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Alike But Not the Same
The potato (also called Irish potato) is a plant belonging to the Solanaceae family - the family that includes tomatoes, aubergines and peppers. This plant has a hairy, branched stalk from which branches and leaves develop forming a kind of tuft; the flowers can be white, pink or violet and the berries contain many seeds. The tubers, consisting of a hard pulp rich in starch and containing the seeds, form on the subterranean shoots. It is a plant that adapts easily to its environment: although it prefers temperate conditions and good steady rain throughout the year, it will prosper in all kinds of climate and soil conditions.
There is a huge range of varieties, which can be classified into four categories: food, starch, industrial and forage. Today it ranks fourth on the list of the world's crops, with 300 million tones produced in 2000, and a growth rate estimated at 2.7% per year until 2020. A third of all production comes from developing countries compared with 11% at the beginning of the 1970s. The potato is rich in minerals and carbohydrates and so provides energy and minerals. Fat content is moderate. Potatoes are rich in vitamins C and B, which are however "hidden" under the skin. Should we eat potato peel? It's great when oven-roasted or grilled, and not just that of new potatoes. However, it is advised to eat it only from organic potatoes. Of all vegetables, it is the most exposed to the negative consequences of chemical fertilizers: insecticides etc. penetrate the earth and come into direct contact with the edible part of the plant. |
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