Potato: an Anti-Inflammatory Food

Some foods promote inflammation and some reduce it. Chronic intestinal inflammation drives a variety of diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colon cancer, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes, which plagues society today. Because plant-based food is effective against chronic diseases via modulation of gut microbiota and inflammation, there is a growing interest in anti-inflammatory staple food crops. Potato contains anti-inflammatory components such as resistant starch, fiber, and anthocyanins. Given the wide variation in potato germplasm for these compounds, there exists an opportunity to further develop potato as a potent anti-inflammatory staple crop.