Potatoes are found all over the world. They are easy to grow and abundantly available at very affordable prices and are therefore a common vegetable in almost all kitchens. While health conscious people frown upon excessive consumption of potatoes, there are many benefits of potatoes for our health as well as our skin and hair.
This vegetable is a great source of vitamin C, Potassium, fibre, vitamin B, copper, tryptophan, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, folate etc. To add to all of this, potatoes can be consumed in so many different forms - boiled, roasted, baked, fried, and even in curries.
The potato peel and potato juice, can greatly improve your skin health as well as benefit hair. Here is how:
* Treats wrinkles Potatoes are rich in vitamin A, B1,B2, B6, C, beta carotene, magnesium, phosphorus and various other nutrients which work very effectively to improve skin’s health and slow down the signs of aging, especially wrinkles. Peel and blend 1 raw potato into a paste and apply the paste on your skin. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and then wash with cold water. Potato gently exfoliates the dead skin cells and rejuvenates your skin giving it a youthful look.
* Treats dark spots, sun burns and helps lighten the skinHigh vitamin C content of potatoes make it a wonderful solution for acne and pimples. Along with that, potatoes contain minerals like, zinc, copper, sulphur, phosphorus, chloride, which help to remove toxins from the skin and thus reduce the chances of breakouts.You can use potatoes in blended, grated or slices forms to treat various skin problems like dark spots, sun burns and even to lighten your skin colour. For dark spots, blend a peeled potato into a paste and massage it on your face for about 5 minutes. Wash with cold water. You can also simple dab on some potato juice on your face to treat sun burns. Using potato juice as a daily facial rinse can also help get rid of pimples and blemishes. For skin lightening, you can use 1 raw grated potato as face mask. Apply it evenly on your face and wash it off after 30 minutes.
* Treats dry skin Potato replenishes skin moisture and treats dry skin. Potassium present in potatoes can moisturize and also hydrates the skin, while vitamin B6 helps in boosting cell production. You can make a face pack by mixing 1 grated potato with curd. Apply the paste on your face and leave it on for 20 minutes. Wash it with regular water.
* Helps treat grey hairThe anti-oxidant benefits of potatoes makes it an ideal solution to treat premature gravy hair. Along with that, the high amount of vitamins and minerals present in potato help in nourishing the hair follicles and prevent premature greying.A potato hair tonic can do wonders for your hair by preventing and even treating premature greying.Boil potato peels in a pan of water. The level of water should just be enough to cover the peels.After boiling, strain the water into a tumbler.Use this water to rinse your hair after shampooing. This can restore the natural colour of your hair. You can following this for every alternate hair wash to get good results.
* Prevents hair loss The high amount of vitamins A, B1,B2, B6, C, and minerals like, potassium, iron, manganese, phosphorous, copper and niacin in potato juice play a vital role to control hair loss and boost hair growth as well.To prevent hair loss, you can make a hair mask with potatoes and honey. For this hair mask, mix 2 tablespoons of potato juice with 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel and 1 tablespoon of honey. Apply this mixture to the roots and massage your scalp.Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave it on for a couple of hours.Wash your hair with a mild shampoo. Using this mask twice a week can give you great results.
Potatoes have mild but effective bleaching properties, thanks to the presence of catecholase enzyme in it. Also, the vitamins and minerals present in potatoes provide nourishment to the skin and help in improving complexion.