One of the popular fast food products, along with instant noodles, is instant mashed potatoes in cups. Some people believe that this is a completely artificial powder, in which there is nothing natural. Others are ready to eat it even every day – they fill it with water, and there is no need to cook it. Both of them are wrong.
What is it really like? AiF told about this Candidate of Medical Sciences, nutritionist Natalya Denisova.
How is dry puree made?
The technology is quite complex and time consuming. The puree is actually obtained from natural potatoes, not from artificial powder. A certain variety of potatoes is taken, which has the lowest moisture content and a richer taste, washed and peeled. Shredded potatoes go through a cycle of three boils followed by cooling. This is done to ensure that the water is removed as much as possible and only dry matter remains. Next, food additives are added to the powder. There are quite a lot of them: emulsifiers, stabilizers, flavorings, etc. In more expensive options, it is possible to add egg powder, milk powder or cream, dried herbs, pieces of freeze-dried chicken, beef, mushrooms, etc. And, of course, salt.
Are there any vitamins left?
Is there anything healthy left in potatoes cooked this way? Alas, practically not. We value natural potatoes prepared in the usual way for the fact that they are a source of potassium (especially if boiled in their skins), dietary fiber, albeit a small amount of protein. Plus, potatoes are a source of vitamin C. And although it is very unstable and quickly destroyed during heat treatment, nevertheless, some of it remains in the finished dish.
In potatoes that have been crushed, boiled, or frozen for a long time, there is practically no vitamin C, potassium, or dietary fiber left. The result is mainly a starchy product (polysaccharide), which is quickly and well absorbed by our body.
For a one-time snack – you can
In general, it cannot be said that instant mashed potatoes are a very harmful and bad product. After all, these are natural potatoes. Therefore, if you need a quick snack, then why not use this option. This will help muffle the feeling of hunger.
Moreover, the product is not very high in calories. The dry matter (50 g) per serving contains approximately 340 kcal. If you dilute it with water, the calorie content of the finished dish will be approximately 70-100 kcal.
However, you should not eat such puree regularly. If you constantly replace your usual food with it, you will not be able to get all the necessary nutrients – proteins, fats, complex carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.
So you should leave such puree only for one-time, forced snacks “on the run”, on the road, when there is no opportunity to eat a full meal. It is better to choose a product with the addition of herbs, natural pieces of chicken or beef, and not their flavors (“chicken flavored”, “beef flavored”).
In addition, instant mashed potatoes should not be consumed by people with diabetes due to the large amount of starch.
The main disadvantage is a lot of salt
Salt is a critical nutrient that needs to be limited. In this case, a glass of instant puree can contain up to half the daily salt requirement. For example, on the package it says salt 1.8 g. And the recommended daily allowance is 5 g. If you add a piece of sausage, sausage, or pickled cucumber to this puree, you already get the entire daily allowance. And this is for one snack. If you eat for so long, you can put quite a lot of stress on your cardiovascular system, which can lead to high blood pressure and other problems.
