POTATO AS A LOW ENERGY DIET

Raw potato dry matter (100g) provides about 310 kcal and a boiled potato provides about 69 kcal per 100 g weight. The energy value of potato is less than major food crops like rice, wheat, maize and sorghum. Potatoes are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates. These carbohydrates take longer time to break down into glucose and results in energy that lasts longer. Complex carbohydrates are longer chains of sugars, such as starches and fiber. In potato, starch is the major carbohydrate and sucrose, fructose and glucose are the main sugars.

Comparison of energy provided by raw potato and other plant foods (kcal per 100g edible portion)

Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of fuel for energy. The energy produced through potato gets stored as glycogen in muscle and liver and functions as a readily available energy during prolonged, strenuous exercise. That’s why; it is an important part of players’ diet.