Potato: Healthy Balance

Potatoes can be eaten by anyone of any age! Potatoes are a popular vegetable, often wrongly blamed for being fattening. In fact they are low in fat, filling and full of vitamin C and other antioxidant nutrients. 

Usually fat-free, an average jacket potato, eaten with the skin, contains 260 calories, 50g carbohydrate, and almost one quarter of daily fibre, vitamin C, folate and potassium, as well as over half your vitamin B6 daily needs. 

The fibre in potato skins is important. Fibre improves digestive health, and helps prevent the build up of harmful toxins. Fibre may also reduce risk of heart disease and some cancers, and can promote a feeling of fullness, so helping to reduce snacking between meals. 

As well as providing many essential trace elements, the potato also contains a variety of phytochemicals (beneficial plant compounds) known to act as protective antioxidants in the body. These include:

• Flavonoids
• Vitamin C
• Carotenoids

Which variety of potato should I use? 

As a general rule, we recommend that you use potatoes recommended for chipping in your ActiFry. In many supermarkets there is information on the packaging telling you which varieties are suitable for making chips.

At the beginning of the main crop season or when potatoes have been freshly harvested they may have a higher water content, so we advise you cook the chips for a few more minutes.

Remember that using different potato varieties does result in a different taste, texture and flavour. 

ActiFry also allows you to prepare frozen chips. As these are pre-cooked in oil during processing, it is not necessary to add any more oil. 

Where should I store potatoes? 

The best place to store potatoes is in a dark, cool airy cupboard (between 6 and 8°C), away from the light. 

How should I prepare potatoes for Actifry? 

To obtain the best results, you must ensure that the chips do not stick together. With this in mind, wash the whole potatoes and then cut them into chips using a sharp knife or chip cutter. The chips should be of equal size so that they all cook at the same time.

Wash the chipped potatoes in plenty of cold water until it runs clear in order to remove as much of the starch as possible.

Dry the chips thoroughly using a highly absorbent clean tea towel. The chips must be perfectly dry before putting them in the Actifry otherwise they will not turn crispy. To check they are dry enough pat them with paper kitchen towel just before cooking. If there is any wetness on the paper dry them again.

Remember the cooking time of the chips will vary according to the weight of chips and the batch of potatoes used. 

How should I cut the potatoes?

The size of a chip influences how crunchy or soft it is. The thinner your chips, the more crunchy they will be and conversely, thicker chips will be softer inside.

You can cut your chips to the following thickness according to your taste:

American style: 8 x 8mm
Thin: 10 x 10mm
Standard: 13 x 13mm

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Balance and Variety: The Food Group Approach

Starchy foods: bread, other cereals and potatoes

For energy, B vitamins, minerals and fibre, these foods should make up about a third of the food you eat. Include at least one with each meal, including bread (especially wholemeal); breakfast cereals; pasta, rice, couscous, potatoes yam, and chapatti. 

Fruit and vegetables 

Eat a variety every day – all types count towards your 5-a-day, including fresh, frozen, canned and dried. Fruit juice is high in sugar, so only counts once a day.

One portion is approximately 80g (or 3 tablespoons) vegetables, a bowl of salad, a whole fruit (banana, apple or orange) or two small ones (plums, satsumas).

Milk and dairy foods

Two to three servings each day will provide essential calcium for healthy bones and teeth, some B and fat soluble vitamins. Choose lower fat milk, cheese and yogurts for maximum calcium, but lower saturated fat intake. 

Meat, fish and alternatives 

Two servings a day are needed to provide protein, iron and other minerals and vitamins. Choose from: lean red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, dhal, nuts, tofu and seeds. 

Fatty and sugary foods 

Cooking oils and some fat spreads contain essential fats and fat soluble vitamins (A,D and E) which we need in small amounts for good health. Use sparingly. Many foods in this group however, are high in saturated fats and sugar, such as cakes, biscuits, pastries and savoury snacks, so limit your intake and include occasionally in small amounts. 

Drinks 

Keep well hydrated throughout the day with at least 6-8 cups fluid every day, including water, hot drinks (including some tea/cofffee/fruit or herbal teas) and low sugar or sugar free cold drinks. If you drink alcohol, keep to the sensible daily limits of no more than 2-3 units of alcohol for women and 3-4 units for men.

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Components and Nutrient Contributions For Meat

Meal Components	Examples	Nutrients
Meat, fish, poultry, and eggs	Beef, chicken, fish, ham, pork, turkey, and eggs	Protein, iron, phosphorus, potassium, B vitamins, and zinc; also contain fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol
Cheese	Swiss, ricotta, part-skim mozzarella, cottage cheese, American cheese, cheddar, and other cheeses	Protein, calcium, phosphorus vitamins A and B-12; also contain fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol
Dry beans and peas (Can also count as a vegetable, but not in the same meal.)	Lentils, navy beans, black beans, lima beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, refried beans, chickpeas, and soy beans	Protein, iron, complex carbohydrates, potassium, dietary fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, and folate
*Peanut butter and    other nut butters **Nuts and seeds	Peanut butter, almond and other nut butters Walnuts, peanuts, almonds, soy nuts, other nuts, and seeds	Protein, dietary fiber, vitamin E, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and niacin; also contain fat
Yogurt	Commercially produced yogurt, plain or flavored, unsweetened or sweetened	Protein, carbohydrate, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin A
Alternate Protein Product (APP)	APP is what is mixed/made into such food items as ground beef patties, meat loaf, tuna salad, chicken nuggets, pizza toppings, etc.	Protein, and other nutrients vary depending on the type of APP used

* Caution: Children under 4 years of age are at the highest risk of choking. Young children should not be fed spoonfuls or chunks of peanut butter or other nut butters. Instead, we recommend that peanut butter and nut butters be spread thinly on bread or crackers.

** Nuts and/or seeds should be served to all children in a prepared food and be ground or finely chopped.

Menu Ideas to Increase Variety:

1. Try whole-grain pita bread sandwiches or “pita pockets” stuffed with tuna, lettuce, and tomato, or chicken salad with celery and carrots. Make a vegetarian whole-grain pita pocket with favorite veggies, chickpeas, and plain yogurt. 
2. Serve peanut butter with apple chunks on whole wheat bread. 
3. Serve lean meats, skinless poultry, and lower fat cheeses. 
4. Try an ethnic favorite: taco, gyro, pirogue, or calzone. 
5. Mix ground beef with ground turkey for hamburgers or taco filling. 
6. Make a whole-grain submarine sandwich with roast turkey or ham and cheese. 
7. Try lentils or navy beans in a soup.

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