Spud-you-like: Humble potato plays key role in sports nutrition
GAA Stars, Mayo’s Sarah Rowe and Dublin’s Sinead Goldrick have teamed up with Bord Bia to promote potatoes as fuel for optimum sports performance. Picture: Marc O'Sullivan
THE one-time Mayor of Youghal Sir Walter Raleigh is credited with having planted the first potato in Ireland in the grounds of Myrtle Grove, his residence in the town.
But the adventurer, soldier, politician, and writer, who owned thousands of acres of land in Ireland, could not have imagined the humble spud would still be an important part of people’s diet some 430 years later and contributing to their sports performances nationally and across the world.
Dietician Orla Walsh, who worked with Irish athletes in the lead up to the Rio Olympics and Paralympics as a performance nutritionist with Athletics Ireland, believes potatoes are an excellent natural ingredient for a nutritionally complete diet to fuel active lifestyles including sports performance.
"Potatoes are an ideal source of carbohydrate which is the fuel we run on. They are incredibly important for sports performance and in contributing to the recovery of muscle function," she said.
“As they are naturally low fat and high in carbohydrate, potatoes are beneficial for pre-match training as they can be digested quickly and converted into fuel for the body.
"As potatoes are pulled straight from the soil, they naturally contain a lot of water. For example, a boiled new potato is 82% water,” she said.
Noting that potatoes are a great source of potassium, which plays a central role in muscle and nerve function, she said getting the right balance is a key focus in sports nutrition. Lots of Irish people eat too much sodium through salt but potatoes are naturally salt-free.
“When potatoes contain salt, it is because we have added it. Instead, teaching athletes to use some tasty, nutritious herbs and spices instead of salt is beneficial,” she added.
Pointing out that protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass as well as keeping bones healthy, Orla said about 10% of the calories of potatoes come from protein. Fresh potatoes are also fat-free.
People can tailor how to enjoy their response to their current energy needs. Depending on the type, two medium potatoes provide just 160 to 185 calories. The quantity and quality of the fat added to the potato is left up to the athlete.
“Carbohydrates are the main fuel for our brain function which helps to keep movements coordinated, the mind focused and speed and accuracy of thoughts sharp.
"What makes potatoes an ideal carbohydrate source for sport is that they are also incredibly versatile,” she said, adding that potatoes are also delicious and can be eaten in different ways.
With Irish potato sales up 24% since March, Bord Bia said there has never been a better time to celebrate one of Ireland’s most important crops.
This year it has teamed up with GAA Stars — Mayo’s Sarah Rowe and Dublin’s Sinead Goldrick — to promote potatoes as fuel for optimum sports performance.
It has also created a range of recipe videos highlighting simple kitchen skills which will allow people to expand their potato recipe repertoire.
Minister of State, Pippa Hackett, with responsibility for the horticulture sector, described potatoes as a nutritious sustainably produced food choice, naturally low in calories and containing little fat.
“We have committed farmers producing the crop to the highest quality and standards,” she said, adding that the potato is inextricably linked to Irish culture.
Bord Bia fresh produce and potato manager Lorcan Bourke said the growth in potato sales began in in March this year as more Irish people began cooking and eating at home due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
“Initially, people seemed to be turning to more traditional ingredients as they sought comfort foods but quite quickly, they began looking for ways to expand their cooking repertoire as they found that they had more time at home.
“The exciting thing about potatoes is that once you have a potato in your home — you have the starting point for a huge range of delicious meals,” he said.
The recent National Potato Day campaign, organised by Bord Bia, sought to help home cooks to expand their knowledge and cooking skills when it comes to potatoes as a key meal ingredient.
Mr Bourke urged people to cook different potato recipes, learn a new potato cooking skill and enjoy a delicious potato dish.
The potato is the third most important food crop in the world after rice and wheat in terms of human consumption. More than a billion people eat it.
But production in Ireland has fallen from 332,000 hectares in 1850 to just over 8,000 hectares last year, producing some 336,095 tonnes. The main varieties planted here include Rooster (58%), Kerr’s Pinks (7%), Queens (6%), and Whites (7%).
IFA president Tim Cullinan has, meanwhile, called on consumers, retailers and the foodservice sector to support some 400 Irish growers in an indigenous sector worth €80m at the farm gate and with a retail market household spend valued at €242m.
Mr Cullinan urged consumers and the foodservice sector to always choose Irish potatoes instead of imported produce.
“The foodservice sector particularly must check the origin of the potatoes that it uses. Imports undermines the Irish market. By choosing Irish, you are supporting vital jobs in the rural economy,” he said.
IFA potato chairman Thomas McKeown said this year had been challenging for growers, particularly those supplying the volatile foodservice sector. It highlighted the importance of supporting local producers.
“Growers have absorbed all the extra costs associated with additional measures required on farms. They must be encouraged to continue producing high-quality crops at a fair price that sustains production,” he said.
