Colorado POTATO FACTS AND NUTRITION

Colorado Potato Facts:

The potato is the second most consumed food in the U.S., trailing only milk products.

Potatoes per Person:

The average American eats 136.5 pounds of potatoes a year. That is almost 412 per person; or over a spud a day.

Colorado Potatoes: The Next Super Food?

 For many years  Colorado potatoes have been overlooked as a super food due to the unhealthily ways that many Americans consume them – we bake them with butter & sour cream, fry them in oil or roast them with cheese and bacon, making the potato seem the culprit for this country’s rising obesity levels. The Colorado potato, however, on its’ own, has quite impressive stats: 
In one baked potato you’ll find:
Energy - 10.1% DRV (DAILY RECOMMENDED)

Protein - 13.5% DRV

Carbohydrates -17.2% DRV

Fiber - 30.0% DRV

Iron- 28.7% DRV

Vitamin C - 71.9% DRV

Folic Acid - 41.6% DRV

Source: U.S. National Nutrition Database
 

In fact, the common Colorado Russet potato, with the skin, is low in sodium, high in potassium (more than a banana), is a good source of fiber, has no fat, and no cholesterol. One baked, medium Colorado Russet potato (5.3 ounces raw, about 4 ounces after baking) only has 110 calories and has 3 to 4 grams of protein and 2 to 3 grams of dietary fiber. The potato is also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, folic acid (folate), beta-carotene, and iron. Finally, the Colorado Russet is relatively inexpensive, so you can get a lot of nutritional power for the dollar with potatoes. 
Even more impressive, the Russet has a total antioxidant capacity of 13.2 , ranking it higher than carrot, kiwi, watermelon, cantaloupe, radish, and even tomato, making the Russet potato number 17 on a list of the top 20 sources of food antioxidants by the USDA (2004).
Other, more specialty varieties that grow in the San Luis Valley, like the Purple Majesty have their own impressive set of nutritional qualities.. Their anthocyanins (antioxidant) levels are distributed throughout the tubers, not just in the skin, making them good for preventative health.