The new season of Albert Bartlett Purple Majesty potatoes will be back on shelf in Sainsbury’s from mid-October.
Date:
Mon, 17 Oct 2011
Source:
Albert Bartlett
Albert Bartlett:
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Launched just over a year ago this intriguing vegetable caused a sensation when, despite its startling good looks, it tasted just as delicious as more familiar potato varieties.
The deep purple colour contains the same compounds responsible for the purple colour in blueberries, blackberries blackcurrants, red cabbage and aubergine, packing a powerful nutritional punch.
Now a recent study in the US shows that two servings of purple potatoes a day, minus any calorie-laden additions, can lower blood pressure for people with obesity and hypertension without adding pounds.
The findings, presented at the 42nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Denver in September, found microwaved purple potatoes cooked without oil lowered blood pressure as much as eating oatmeal in overweight people with high blood pressure.
This research was headed by Joe Vinson PhD from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. The team monitored 18 overweight volunteers with high blood pressure, finding that the average diastolic blood pressure dropped by 4.3% and the systolic pressure decreased by 3.5%, while none of the study participants gained weight.
Gillian Kynoch, head of development at Albert Bartlett, comments: "The Purple Majesty is a real super-hero and is fast becoming a dinner-table favourite. They perform beautifully in the kitchen, mashing, baking, roasting and microwaving to perfection."
Sainsbury’s will also be selling new purple potato wedges or "witches fingers" available in store in time for Halloween. This further cements the supermarket's partnership with the 60-year-old family-run company based in Airdrie, which already supplies over 85,000 tonnes of Scottish potatoes from a group of 65 Scottish growers.
More information on Purple Majesty.
Looking to source fruit & vegetables in Scotland? Use Scotland Food & Drink's Buyers' Guide.