health benefits and includes modifying the rate at which the starch is metabolized and slows the rate of glucose into the blood. The highest concentration of phenolic compounds is found in the skin so don’t peel the potatoes.
And there is another reason for eating potatoes. They are a great source of prebiotic fibre. That means they help the level of your good bacteria, the beneficial bacteria that is native to you. Consuming prebiotics is the only way to help your good bacteria colonize. Fermented food and probiotics will not help you with this activity. They will help you, as the good bacteria strains will help to do the work while they are there but they will not colonize.
If you really want to maximize a potato salad with amazing benefits, try this recipe which has both prebiotic and probiotic ingredients.
Potato Salad With Avocado Kefir Dressing
References:
- Novel Dextrins As Potential Prebiotics, Maciej Fiedorowicz et al, Journal of Food Agriculture and Environment (Impact Factor: 0.44). 01/2003;
- “Phytochemical Profilers Investigate Potato Benefits, Agricultural Research Service. September 2007.
- Breithaupt DE, Bamedi A. Carotenoids and carotenoid esters in potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.): new insights into an ancient vegetable. J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Nov 20;50(24):7175-81. 2002.
- Potato Phenolics Modulate Rate of Glucose Transport in a Caco-2 Human Intestinal Cell Model, Sydney Moser1 et al, April 2015 The FASEB Journal vol. 29 no. 1 Supplement 606.6
Great idea to use kefir here! I’ve been making an avacado based ranch dressing for my family on a Taco Salad (inspired by Hearty Catering) and love the idea of including kefir for probiotics, smart! What do you think about the idea of lowering GI by cooking then cooling potatoes before serving?…it increases resistant starch?