A native of the Peruvian and Bolivian highlands, potatoes have been cultivated by the Indians for thousands of years. Unlike other food crops, potatoes can grow in elevations as high as 5,000m above sea level.
Spanish conquistadores brought the tuber to Europe in 1570. A good source of vitamin C, it became a staple in Spanish galleons plying the seas. Although widely accepted in Italy and Germany, other European countries did not embrace the potato. Many thought it was poisonous like others in the Solanaceae family: mandrake, henbane, deadly nightshade, so widespread cultivation did not take place until the 18th century, but their large yields provided inexpensive food for the masses, and old beliefs about the tuber vanished. In America, large scale production of potatoes did not occur until the 19th century.
Health Benefits
Stripped of fat - butter, sour cream, melted cheese, etc.- potatoes are low-calorie, high fiber foods that confer protection against heart disease and cancer.
A good source of:
- vitamin C
- Carotenoids (violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, etc.)
- Flavonoids (rutin, kaempherol-3-rutinoside, quercetin-rhamnose glucoside, and
- Alpha-tocopherol
These antioxidants confer heart health by neutralizing free-radicals that can oxidize blood cholesterol that eventually block arterial walls.
Potatoes also contain good levels of vitamin B6, potassium, and kukoamines. Vitamin B6 together with folic acid and vitamin B12 metabolize homocysteine into cysteine - a non-essential amino acid. Homocysteine accelerates blood clotting and thrombus (clot) adhesion in arterial walls. Potassium and kukoamines lower blood pressure contributing to even/smooth blood flow.
In addition, potatoes contain 20 strong anticancer,antileukemic,antimutagenic, and antitumorigenic chemicals.
Nutritional Value
Potatoes are a good source of carbohydrates, dietary fiber,vitamin C, vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese and tryptophan.
Selection and Storage
Buy firm, well-shaped potatoes free of decay and not sprouting.
Store in a dark dry area between 7 to 10 degrees Celcius (45 - 50 degrees Farenheit). Do not refrigerate. The starch will turn to sugar which will impart an unpleasant flavour. Keep away from onions. They will degrade each other.
Best Preparation Method
Boiling or steaming potatoes with skin is the best way of cooking the tubers. This prevents the formation of acrylamide (a carcinogenic substance formed when starchy foods are heated at high temperatures without liquid). To remove dirt, and pesticide residues, scrub potatoes in cold running water. Not all pesticide residue will be removed. Persons concerned about pesticide residue can purchase organically grown potatoes.
Potatoes are a widely available, nutrient dense, and healthy food item. With a glycemic index of 76, it is considered a better source of carbohydrate than white bread without added fiber. Glycemic Index is a method of classifying foods according to their potential for raising blood glucose.
References
Ellen Messer "Potatoes (White)" The Cambridge World History of Foods" Kiple FF & Ornelas KC (eds)
Cambridge University Press 2000
Andre CM et al. "Antioxidant Profiling of Native Andean Potato Tubers (Solanum tuberosum L.) Reveals Cultivars with High Levels of B-Carotene, alpha Tocopherol, Chlorogenic Acid, and Petanin" J Agric. Food Chem. 2007;55(26):10839-10849
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