Posted on 06/25/2007 3:22:59 PM PDT by blam
Source: Society of Chemical Industry
Date: June 25, 2007
Potato Salad May Help the Immune System
Science Daily — It has long been known that eating potatoes is good for bowel health, but new research suggests that they may also have a beneficial effect on the whole immune system. Especially if eaten cold or in a potato salad, Anne Pichon reports in Chemistry & Industry.
Spanish researchers found that growing pigs fed large quantities of raw potato starch (RPS) had a healthier bowel. Not a surprise, but they also found that RPS pigs had decreased levels of white blood cells, such as leucocytes and lymphocytes in their blood. White blood cells are produced as a result of inflammation or disease, generally when the body is challenged.
The general down-regulation of leucocytes observed by the Spanish researchers suggests an overall beneficial effect, a generally more healthy body, according to immunology expert Lena Ohman at the Department of Internal Medicine, Göteborg University, Sweden. A reduction in leucocyte levels of about 15% was observed in the RPS pigs. Lower lymphocyte levels are also indicative of reduced levels of inflammation, but according to Ohman, the observed reduction in both lymphocyte density and lymphocyte apoptosis by the Spanish researchers is surprising.
Pigs were fed RPS over 14 weeks in what is the longest study of it kind on the effect of starch on bowel health (Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture doi:10.1002/jsfa.2835). Study leader José Francisco Pérez at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, said: 'The use of raw potato starch in this experiment is designed to simulate the effects of a diet high in resistant starch' says Pérez.
Humans do not eat raw potatoes, but they do eat a lot of foods that contain resistant starch, such as cold boiled potatoes, legumes, grains, green bananas, pasta and cereals About 10% of the starch eaten by human is resistant starch - starch that is not digested in the small intestine and so is shunted into the large intestine where it ferments.
Starch consumption is thought to reduce the risk of large bowel cancer and may also have an effect on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Ohman's team previously found that the overall lymphocyte levels do not vary for IBS patients, but that lymphocytes are transferred from the peripheral blood to the gut, which support the hypothesis of IBS being at least partially an inflammatory disorder. She says the decrease in lymphocytes observed by the Spanish is therefore interesting, and a diet of resistant starch may be worth trying in IBS patients.
Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by Society of Chemical Industry.
I see Richmond is on the outskirts of Houston. Well if I ever go visit Johnson Space Center again I’ll have to check it out. Actually I haven’t tried pecan pie yet.
Here’s one more website w info on Curtis’: http://www.bbqpilgrim.com/stories.htm
(scroll down to the stories ‘Tuff Love’ and ‘The Supervisor’ and click on the photos to bring up the slide shows)
The BBQ Pilgrim site also includes a story on Dinosaur BBQ in NY. I’ve been to the original location in Syracuse and it’s good, but I still prefer Curtis’.
I love potatoes!!! Now I can indulge myself!! LOL
That is a perfect potato/egg salad recipe.
Real mayo is the best.
I cut the whole boiled egg into reasonable sized chunks, and add a teaspoon of finely chopped sweet pickles.
Pepper, don’t forget the pepper.
Summer heaven!
thank you!
My preference is still red wine.
LOLOL. Cute!
Your recipe is somewhat like mine, which is simply potatoes, onion, boiled eggs, salt and pepper and ONLY Hellman’s mayonnaise. I suspect potato salad is similar to dressing (some call it stuffing) in that what you grew up with is what you love. My potato salad, which my family absolutely loves, is my mother’s, grandmother’s, great grandmother’s recipe and probably my great great grandmother’s. It seems to define the summer season for us.
Cubby, you can’t do a post like that and not include the recipes!! : )
I was simply adding to the recipe hkp123 posted.
;-)
I like potato salad with everything.
That’s probably why I shouldn’t eat so much of it.
:-D
When we were kids, we used to peel potatoes, sprinkle salt on them, and eat them raw. That was a long time ago, but I’ve never stopped loving potatoes, no matter how they’re cooked. My mother used to make delicious scalloped potatoes. My Dad, who was born in Holland, used to make a dish called Dutch Slaw. It was made with salt pork, vinegar, onions, shredded lettuce and mashed potatoes. I’ve been told I make a good potato salad. I use mayo, mustard, real bacon bits, hard boiled eggs, red onions, green peppers, radishes, carrots, and cucumbers.
Oops...forgot the celery to go along with what I put in my potato salad.
lol
A bit too far north and that tax (9%!?!) heh heh
But, sure looks yummy.
German style potato salad —— with capers. Have to have capers!
No, in order for a Baked Potato to be to be truly safe, you need sour cream and chopped onion, with Velveeta, in about 1/3 proportions mixed with the butter.
You left out the cider vinegar! I have to have cider vinegar and sugar in my potato salad!
Noy much fiber in the Scotch ... but he’s a darn good comic.
Replace that nasty stuff with REAL DUCK EGGS or, if you don’t have any around the house, REAL GOOSE EGGS which are in plentiful supply in recent times.
JA!
;)
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