Potassium and Potatoes
Well here's something I didn't know. Potatoes contain an ingredient that helps to prevent strokes. It doesn't matter what kind of potato, russet, red, sweet potatoes, all of them have huge amounts of potassium.
In a recent study, men and women who consumed the most potassium had a 20 percent lower risk of stroke compared with those who consumed the least amount of the mineral.
I know there are lots of other foods that contain potassium, bananas and blueberries come to mind immediately, but I had no idea that a potato would contain just as much potassium as a banana or a cup of blueberries.
Of course, you can take potassium in pill form, but it's much more satisfying to eat a banana or a potato and, according to health experts, it's much better and safer to get your potassium from foods. Two other common foods containing large amounts of potassium are orange juice and raisins.
Why is potassium so important for your health? Evidently, potassium does a great job of lowering your blood pressure, which can be a real risk for stroke. Seems that potassium has a softening affect on the sodium in your blood. It also helps to keep blood clots from forming and arteries from hardening.
Baked Sweet Potato Shoestrings
*We bake our shoestring potatoes instead of deep-frying them because after a certain age your tummy starts to protest too much fat. But don't worry. These fries are still crispy and delicious (compliments of Karina's Kitchen).
Ingredients
1 sweet potato per person
Light olive oil or organic canola oil, as needed
ground cumin,
thyme,
black pepper,
red pepper,
cinnamon*
For serving:Sea salt, Champagne or rice vinegar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into long thin shoestrings. Toss them into a bowl and drizzle with light olive oil; stirring lightly to coat.Generously season them.
My seasoning mix is equal shakes of: cumin, thyme and black pepper; and a little bit of hot red pepper and cinnamon.
Throw them on a baking sheet. Spread evenly- in one layer, if possible.Bake in the upper portion of your oven for about 20 to 30 minutes- until they are tender and sizzling and crispy around the edges.
Season with sea salt immediately. (Adding salt after they roast keeps them crisper.) Serve with a sprinkle of champagne vinegar (at the table) or scarf them down plain.
Click here to see a video on making Sweet Potato Shoestrings
