Here's why you should start replacing regular potatoes with purple potatoes in your diet

Image: wikimedia.org

Joe Martino | Collective-Evolution

Most of us are used to seeing and eating the typical white or yellow fleshed potatoes. You may even eat sweet potatoes on a regular basis and so you might be accustomed to orange as well. But purple potatoes are certainly not as popular, although given the deep rich color of these potatoes, more of us should be familiar with these potatoes for the powerful nutrients they pack.

Native to South America, purple potatoes got their name due to their deep purple skin and flesh. There are several types of the purple potato including the Purple Majesty, Purple Viking and Purple Peruvian varieties. Purple potatoes are rich in antioxidant phytochemicals and studies show that purple potatoes can aid in lowering blood pressure.

As with any fruit or vegetable, the deep rich colors they offer tell us how nutrient dense they are. When choosing which vegetables to add to our diet, a mix of colors is always a good rule of thumb to be sure we are getting a variety of nutrients to meet our bodies needs. Purple potatoes follow right along with this concept as the purple characteristic tell us that they are rich in a powerful antioxidant called anthocyanin. Coming from the flavonoid family of antioxidants, anthocyanin is best known for boosting the immune system and fighting cancer. You can also find this antioxidant in blueberries and pomegranates.

Another great benefit to anthocyanin is its ability to protect the integrity and structure of DNA and encourage the production of cytokines which are key in promoting proper immune response. If that isn’t enough, this powerful antioxidant also has anti-inflammatory properties, helps to protect the health and integrity of the capillaries and strengthens membranes. It may also play a role in regulating estrogenic activity which helps to lower the risk of hormone-related disease.

Lowering Blood Pressure

A study presented at the 2012 American Chemical Society National Meeting in Denver, Colorado showed that consuming purple potatoes lowered the blood pressure of the subjects who were eating them compared to subjects that were not. The effects on blood pressure are likely associated with the potatoes therapeutic effect on the capillaries and blood vessels as previously mentioned. It is also likely that purple potato’s feature a high concentration of another phytochemical called chlorogenic acid which has been linked to lowering blood pressure in mice.

Flavor & Cooking

Many of us love white potatoes and are accustomed to the texture and flavor they offer. Does the purple potato trade off any flavor or texture for the nutrient density? Not at all! The purple potato tastes very much like the standard white-fleshed potatoes and is said to be slightly creamier in texture.

When cooking purple potatoes, as with any other potatoes, try to keep the skin on and remember to cook them in the healthiest ways possible. keeping the skin on helps to keep moisture in the potato and is packed full of nutrients. The skin of the purple potato is rich in vitamin C and contains a lot of the polyphenols and potassium that makes it so beneficial. Baking and steaming are often the best methods of preparation and good clean oils like coconut oil are recommended if you are frying. Then again, you can always just take a bite straight out of one of these much like you would if you were eating an apple!

Source: collective-evolution.com

References:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1082894/

http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Purple_Potatoes_641.php

http://www.theanchoronline.org/lifestyles/2012/03/26/purple-potatoes/

Vegetables that can be Homegrown

Fresh fruits and vegetables growing in your own personal garden sound like heaven isn't it. Contrary to the conventional way of growing plants with the help of seeds, there are various plants of fruits and vegetables that can be re-grown without the help of any seed.  

SPRING ONIONS

Re-growing spring onions is very straightforward. Go and grab the last spring onions you bought from the market and take off their roots. Now take a jar of water and put the roots in that jar. Within just a few day the spring onions will begin to grow. Amazing isn't it. Don’t forget to change the water in the jar with fresh whenever the need arises.

The same spring onion technique can be used with Leeks, Scallions and Fennel  simply place their roots in a jar full of water and they will began to re-grow within a few day. 

LEMONGRASS

Lemongrass can be re-grown the same way spring onions. Leeks should be grown. Just place the roots in a jar of water and let the waiting began, refresh the water whenever needed. When the Lemongrass is about 12 inches tall in size it can be harvested.

GINGER

Ginger which is regarded as one of the world’s healthiest food has many health benefits. Modern scientific research has revealed that ginger possesses numerous therapeutic properties including antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds, and direct anti-inflammatory effects.

Take a pot, fill it with soil and plant small segment of a piece of ginger. Remember not to put the pot in direct sunlight because ginger enjoys warm and moist environment. After some time the plant will begin to re-grow shoots and roots. Once the plant is honored with time to grow it will be ready to be plucked.  Take out the whole plant from the pot including the roots, remove the fresh ginger and replant the roots again to repeat the same process. 

POTATOES & SWEET POTATOES

Did you know, the Queen of England once banned the trade and consumption of potatoes and that ban remained for over a hundred years

Go to your kitchen or wherever you've stored potatoes, pick out the one that has good formed eyes which will become roots if planted. Now cut that potato in 3 pieces, you must take care that each piece has at least 1-2 eyes on it.  Keep those cut pieces of potato for two days at room temperature, doing this will allow the roots to dry properly.

Now take a big pot of soil, turn over the compost into your soil before you plant because potatoes thrive on a high-nutrient atmosphere. Plant your potato pieces about 8 inches deep with the eye facing up.  Cover it with 4 inches of soil, leaving the other 4 inches empty. Whenever you see the plant growing and the roots can be seen add more soil.

Regarding sweet potatoes you will need sweet potatoes with good formed eyes, just as you would want with a regular potato. You can bury the entire sweet potato or use pieces under a thin layer of topsoil in a moist place with plenty of sun. When the shoots begin to reach a height of four inches you will need to replant the sweet potatoes, allowing them about 12 inches between each another. It takes about 4-6 months to grow sweet potatoes this way.

LETTUCE

Lettuce is grown by putting the roots of the plant in a dish of water. First of all cut the leaves of lettuce plant to about an inch above the roots of the plant. Now put the plant in a dish of water in a way that the roots are submerged in the water but one inch of leaves is not touching the water. Now place this dish in front of a window with direct sunlight. Remember to spray water on the plant to keep it moist.