This St. Patrick's Day we explore the history, nutritional profile, and potential health benefits of potatoes. Potatoes are a major global food staple, providing significant calories worldwide. Though often criticized for their high glycemic index (GI), different cooking methods, particularly chilling after cooking, can increase resistant starches, which improve gut health and reduce blood sugar impact. Potatoes also have a high satiety index, making them more filling than many other foods. While long-term clinical studies are needed, current epidemiological data suggest that potatoes are not linked to negative health outcomes—unless consumed as french fries. 

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References:

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Atkinson, F. S., et al. (2021). International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: a systematic review. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 114(5), 1625-1632. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522004944

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McGill, C. R., et al. (2013). The role of potatoes and potato components in cardiometabolic health: A review. Annals of medicine, 45(7), 467-473. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/07853890.2013.813633