Before I address the topic of this article’s title, let’s take a look at all the health benefits of potatoes. Fall and winter are spud-season, after all. And it’s a sad state of affairs that there are some folks who claim they can’t eat potatoes because of the carbohydrate load. The potato’s contribution to protecting the immune system is just too great to be ignoring this incredible vegetable.

And how do potatoes achieve this? It’s their significant vitamin C content, which has conclusively been proven over and over to help support and bolster the body’s immune system. Yes…move over oranges. Spuds are loaded with this water-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant that stabilizes free radicals, thus helping to prevent cellular damage.

This vitamin boosts the body's ability to produce collagen, as well, which is a major component of muscle tissue. Collagen supports iron absorption, while also helping to heal wounds and even keeping your gums healthy.

Potatoes are also praised for their nutrient density. Foods that pack the maximum amount of good-for-you nutrients per energy content or weight, are considered nutrient dense. Research suggests potatoes are one of the vegetables offering the most nutrients per dollar (along with sweet potatoes and carrots) on eight important nutrients, including potassium, fiber, protein, vitamins C and E, calcium, iron, and magnesium.

And potatoes are a food with one of the highest levels of potassium, providing 15 percent of the daily value per serving. In addition, they have 7 percent of the daily value of dietary fiber per serving. If you are looking to amp up the fiber content of your daily diet, potatoes are one of the least expensive sources of fiber out there.

But the benefits of potatoes surpass their immune-boosting nutritional benefits. They’re a widely available, accessible option for those looking to consume more fresh produce. AND, they’re an especially budget-friendly option that shatters the myth that nourishing foods or a healthy eating style is expensive. What with food prices going through the roof, you can still turn to potatoes (fresh, frozen, dehydrated, even canned) as an affordable choice for feeding the family.

So the bottom line? While it might be a surprise, it’s a fact: Potatoes offer more immunity-boosting nutrients per dollar than most other produce. Thus the advice: dare to get off the carbohydrate-scaredy-cat wagon and do your body a favor. Start enjoying potatoes!

And to help us do just that, here’s a recipe from a favorite source, www.realsimple.com. “Melting Potatoes,” as they’re called, are creamy, caramelized coins that do what their name says—they melt in your mouth. We must thank Martha Stewart (who else?) for this tantalizing dish. I first found it on Pinterest (where else?), and can confidently say, it lives up to all its Pinterest-generated hype! In fact, this is so good, you may want to consider it for your Thanksgiving dinner.

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I’ll close with a hot tip: check out www.potatogoodness.com. It’s a blog from the organization, Potatoes USA. Here you can find all you want to know about potatoes (how to best cook them, scrumptious recipes, and even farmer videos). Inspiring!