Description

Potato is an underground tuber which grows on the roots of the Solanum tuberosum plant. Potatoes are originally derived from the Andes of South America where Native Americans cultivated potatoes some 10,000 years ago in the mountains of Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. Centuries after they were introduced to Europe and North America, potatoes represent one of the most important ingredients of the World’s cuisine and the fourth-largest food crop in the entire world. Potato is a starchy root vegetable that grows about 12 to 18 inches in height and bears many tubers underground. The tubers are usually round to oval in shape.

Health benefits

• Potato has a good content of potassium, calcium, and magnesium which have the ability to decrease blood pressure naturally. ⁽¹⁾
• Potatoes have a significant amount of fiber which helps in lowering cholesterol levels. This helps in maintaining heart health. ⁽¹⁾
• Potatoes are rich in compounds like flavonoids, carotenoids and phenolic acids which have an antioxidant effect on the body and affect the growth of liver and colon cancer cells.⁽²⁾
• Potatoes are naturally gluten-free and make a good choice for people with celiac disease. ⁽²⁾
• Potatoes are rich sources of Vitamin C which besides being a good anti-oxidant also prevents symptoms of scurvy. Scurvy is a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C.The basic symptoms of scurvy are weakness, feeling of tiredness and sore arms and legs ⁽³⁾
• Having good stores of sodium and potassium, potatoes can also be used to accelerate athletic performance. ⁽³⁾

Selection Guide

Look for clean, smooth, firm-textured potatoes with no cuts, bruises or discoloration. Potatoes with minor surface blemishes are safe to eat, as long as the affected area is removed. Although potatoes should smell faintly of soil, the skin should be relatively clean and free from dirt. Do not store potatoes in the refrigerator, as lower temperatures may cause the starch to convert to sugar and spoil the potatoes.