What is a Solanum tuberosum and why you should care
A Solanum tuberosum is more commonly known as the potato. This isn’t surprising, considering that potatoes are one of the most popular vegetables worldwide. They’re grown in nearly every country and region in the world, and they can be eaten at any time of year; potatoes are incredibly versatile, not to mention easy to cook with, healthy and tasty. Here we’ll look at what a Solanum tuberosum really is and why you should care about it!
One: Why You Should Care
If you've ever eaten a potato, then you've eaten a Solanum tuberosum. This unassuming little root vegetable is actually one of the most important crops in the world, providing food for billions of people. Not only are potatoes delicious, they're also incredibly versatile. They can be boiled, baked, mashed, or fried, and they can be used in sweet or savory dishes. Plus, they come in all sorts of colors and sizes. Potatoes make up about 40% of the world's carbohydrate consumption. That's right: these humble roots have saved more lives than any other crop! How? It all starts with those purple-skinned beauties we call blueberries. Blueberries grow on bushes that need lots of space to spread out their vines. But because our earth has become so overpopulated, there just isn't enough land to go around anymore. And that's where the spud comes in! All those years ago, when President Thomas Jefferson was seeking an alternative to wheat for feeding our nation’s growing population, he discovered that blueberry bushes could be planted among potatoes--providing space for both crops while avoiding competition between them--giving us what we now know as the classic potato-and-blueberry salad. By teaming up with this incredible fruit, potatoes have managed to feed not only Americans but also many people in other countries. So next time you sit down at your table and peel back the skin of a fat white russet, think about how lucky you are that Mr. Jefferson had such good taste. You'll be giving thanks every day--that even though it doesn't seem like it sometimes, humanity's efforts do matter. In fact, without them, the apple would never fall far from the tree.
Eating a S. tuberosum really does help feed hungry children in India and Kenya who don't always get enough nutritious food to eat. One acre of potato plants can produce more than 5 tons of potatoes! Just imagine how much happiness your forkfuls will bring to others across the globe with each mealtime... even if you live on Mars. So please, enjoy responsibly. And, here's a recipe for some classic potato pancakes. For the pancakes, mix together: 3 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of chopped onion, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Then add 6 tablespoons milk and 4 eggs. Mix well. Add 6 cups cooked diced potatoes and stir until blended. Let the mixture stand for five minutes before frying in hot oil until golden brown. Serve warm with sour cream and chives.
Two: The Basics of Potatoes
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial nightshade Solanum tuberosum. The word potato may refer either to the plant itself or to the edible tuber. In the Andes, where the species is indigenous, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species. Potatoes were introduced to Europe in the second half of the 16th century by the Spanish. They quickly became an important food staple and today potatoes are ubiquitous in much of the world. The leaf blades broad ovate, deeply palmately lobed with 3-7 pointed teeth on each lobe; petioles stout; stipules narrowly triangular, membraneous, often with irregular edges. Flowers white or greenish-white, sometimes reddish-purple outside; male flowers 5-10 cm long; female flowers 5.5-7 cm long; bracts broadly ovate (if bractlets present), entire (if bractlets absent); calyx 1 cm long, glandular hairy outside and inside; petals 4-6 mm long but claws absent or minutely developed at base of limb. Fruit egg-shaped, flattened, blue-black with deep purple mottling when ripe. Skin thick, smooth. Flesh tinged dark red next to skin; granular texture; flavour pleasant but slightly acidic
Three: How Potatoes are Used Around the World
1. potatoes are the world’s fourth largest food crop, behind wheat, rice, and corn.
2. more than 1 billion people in over 110 countries eat potatoes.
3. potatoes are a part of the daily diet for many people because they are affordable, filling, and versatile.
4. Potatoes can be boiled, baked, mashed, or fried, and they can be used as a side dish or as the main ingredient in a meal.
5. In addition to being eaten as food, potatoes are also used to make alcohol, fuel, and paper.
6. Potatoes are native to South America and were first brought to Europe by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. 7. By the 17th century, potatoes had become popular across Europe and began to be grown on farms in North America.
8. The Irish Potato Famine was a disaster that occurred when blight fungus infected crops in Ireland during 1845-1852, which caused starvation and mass emigration from Ireland.
9. Today, there are still places where potatoes cause famine such as Haiti due to its lack of other food sources since Haiti cannot grow enough corn or rice due to frequent hurricanes destroying their crops. 10. Most potatoes come in four basic colors: red, yellow, purple, and white. 11. A solanum tuberosum is a potato plant that produces edible tubers (roots). 12. There are thousands of different varieties of potato around the world with varying skin colors and textures but all have relatively similar flavor profiles depending on what type of starch it contains (amylose vs amylopectin). 13. The most common potato variety today is the Russet Burbank which makes up about two thirds of all US production according to Cornell University. 14. It has a medium texture and taste, so it goes well with both sweet and savory flavors. 15. Russets are grown in Idaho, Washington State, New York State, Michigan State, Wisconsin State, Maine State, Vermont State, Colorado State, California State Nevada state Oregon state Utah state Idaho state Alaska state Florida state Georgia state Indiana State Ohio state Minnesota Rhode Island Massachusetts New Hampshire Connecticut Delaware Pennsylvania Maryland Virginia West Virginia Tennessee Alabama Louisiana Mississippi Texas Arkansas Kansas Oklahoma Missouri Iowa Nebraska Illinois Iowa Tennessee Oklahoma Texas Missouri Nebraska Kansas Louisiana Arkansas Oklahoma Tennessee Missouri Mississippi West Virginia Texas Louisiana Tennessee Arkansas Alabama Mississippi Kansas 15. As far as size goes russets can range anywhere from 50 pounds to 100 pounds and usually last for six months at room temperature if not refrigerated. 16. Though potatoes may seem like a simple vegetable, this blog post has revealed the immense global impact and history of the humble spud.
17. If you want to read more about potatoes and see pictures of different types of potatoes, click here. 18. Different potato recipes to try are herbed potatoes, potato pancakes, and mashed potatoes.
19. And here is a link to a video of how to cook french fries.
20. Thank you for reading! Here are some links to help you continue your research on potatoes.
21. USDA potato site
22. CIA World Factbook entry for Potatoes
23. Wikipedia article on Potatoes
Four: Potato Pros
Solanum tuberosum, or the potato, is a root vegetable that is native to the Andes in South America. It was first domesticated by the Inca people in Peru about 8,000 years ago, and has since become one of the most important crops in the world. Potatoes are a nutritious food that are high in fiber and vitamins C and B6. They are also a good source of potassium and copper. In addition to being eaten as a fresh vegetable, potatoes are used to make french fries, chips, flour, starch, alcohol, and biofuels. The average American eats between 110-170 pounds of potatoes per year! That’s a lot of spuds considering that there are 3,500 varieties of potatoes from all over the world with different colors, shapes, flavors, textures and sizes. Some popular varieties include Yukon Gold which are waxy and smooth with a pale yellow skin and deep golden flesh; Russet which have a dry texture but make excellent baked potatoes; sweet potatoes which have soft orange flesh when cooked; white round Idaho potatoes which have light yellow flesh with an earthy flavor; red round fingerlings with purple skins; purple potatoes with purple skin and violet flesh; fingerling spuds with red skins that look like fingers reaching out from under dirt.; blue potatoes, which turn blue when they're boiled because they contain anthocyanin (the same chemical found in blueberries). Most of these types can be stored for up to six months without refrigeration because they're low on moisture content. Potato pros: One medium-sized potato contains 150 calories and 24 grams of carbs - not too shabby for a tasty side dish! So next time you see some nice looking potatoes at the grocery store, don't just pass them by. Take advantage of their numerous benefits and try something new! Here are five potato recipes to get you started:
Potato and Rosemary Breadsticks
Baked Potatoes with Chives
Oven Roasted Root Vegetables
Roasted Garlic Potato Soup
Twice Baked Potato
Five: Potato Cons
1. They're full of starch.
2. They can cause weight gain.
3. They can be addictive.
4. They can trigger allergies.
5. They can contain toxins. 6. Potatoes are high in salt, which can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease.
7. Potatoes may aggravate or even produce asthma symptoms for some people, as well as skin rashes, headaches, and joint pain due to the reaction to solanine (a toxic alkaloid found in all nightshade plants).
8. Potatoes have more calories than most vegetables because they are so starchy; one potato has twice the calories of an apple!
9. With their high glycemic index, potatoes increase your risk for diabetes by nearly 20%.
10. Potatoes are unhealthy because they contain too much fat (especially saturated fat) which will raise cholesterol levels. 11. They contain too many carbohydrates which will make you hungry again soon after eating them - and potatoes also lack nutrients like vitamins A, C, E, B6, B12 and folic acid that are essential for good health. 12. One medium baked potato contains enough calories to feed an average person who works out daily - this means that it's difficult to lose weight when including these starchy tubers into your diet. 13. They're high in potassium, but low in calcium, iron, vitamin C and dietary fiber. 14. According to The American Dietetic Association: the best approach for controlling type 2 diabetes and obesity would be to limit consumption of potatoes. 15. Eaten raw (without cooking), potatoes are linked with birth defects such as neural tube defects because they contain substances called glycoalkaloids that affect the central nervous system and can impair cognitive development during pregnancy if consumed regularly 16. Like other root vegetables, potatoes are very hard on the digestive system - especially for those with irritable bowel syndrome or ulcerative colitis 17.
Six: Potato Myths (Explained)
Solanum tuberosum, more commonly known as the potato, is a starchy, tuberous crop. It is the world's fourth-largest food crop, following maize, wheat, and rice. Potatoes are grown on every continent except Antarctica. Despite their popularity, there are many misconceptions about potatoes. Here are six potato myths debunk1) The French fry will ruin your diet: French fries do not ruin your diet because they're low in calories and packed with fiber. 2) Don't eat the green parts of a potato: If you want to get rid of green parts of a potato, don't cut them off. Instead, place them at the bottom of the pan when boiling or frying them for a few minutes so that they turn brown and crispy! 3) You can tell how old a potato is by how it looks: Fresh potatoes will have moist eyes and wrinkles around them, while old potatoes will be shriveled up with dry eyes. 4) Potato skins can make people sick: The outer skin layer has no nutritional value whatsoever so it can be removed easily without any consequences! 5) White sugar goes better with potatoes than brown sugar does: True, white sugar is preferred over brown sugar when cooking sweet side dishes like baked or mashed potatoes. 6) Sweet potatoes are healthier than regular potatoes: Technically speaking, sweet potatoes and regular white potatoes come from the same plant species, but they're very different varieties which affect their taste, texture, and nutrient profile. The flesh of a sweet potato is orange, thick, and tastes sweeter. A regular white potato is yellow inside and has a less sweet flavor. Both types have high levels of Vitamin C; however, sweet potatoes also contain higher levels of vitamin A and beta carotene, which makes them more nutritious than white potatoes. The average American eats approximately 110 pounds of potatoes per year - almost double the amount of apples consumed. There are many benefits to eating potatoes, including being a good source of potassium and dietary fiber. Potatoes help fight inflammation and cancer, lower blood pressure, improve heart health, maintain energy levels throughout the day, prevent diabetes complications, increase eye health by reducing cataracts risk etc. So what kind of solanum tuberosum? Simply put: anything but an insult! One common misconception about potatoes is that they lead to weight gain. In reality, french fries themselves are typically low in calories (about 90 per 100 grams), and if eaten in moderation (like most foods), provide some important nutrients such as protein, iron, vitamins B6 and C, riboflavin, thiamin, calcium and potassium. A medium size potato weighs about 200 grams (~1/2 pound) before peeling—which leaves one roughly 60 grams (~1/4 pound). If a person consumes two potatoes at dinner time this would account for only 240 total grams (~3/4 pound). In contrast the average fast food hamburger contains 270 calories alone...now those seem like some real weight gaining culprits!
Seven: The Future of Potatoes
The Solanum tuberosum, more commonly known as the potato, is a starchy tuber that originates from the Andes in South America. The potato is now an integral part of diets around the world, and its popularity shows no signs of waning. In fact, the future of potatoes looks bright, thanks to new initiatives that aim to make this humble vegetable more sustainable and nutritious. Here are seven reasons why the potato is poised for a bright futurefuture. 1) Potatoes provide better nutrition than ever before.
2) Scientists recently discovered how to increase levels of vitamin C in potatoes by 250%.
3) New research shows that potatoes have twice the protein and three times the calcium of apples.
4) Many people are getting interested in growing their own food, but don't have space for many plants or gardening experience. That's where potatoes come in! They can be grown virtually anywhere with little effort, so they're perfect for novice gardeners and those who live in apartments or don't have access to gardening space at all. 5) Climate change has been altering weather patterns, causing some regions to see increased incidences of drought. But potatoes do well in less-than-ideal conditions; they thrive even if only watered once every two weeks. 6) Thanks to a series of new initiatives and improved farming practices, we're starting to see a reduction in pesticides applied on crops - including potatoes - which makes them safer for consumption. 7) It's estimated that there will be a 40% global shortfall in crop production by 2050 due to climate change. If current trends continue, potatoes will become an increasingly important staple crop as other crops are affected by these changes. One estimate projects that global demand for potatoes will increase by 27% over the next 10 years. So while not everyone likes potatoes, it seems like they'll still be around for awhile.
Potatoes are not just popular because they taste good; there are plenty of reasons to love them! A small (or large!) bag of potatoes can feed a family easily, they're easy to grow anywhere and require minimal upkeep, and are great for making gluten-free recipes. Plus, there's increasing evidence that eating potatoes may help prevent heart disease and type 2 diabetes. With so many benefits—and such a healthy reputation—it's hard to believe that just 100 years ago, the average American ate about 14 pounds of potatoes per year compared to the 140 pounds we eat today! There are dozens of varieties out there: red-, yellow-, purple-, white-, blue-, russet-, pink-, fingerling ... . Why not try one?
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