Can help fill your fiber gap

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans require 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories, which most individuals do not meet, but adding a couple of servings of purple potatoes to your diet each week can help close the gap. Dietary fiber helps you feel fuller longer, avoids constipation, stabilizes blood sugar, and promotes healthy cholesterol levels. The fiber content of potatoes varies slightly depending on how they are cooked, but is largely dependent on whether or not the skin is eaten.

A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) microwaved potato with the skin, for example, has 3.3 grams of fiber, but a boiled potato of the same size without the skin contains 1.8 grams. A form of fiber known as resistant starch makes up a portion of the starch in purple (and all) potatoes. Resistant starch is resistant to digestion in the gastrointestinal tract, although it is fermented by bacteria in the large intestine. Short-chain fatty acids are formed as a result of this fermentation process. These chemicals help to promote intestinal health. The resistant starch concentration of potatoes changes based on the cooking method, yet it does not appear to alter significantly depending on potato color. When potatoes are boiled and then refrigerated, but not reheated, the resistant starch content is maximum.