Most people do not realize that the baked potato that they enjoy eating is packed full of vitamins and minerals.  The average potato contains B6 and C vitamins, potassium, fiber, and magnesium.  This information is not too surprising once you understand that the potato is a vegetable.  And aren’t all vegetables good for you?

Potatoes contain more potassium than a banana.  This is important because potassium plays a few crucial roles inside of your body.  Most importantly potassium is what keeps your heartbeat normal.  It also plays an important role in the conversion of glucose into energy that is necessary for your body to operate normally.

There is no fat or cholesterol in a potato which makes it an ideal diet food.  There is actually a baked potato diet that has as its central premise the idea that if you were to eat a large potato before every meal you would lose weight.  I guess it is because the potato would fill you up and you wouldn’t be able to overeat.  It is kind of an interesting diet idea.

When you eat a baked potato you do not have to eat the skin.  Many people mistakenly believe that all of the vitamins and minerals of a potato are contained in the skin.  This simply is not true but the belief seems to persist.  All of the goodness of a potato is contained in the potato itself.

The best potato that you can use for baking is the Russet Burbank.  It is made up of 80% water and 20% solids.  The Russet is brown in color and when cooked correctly will be hot and fluffy on the inside while having a golden brown skin on the outside that is crisp and flaky.

People love to put toppings on their potato.  The best baked potato recipe is one where you individualize the toppings and make it your own.  It used to be that everyone topped off with sour cream and butter.  But today it is everything from BBQ sauce to Ranch dressing that people like on their spuds.

The baked potato goes with just about every meal and everybody seems to enjoy it.  Now you can eat healthy without sacrificing great taste when you choose to eat a potato.