Purple Potato Eaters

Lose weight and lower blood pressure with this Korean folk remedy - purple potatoes! The researchers suggest that purple potatoes are an effective agent to reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease in people with high blood pressure -- without weight gain. The purple vegetable has many of the same healthful plant pigments as purple fruits. It's rich in antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, carotenoids, and phenolic acids, which may reduce chronic inflammation linked with heart disease and stroke. Pigmented potatoes also have high amounts of chlorogenic acid, a substance shown in animal studies to reduce elevated blood pressure.
People in the studies did not gain weight when they added two servings a day to their usual calorie intake. It is safe to reason that if the potatoes replaced a typical serving of starch, that weight loss would occur.
Microwaving the purple spuds and eating them with their skins on is one of the best ways to get the most antioxidants and plant pigments from them. The variety Purple Majesty perform beautifully in the kitchen, mashing, baking, roasting and microwaving to perfection, and make spectacular chips and crisps. They'll make a great "goulish" Halloween party snack! Potatoes in general are a good source of vit. C and potassium, and the skins add more fiber to your diet.

~ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2012