Why Eat Potatoes?

Did you know that potatoes come in many different colors: red, blue, purple, and yellow? And nearly everyone loves them! Celebrate America’s favorite vegetable during National Potato Lovers’ Month.

It’s well worth celebrating. For 100 calories, one medium 5-ounce potato (skin on, plain, not fried) provides: 45% Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C, an antioxidant that protects against cell damage; 21% DV for potassium, which helps reduce the risk of high blood pressure; and 12% DV for fiber, protective against some cancers and perhaps heart disease. What’s more, potatoes contain glutathione, an antioxidant that may help protect against cancer.

The challenge? We eat many of those potatoes as high-fat fries and chips! Nurture the potato lovers in your family in a lower-fat way by oven-roasting sliced potatoes tossed in olive oil.