My go-to favorite foods are pasta, bread, pork and potatoes! I love potatoes cooked in all kinds of ways. Potatoes in omelets, baked, fried, mashed and more. Potatoes were also one of the first foods my kids ate when they were still babies. They loved mashed potatoes that I mixed with my breast milk. I think they started liking potatoes while they were still in my tummy!
Potatoes can give a nutritional boost for moms-to-be. It’s one of the healthiest foods where pregnant women can get a rich source of vitamins and nutrients. A US study of women in the childbearing age (19-50 years old), however, indicated that most fell short of the recommended levels of vegetable consumption. Depending on a woman’s calorie needs, about 2 ½ to 3 cups of vegetables should be consumed daily. With today’s diets, lifestyle choices and distractions, most women go with just a little over a cup of veggies a day.
Potatoes are rich in potassium and ranked the highest vegetable for potassium content. Having no fat, sodium, or cholesterol and being among the top 20 most frequently consumed vegetables makes potatoes one of the healthier foods to eat. It’s got loads of vitamin C and B-6, plus iron and fiber which helps digestion and lower blood cholesterol. Potatoes are also high in folate, which is important in pregnancy for normal fetal brain and spinal cord development. Folate is needed for the development of DNA and other genetic material.
To make sure you’re consuming all the nutrients in potatoes, it should be prepared in the healthiest way possible. Boiled potatoes seasoned with spices and olive oil is a good method. One of my favorite ways to eat potatoes is to slice them into quarters or halves if baby potatoes, drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt and bake in the oven. I leave the skin on for more nutrients and I just make sure to clean each potato thoroughly.
Like any healthy diet, moderation is key. Plan your best pregnancy diet with your doctor or nutritionist. Remember to increase your veggie intake and take a good long look at how potatoes can help your nutritional needs.
The humble spud could be the answer to the nutrient gaps so many women are experiencing. Potatoes USA, an organization that has thankfully brought US frozen, US table stock (fresh) and US dehydrated potatoes to our shores, offers a lot of options for potato meals. Check out an amazingly wide array of potato recipe options.
High quality US potatoes can be purchased from major supermarkets and groceries nationwide. For more information on US potatoes, you can get in touch with the local Potatoes USA-Philippines office at +632.534.8534 and info@synergyasia.biz. Visit www.potatogoodness.com and follow Potatoes USA-Philippines on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PotatoesUSAPhilippines.
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