Potato

Description 

Potato is one of the most popular and widely use vegetable in the world. it is an annual plat, producing swelling underground stem tubers. This vegetable forms an important and an  indispensable item of our daily food and is an important source of nutrition.

Origin and Distribution

The potato is a native of South America, where it as been cultivated for ancient times. It was introduce to Europe in the later-half of the 16th century. But nearly one hundred years, it was look upon as a poisonous tuber. Its food value was realize only in 1771, when a price was offer in the France for the discovery of an article of food which could be use as substitute for wheat in time of famine.

     In the United State, potato was introduced by Irish immigrant in 1719. The Spaniards took to Philippines at an early date. It came to India in the 17th century. The missionary probably introduced it to East Africa toward the end of the 19th century. In volume and value in world basis, the potato now exceed all other crops in the world.

Food value

Potato contain high nutritive value. Its chief food principal is starch, but it has a notable amount of protein of high biological value. It contain a substantial alkaline salt. It is rich in Soda, Potash and Vitamin A and B.

   The  potato can be boiled, steamed and cook with other vegetables. But it should be cooked in such a way so as to retain all it excellent qualities. To secure it maximum value, it should always be cooked with its skin as the most nutritive part of the potato lies just below the skin and this particular layer is very rich in protein mineral salt. 

POTATO

                                            Value per 100 gm edible portion

Natural Benefit and Curative Properties 

The potato contain several medical virtues. As it is one of the most strongly alkaline of all foods, it is, therefore, very helpful in maintaining the alkaline reserve of the body and a natural antidote for acids or acidosis. it dissolve away uric acids and lime. It is also important in preventing the fermentative  process in the intestine and it help the growth of friendly bacteria in the digestive tract.

     However, potato should be avoided by obese people as they are fattening. They should always be omitted from the diet of does suffering from venereal diseases  and those afflicted with aphrodisiac tendencies. The potato contain an alkaliod toxin known as solanine which affect the  nerves controlling the sexual organs. The solanine poison is particularly prevalent in potato too green in colour. The combination of cooked meat and potato intensify the solanine poison, which together with uric acid crvstals resulting from the ingestion of meat may cause excessive irritation of sexual organ.   

Potato Therapy

An exclusive potato diet is considered valuable in the treatment of certain disorder such as chronic constipation, intestinal toxaemia, uric acid diseases, renal  calculi or stone and dropsy. This diet may be employed with beneficial result for several months, if necessary. In the potato diet, potato can be consume in it various preparation, as baked, steamed and can use for soup. When on potato diet, other vegetable which can be consume are spinach, beet top, turnip tops, cucumber, lecttuce, celery, tomato and other green vegetable.