early potatoes

The humble spud contains high levels of potassium

US scientists have claimed that white vegetables are just as important nutritionally as greens in a new study.

The nutritional content of potatoes and other white vegetables - including cauliflower, onions, mushrooms and turnips - are often overlooked according to the report by researchers fromPurdue University in Indiana.

The study, published in the journalAdvances in Nutrition, states that potatoes and other carbohydrates are 'unfairly' seen as energy foods despite being a good source of fibre and vitamin C.Connie Weaver, professor of nutrition at Purdue University, says that potatoes, if promoted in the right way, could serve as a gateway to increase global vegetable consumption.

'It's recommended that the variety of fruits and vegetables consumed daily should include dark green and orange vegetables, but no such recommendation exists for white vegetables, even though they are rich in fibre, potassium and magnesium,' explained Weaver.

The flesh of a white potato is a good source of potassium with just one cup (122g) of a baked potato without the skin providing 477 mg of the healthy chemical.

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