For those who believe in the power of natural ingredients, the local grocery store comes as a boon. Indigenous fruits and vegetables can not only add zing to our everyday meals but also create effective, easy remedies for the most common health and beauty woes. Take potatoes, for example – these chunky tubers are probably one of the most popular ingredients in the world. From the all-time International favourite, French fries to the desi, quintessential hit, aloo ke parathe; potatoes are widely loved in almost all culinary cultures across the globe.
“Potatoes are infamous. Many think that they contribute to weight gain, while these actually come loaded with many essential micronutrients like Vitamin A, C, B, iron and phosphorous,” shares Delhi’s leading skin and hair expert, Dr. Deepali Bhardwaj.
Dorling Kindersley’s Healing Foods has a dedicated section on roots, tubers and rhizomes. The segment talks about potatoes and classifies them as an ingredient that helps fight inflammation and high blood pressure apart from calming the nerves. Potatoes, in general, are loaded with potassium, fibre, B vitamins, manganese and Vitamin C. Healing Foods describes potatoes to be especially helpful in detoxification and acidity regulation in the body.Apart from shining bright in the cooking space, there are several other uses of potatoes unknown to most of us. Its juice, for instance, has long been used in cleaning silverware, getting rid of rust as well as tackling skin-related issues.
6 Benefits of potato juice:
1. “Drinking the juice is a quick way to benefit from its anti-inflammatory properties,” DK, UK, Healing Foods.
2. Topical application of potato juice can help combat and treat a range of skin related issues such as skin darkening, scars, spots, blemishes, hard skin, et cetera.
3. It can also be used to soften nail cuticles.
4. Potato juice also works as a skin brightening agent.
5. It works wonders for the under-eye area.
6. It helps reduce dark circles.
“As a dermatologist, I recommend my patients to use potato juice under the eyes. It has skin tightening properties and can reduce premature ageing and wrinkles. Since the skin under our eyes is thin, it tends to wrinkle fast, potato juice comes to the rescue.” shared Dr. Bharadwaj.
Easy home remedies
“You can try an easy anti-darkening scrub by combining rock salt with equal quantities of lemon juice and potato juice. Mix well and gently rub on the affected area,” shared Dr. Ashutosh Gautam, Clinical Operations and Coordination Manager at Baidyanath.
Potato juice can be mixed with dahi (curd) or honey and used for matured skin. It will help tighten the skin and render a clearer, brighter glow. For younger skin, the juice can be teamed with lemon juice and applied on the face, especially under the eye. Let it dry, then wash off and moisturize well.
Potato juice can easily be combined with a range of skin-benefitting ingredients like cucumber juice, fuller’s earth (Multani mitti), besan, aloe vera and even olive oil. Get in touch with a certified dermatologist or a skin specialist to get to know your skin type better and to explore feasible combinations that will suit your skin.
[“source-ndtv”]
