Potato power

A second helping of potato salad might be the ticket to better bowel health and immune function, say Spanish researchers who authored a study in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. The scientists found that pigs fed raw potato starch had healthier bowels and decreased white blood cell counts (high levels indicate either infection or inflammation within the body).

You don't have to munch on raw potato slices to benefit: Cold, boiled potatoes, like those found in potato salad, contain a type of starch that is thought to be responsible for the potato's healing powers. Legumes, grains, green bananas, pastas, and cereals also boast this special starch. For information on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), see p. 40.

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