Reducing calories in mashed potatoes
Mashed Potatoes Calories
All the following nutritive facts and figures, correspond to an approximate serving of 1 ounce (28.4 grams) of simple mashed potatoes.
Fats: The bone of contention for people who jump on the weighing scale at the mention of fat, an ounce of mashed potatoes has only about one gram of fat. Out of this already low fat content, 0.27 g is polyunsaturated fat and up to 0.44 g is of the monounsaturated fat variety. So, lip smacking mashed potatoes qualify as one of the best sources of monounsaturated fats which boosts the good HDL cholesterol levels and keep the LDL cholesterol levels, which clogs arteries, from rearing their heads. The polyunsaturated content halts the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a motor neuron disease) and nourishes the skin. Only 0.22 g in an ounce of mashed potatoes is saturated fats. So, brush off that fat scare induced sweat from your brow!
Protein: Being a macro-nutrient of the human body, proteins are required in sumptuous amounts for repair and healing of damaged parts of the body and regulation of certain enzymes and hormones. However, the body cannot store proteins, unlike glucose and fats. So, one needs to consume protein rich food on a daily basis to renew the protein availability in the body. So, an ounce of mashed potato can provide about 0.51 g of protein. Increased helpings can actually cater to the recommended 50 g of protein Daily Value (D.V.).
Carbohydrates: An ounce of mashed potatoes has around 4.46 g of carbohydrates, which not only builds a muscle support system but also gives a kick to energy levels to raise them and contributes hugely to a healthy metabolism. However, dietary fibers which facilitate bowel clearance by creating roughage are present in a low quantity of only 0.46g, the rest of the carbohydrates content constituting of 0.39 g of sugars, which keeps the body from having to break down protein stored muscle tissues for the supply of fuel.
So, how many calories in mashed potatoes should you be worried about? Well, an ounce of mashed potatoes has only 28 calories, out of which only 9 come from fats. The rest come from carbohydrates, which contribute to 62% of the total calorie count, and protein which adds only 7% of the calories. So, very much unlike in calories in avocado and pine nuts calories, the chunk of the calories come from carbohydrates in a simple preparation of mashed potatoes. So, truly you should only get worried if you are on a low-carb diet. If you want the calorie breakdown of different mashed potato preparations, like calories in mashed potatoes with whole milk and margarine or mashed potatoes with gravy, you can refer to the detailed chart etched out in mashed potatoes calories.
Other Mashed Potato Nutrition Facts
According to a study in the British Medical Journal, "The experience of Poland is consistent with epidemiological and clinical evidence indicating that mortality due to coronary heart disease can be reduced by partly replacing dietary saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats while maintaining a low intake of trans fatty acids," says Walter Willett, Head of the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health. So, the polyunsaturated fat content in mashed potatoes will actually work in your favor, the increased intakes of which have actually shown a downward movement in the graph showing coronary mortality in the US, UK, and Australia.
Vitamin C which does wonders for the skin, eyes, immunity system and cardiovascular health is present up to 3% in an ounce of mashed potatoes.
The DV of potassium for the body is 3400 mg, so, about 3 oz of mashed potato helping can actually cater to 6.5% of it.
High in sodium content, a 3 oz helping of mashed potatoes can fulfill about 8% of your sodium DV. It shall add to the sodium requirement of the body but at the same time not harm those with high blood pressure issues, cirrhosis of liver and kidney problems and should consume not more than 1500 mg on a daily basis.
Mashed potatoes have no cholesterol at all.
About 3.5 oz of mashed potatoes has an ash content of 1.46 g. This is basically the inorganic residue which helps in the measurement and calculation of the total mineral content in the food. Mashed potatoes do have about 10 different types of minerals in small quantitie, but some of them are lost owing to the cooking procedure.
Read more article: buzzle
