If I had a penny for every time someone told me “watch out for the potato,” I’d already be a rich woman. The legendary root vegetable has long been the victim of misunderstanding. From the late 1500s to today, the potato has been condemned for a variety of reasons. In 1580, the celebrated explorer Sir Walter Raleigh brought some potato plants from the Americas to Ireland and presented them as a gift to Queen Elizabeth I. Unfortunately, the cooks in the Queen’s palace were not very familiar with the strange-looking tuber and in Instead of cooking the potatoes, they boiled the stems and leaves before presenting them to the court at mealtimes. For those of you unaware of the more sinister characteristics of the potato plant, it contains toxic compounds called glycoalkaloids, most of which are concentrated in the leaves and stems of the plant. As such, all who consumed the boiled preparation fell deathly ill, and potatoes were consequently banned at the Queen’s court.

After this, malicious rumors seemed to follow the unfortunate tuber wherever it was introduced in the world. In France, for example, the potato was given an almost demonic status, accused of causing vile diseases ranging from leprosy to syphilis, as well as being responsible for sterility and unimpeded sexuality alike. The potato gradually became so infamous that in a certain French town an announcement was made to the effect that, since the potato is injurious to human, animal and soil health, the cultivation of it should be stopped immediately.

Modern times have found other reasons to discredit the benevolent vegetable. Although potato is one of the most popular foods people enjoy today, a diet and health-crazed society points out that potato, being extremely rich in starch, can hardly boast any other kind of nutritional value. People today are so caught up in the anti-carb, zero-calorie, diabetes-free campaign that they don’t see the potato for what it really is: a highly nutritious vegetable, which when prepared and eaten the right way and in the right amounts, it tends to help more often than not harm.

According to a United Nations report, world potato production peaked at 315 million tons in 2006 and today almost a third of world production can be attributed to China and India, two of the most populous countries in the world. world. According to sources, on average, a world citizen consumes around 33 kg (73 lb) of potatoes per year. In fact, the average American eats almost 140 pounds per year, while Germans eat about 200 pounds per year. Although there are some standard basic types of potatoes, 4,000 different varieties are grown around the world. The potato was also the first vegetable to be grown in space in 1995, with the goal of feeding astronauts and future space colonies! Given the efforts required to grow so many types of potatoes and the volumes of production and consumption around the world, it is hard to think of the potato as a poisonous, evil vegetable waiting to kill you with syphilis or obesity. And it turns out that the potato is the complete opposite! Here is a list of some common potato myths that concern people even today.

Myth 1: The potato is not a vegetable

The potato, although it has a tuberous root, is classified as a vegetable in the Food Pyramid. However, it is also sometimes called an edible root or tuber. The potato forms an important part of the total recommended daily rations of vegetables. One medium-sized potato counts as one cup of starchy vegetables.

Myth 2: Potatoes make you fat

Nutritionally speaking, a potato is about 80% water and 20% solids, and has about as much stored nutritional value as you would expect from any normal vegetable. A raw or baked potato with skin on typically contains 100 calories, 22g carbs, 3g protein, and NO fat! I bet that’s wonderful news for all the diet stricken people in the world who have been told that eating potatoes is suicide for a weight loss program. This is totally false if it is eaten in all its splendor: baked, mashed, boiled, roasted, steamed or stewed. Although a potato looks big, meaty, and downright dangerous to the Atkins devotee, by itself it won’t contribute much to weight gain, due to its high water content. However, a potato with the added topping of butter or sour cream, served as French fries/chips, or baked with cheese will not only hinder weight loss, it WILL CONTRIBUTE to weight gain, as well as cholesterol and cholesterol problems. sugar in the blood. While a simple baked potato would have no more than 100 calories and no fat, a small packet of potato chips would easily account for around 210 calories plus the extra fat.

Myth 3: French fries are vegetables

Although this common potato myth is of the opinion that French fries and French fries count as vegetables in the food guide pyramid, this is totally misleading. The glaring fact of the matter is that although potatoes in their raw form fall under the vegetable group, French fries that are nearly 61% fat are not.

Myth 4: Potatoes contain simple carbohydrates

Potatoes contain complex carbohydrates, which are absolutely essential for the energy needs of the body and brain. Most of these carbohydrates are present in the form of starch. A portion of this starch, which is resistant to digestion by enzymes in the stomach and small intestine, reaches the large intestine almost intact and provides the body with much-needed fiber needs.

Myth 5: Carbohydrates are the only nutrients available in a potato.

A medium-sized raw or baked white potato with skin on is also a powerhouse of other nutrients. Typically contains almost 35% vitamin C, 20% vitamin B6, 15% iodine and 10% copper, iron and niacin, 8% folic acid, phosphorus and magnesium, 4% of thiamine and zinc and trace amounts of vitamin R. During the Alaskan Klondike gold rush in the late 1800s, miners valued potatoes so highly for their vitamin C content that they traded them for gold. So much for breaking Myth number 5!

Myth 6: All the nutrients of a potato are found in its skin

Although most of its protein content is concentrated within its thin layer of skin, all other nutrients are evenly distributed throughout the skin and body of the potato. So go ahead and enjoy the delicious whole potato goodness!

Myth 7: Potatoes have no antioxidants

Although there are no approved antioxidant claims in potatoes, certain research studies in recent years claim that potatoes have a high probability of containing antioxidants such as, but not limited to, anthocyanin and carotenoids (apart from the established richness in vitamin C).

Myth 8: Potatoes taste good only when cooked according to high-fat recipes.

Try an Indian potato curry with boiled potatoes and spices. If you’re not into Asian cuisine, try topping a baked potato with low-fat salsa or sour cream, or even low-fat cheese. Bake cheeseless potatoes in tomato sauce with a hint of garlic and herbs served with steamed vegetables or asparagus on the side. Roast them alternately with tarragon leaves and other herbs. The avenues are multitudinous: creativity waits to be explored. All with the same end result: a delicious low-fat, high-carb, nutrition-packed meal just waiting to be gobbled up!

Myth 9: White potatoes are bad for you, eat sweet potatoes instead!

Wrong. A sweet potato, fried and served with cheese, would be just as bad as regular fries. The goodness of a vegetable – any vegetable – depends on the method of preparation and the amount consumed. Although both contain the same amount of calories on average, sweet potatoes are known to contain less starch, more vitamin C, and nearly triple the amount of beta-carotene in a white potato. However, if sugar is a consideration, the white variety would win out due to the higher sugar content in a sweet potato. So ideally it would be safe to say that raw white potatoes and sweet potatoes complement each other nutritionally and neither are “bad” for the body.

As long as the potatoes you eat are cooked without fat and you replace the servings of cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, and gravy with green vegetables, corn, and carrots, you’re assured of a good, enjoyable, and healthy meal. . So go ahead and enjoy your potatoes the way they were meant to be enjoyed: guilt free and risk free!