Health Information. Potatoes are a starchy root vegetable, a tuber of the plant Solanum tuberosum. There are actually hundreds of varieties of potatoes that you’ve never heard of that you just don’t find at the grocery store. No matter which potato you choose, they are full of vitamin C, B6, potassium, and fiber.
What are 5 facts about potatoes?
10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Potatoes
- Each spud has a use.
- There are many, MANY potatoes you haven’t heard of.
- When you buy them, potatoes are still alive.
- A sweet potato isn’t actually a potato.
- Potatoes were first grown in South America.
- Potatoes were the first vegetable grown in space.
- Potatoes can turn green.
What are three facts about potatoes?
Potato Facts
- 01Potato is a vegetable.
- 02Potato’s roots trace back to Peru where the Incas natives were the first to grow the crop.
- 03Despite its appearance, potato is made up of 80% water and only 20% of solid.
- 04Potato varieties have grown over the centuries, and there are around 100 of the edible kind.
What should you consider when buying potatoes?
Look For
- Potatoes that are fairly clean, smooth, and firm.
- Potatoes that are free from large cuts, growth cracks, bruises, skinned areas, and decay. Some amount of skinning is normal in new potatoes.
- Potatoes of uniform size for even cooking. This is particularly important in baking or boiling potatoes whole.
What are the 7 types of potatoes?
Cooking Tips for Each Potato Type
There are more than 200 varieties of potatoes sold throughout the United States. Each of these varieties fit into one of seven potato type categories: russet, red, white, yellow, blue/purple, fingerling, and petite.
Did you know useless facts?
50 Funniest Useless & Pointless Facts You Should Know!
- Flamingos can only eat with their heads upside down.
- There are 32 muscles in a cat’s ear.
- The chicken and the ostrich are the closest living relatives of the Tyrannosaurus rex.
- It’s impossible to tickle yourself.
- Dr Seuss invented the word ‘nerd’.
Why are potatoes important?
Potatoes contain nearly every important vitamin and nutrient, except vitamins A and D, making their life-supporting properties unrivalled by any other single crop. Keep their skin and add some dairy, which provides the two missing vitamins, and you have a healthy human diet staple.
What is the weirdest fact Ever?
Spider webs were used as bandages in ancient times. One-quarter of all your bones are located in your feet. A cloud can weigh more than a million pounds. The average person will spend six months of their life waiting for red lights to turn green.
How do potatoes grow?
Potatoes are perennial plants planted in the spring and harvested in the fall. Potatoes grow underground on a special stem called a ‘stolon’. The potato stems above ground have attractive but non-edible flowers. Since the ‘root’ of the potato plant is not really a root but a stem, potatoes are also considered tubers.
What is the largest potato on earth?
The current record for the world’s heaviest potato is held by Nottinghamshire vegetable grower, Peter Glazebrook for a spud weighing 4.98 kg. Colin he still keeps the tuber, which he has named Dug, in his freezer. “I say ‘gidday’ to him every time I pull out some sausages.
How long can a potato be stored?
They are safe to eat and a staple in many diets. Potatoes can last for up to several months in a cool pantry. If stored at room temperature, they are best if eaten within one to two weeks. Once cooked, keep them in the fridge for no more than three days.
When you are selecting potatoes What should you avoid?
The best potatoes are ones that are firm and that don’t give when you squeeze them. Getting soft is one of the first indications that a potato is going bad, so avoid potatoes that feel squishy or soft when you squeeze them.
Why do you store potatoes in the dark?
Storing potatoes in a cool, dark (but not forgotten) place hugely decelerates this inevitable decomposition, protects against sprouting, and, to some degree, sweetens the tubers. It’s also important not to store potatoes and onions together.
Which potatoes are healthiest?
The Healthiest Potato is the Red Potato
After taking into account the mineral density, the vitamin density, the macronutrient balance, the sugar-to-fiber ratio, the sodium-to-potassium ratio, and the phytochemical profile, red potatoes are the healthiest potato with data from the USDA Food Database.
How long do potatoes take to grow?
Most varieties will have good-sized tubers that are ready to harvest by 90 days. In the Southeast, soils get too hot in the summer to grow great potatoes. Varieties with DTM beyond 120 days is not advisable. Shoot to have all your taters up by the end of July at the latest for best quality.
What is the most common potato?
Russet Potatoes
Russet Potatoes
Most potatoes grown in the US are of the russet variety, meaning they’re what most people picture when you say “potato.” With a mildly rough brown-grey skin, the flesh once cooked is light and fluffy and the skin becomes chewy.
What is the coolest fact in the world?
The 60 Most Interesting World Facts You’ll Ever Hear
- Glaciers and ice sheets hold about 69 percent of the world’s freshwater.
- The fastest gust of wind ever recorded on Earth was 253 miles per hour.
- Recent droughts in Europe were the worst in 2,100 years.
- The best place in the world to see rainbows is in Hawaii.
Did you know facts for 8 year olds?
Dolphins sleep with one eye shut and one eye open so even when they’re sleeping they can find their way to the surface of the water to take a breath of air. Sharks lose a lot of teeth in their lives, but they never run out. New teeth grow in again and again. A shark can use up 20,000 teeth in its life.
What is the most mind blowing fact?
100 Mind-Blowing Facts You’ve Never Heard Before
- Every ‘c’ in Pacific Ocean is pronounced differently.
- Black apples exist.
- Butt-shaped robots are used to test phones.
- There are now giant pigs as heavy as polar bears.
- Japanese golfers have hole-in-one insurance.
Where is the best potato in the world?
6 Best Rated Potatoes in the World
- Idaho Potatoes. Idaho. United States of America. shutterstock.
- Lički krumpir. Lika-Senj County. Croatia. shutterstock.
- Patata Naxou. Naxos. Greece. shutterstock.
- Pataca de Galicia. Galicia. Spain. shutterstock.
- Yukon Gold. Ontario. Canada.
- Patata Kato Nevrokopiou. Kato Nevrokopi Municipality. Greece.
What country is famous for potatoes?
China is now the world’s top potato producer, followed by India, Russia, and Ukraine.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.