Potato is a very important food today, and it was in the past. This modest food has played an important role in the history of mankind. It has saved people of hunger many times during the war or in areas of bad weather.
In many countries potato has favored population growth and economic development.
We bring you 12 interesting facts about potatoes.
The potato is rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and vitamin K, and contains minerals rich in copper, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, manganese … The potatoes also contain high quality starch, protein and dietary fiber.
When the Spaniards arrived in Peru they found and discovered the potatoes and transferred it to Spain at the beginning of the 16th century. Hence the potatoes spread to all European countries and began to be used daily in human nutrition.
Potatoes usually does not grow from seeds but from pieces of potato. From these pieces grow a plant that reaches a height of 30 centimeters to 1 meter and the flowera are white or pink. When the flowers are dry, it is a sign that potatoes can be removed from the ground.
Potatoes are one of the main ingredients used to produce vodka. If you have a surplus of potatoes (at least ten kilos) and a lot of free time, you can make your own vodka!
It is estimated that there are more than 3,000 types of potatoes in Peru and some of them can not be grown outside Peru because they require specific climate and agroecological conditions.
Potato played a very important role in the history of the Irish people. More than a hundred years ago, the Irish people lived exclusively from potatoes, which were their main food. When, in 1846 was annual potato brewery destroyed by unknown fungi, over 600,000 people died of hunger, and many survivors left their homeland. This is known as “Irish Potato Famine”.
Today potatoes are much different than their South American “ancestor”. These changes were made using various methods of potato breeding. Farmers are trying to improve their quality and increase potato yields.
Potatoes, however, are not native to Ireland, ir+t comes from the Ecuadorian and Peruvian mountain regions of South America. Even today in these areas potato grows like awild plant.
Removal of rust from metal can be done with this plant. Cut the raw potatoes and simply rub it on the rusty surface. The acid in it will dissolve the rust.
The Incas have been fed by it 6,000 years ago, and in Quechua language they devised around 1,000 words that mean or describe different types of potatoes. The potatoes are also called “bread from the Andes”.
Potato is a herbaceous plant and belongs to the same family as tomatoes and tobacco come from. In fact, the potato is thickened underground tree.
Potato is also used for the production of important acids; citric and fumaric, and also for ethanol, which serves as fuel and for obtaining bioplastics.
