Garlic and Dill Smashed Potatoes

fragrant and perfectly crisp, these smashed potatoes are coated with fragrant garlic and dill infused olive oil

Potatoes are a great source of energy-delivering complex carbohydrates. All varieties including russet, red, yellow, purple, and sweet provide a relatively ample amount of vitamins and minerals. They are rich in vitamin C, B6, copper, and manganese. They are high in fiber, aiding towards digestive health and helping control and improve blood sugar levels. Though all potatoes have their similar health benefits, each one has varying characteristics. The purple variety in particular is jam-packed with disease-fighting antioxidants and phytonutrients. Anthocyanin is the antioxidant that give this particular potato its deep purple color.

Anthocyanin benefits include anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-carcinogenic, maintaining eye health, neuroprotective, supporting collagen, and increasing intercellular levels of vitamin C. Deeper colored fruits and vegetables often contain high antioxidant levels. In these purple potatoes there is a high concentration of a phytochemical called chlorogenic acid, that has been linked to lowering blood pressure levels. It is always important to diversity your daily intake of fruits and vegetables to allow yourself to benefit from the variety of vitamins and nutrients each food provides.