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The most popular tuber vegetable in the world. It is available in hundreds of varieties, which vary in size, shape, taste, color, and starch content. Potatoes contain 20% indigestible starch, which makes it necessary to cook them in some manner before consuming. Potatoes can be cooked using most any cooking method desired. They are also converted into commercial products, such as potato chips, instant mashed potatoes, canned new potatoes and many frozen products including French fries, hash browns, and stuffed baked potatoes<\/span><\/p>\n Uses:<\/span><\/strong> \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Tips<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Prevent the darkening of a just peeled potato by cooking it immediately or placing it in cold water until ready to use. FACTS ON POTATOES..<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Potatoes are vegetables but they contain a lot of starch (carbohydrates) that make them more like rice, pasta and bread in terms of nutrition. \u2022 Potato storage facilities are kept at temperatures above 4 \u00b0C (39 \u00b0F) as potato starch turns into sugar and alters the taste below this temperature. ALTERNATIVE USES FOR POTATOES<\/span> A very important part of knowing all about potatoes is cooking them. Cooking potatoes is simple. There is no complex science behind it, you just grab one or more potatoes and go for it. You can boil, bake, fry, steam, mash and roast them. <\/span> \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0 The most popular tuber vegetable in the world. It is available in hundreds of varieties, which vary in size, shape, taste, color, and starch content. Potatoes contain 20% indigestible starch, which makes it necessary to cook them in some manner before consuming. Potatoes can be cooked using most any cooking method desired. They are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39508,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18771","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kitchen-tips"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/potatoes.jpg?fit=2160%2C1388&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pc0QIf-4SL","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-03 23:43:17","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18771","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18771"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18771\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39508"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18771"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18771"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18771"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Potatoes are often served as a side dish to meat and poultry, but they are also used as a significant ingredient in many dishes, such as stew, soups, scalloped potatoes, and other casserole type dishes. Some varieties are better for specific purposes than others, such as red potatoes, which are best for boiling, and russets, which are best for frying and baking. They are also converted into commercial products, such as potato chips, instant mashed potatoes, canned new potatoes and many frozen products including French fries, hash browns, and stuffed baked potatoes.
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How to Buy:<\/span><\/strong>
When selecting, choose those that are firm and plump, avoiding those that have shriveled skins, sprouting eyes, soft spots, blemishes and green spots.
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Storage:<\/span><\/strong>
Store potatoes in a cool dry place. They will keep at room temperature for up to two weeks and longer when stored in cool temperatures. If potatoes are purchased in a plastic bag, remove them from the bag and place in a basket or other such type of a container so that they will have proper air circulation. A paper sack would be better than plastic because the plastic will trap moisture. Do not store in the refrigerator because the cold temperatures will convert the starches into sugar and the potato will become sweet and turn a dark color when cooked. Do not store with onions, the gas given off by onions accelerate the decay of potatoes.<\/span><\/p>\n
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\u2022 To prevent a peeled potato from falling apart during cooking, soak in cold salt water for 10-15 minutes prior to cooking.
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\u2022 Add a little lemon juice or a teaspoon of vinegar to the water when boiling potatoes to prevent them from discoloring.
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\u2022 When cooking potatoes to use in potato salad, add a little vinegar to the water when boiling the potatoes. The vinegar causes the potatoes to form a thin crust, which helps them hold their shape.<\/span><\/p>\n
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\u2022 Much like rice, wheat and maize (corn), potato crops are an important part the world\u2019s diet.
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\u2022 The word potato comes from the Spanish word patata.
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\u2022 Potato plants are usually pollinated by insects such as bumblebees.<\/span>
\u2022 Potatoes contain a variety of vitamins and minerals.
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\u2022 There are thousands of different potato varieties but not all are commercially available, popular ones include Russet, Yukon Gold, Kennebec, Desiree and Fingerling.
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\u2022 While the role of genetic modification is up for debate, research has led to genetically modified potato varieties that have potential benefits such as increased protein and resistance to viruses.
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\u2022 Based on 2010 statistics, China is the leading producer of potatoes.
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\u2022 Potatoes don\u2019t store very well after purchase but they are relatively easy to grow.<\/span><\/p>\n
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\u2022 Potatoes are prepared and served in many different ways, including boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, French fries and hash browns.
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\u2022 French fries contain a lot of fat so don\u2019t eat too many!
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\u2022 Potatoes are usually served hot, but sometimes cold in the form of potato chips or potato salad.
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\u2022 Despite health concerns, potato chips are one of the most common snack foods in the world with billions of packets being consumed every year.
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\u2022 Although it shares the same name, the sweet potato is a root vegetable and only loosely related to the potato.
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\u2022 Potatoes are sometimes called spuds.<\/span><\/p>\n
\u2022 Placed raw slices on broken bones to promote healing<\/span>
\u2022 Carried them to prevent rheumatism<\/span>
\u2022 Ate with other foods to prevent indigestion.<\/span>
\u2022 Measured time: by correlating units of time by how long it took for potatoes to cook.<\/span>
\u2022 Various folk remedies recommend using potatoes:<\/span>
\u2022 Treat facial blemishes by washing you face daily with cool potato juice.<\/span>
\u2022 Treat frostbite or sunburn by applying raw grated potato or potato juice to the affected area.<\/span>
\u2022 Help a toothache by carrying a potato in your pocket.<\/span>
\u2022 Ease a sore throat by putting a slice of baked potato in a stocking and tying it around your throat.<\/span>
\u2022 Ease aches and pains by rubbing the affected area with the water potatoes have been boiled in<\/span>
\u2022 To promote healthy intestines<\/span>
Drinking potatoes water can help cleanse your intestines and reduce the amount of acid in the gastrointestinal system. To prepare it, wash and dice a large potato. Steep it overnight in 1 cup of water to which you’ve added a pinch of sea salt, strain and drink the water every morning on an empty stomach. Repeat for several weeks.<\/span>
\u2022 To eliminates toxins from the body<\/span>
A two-day diet of nothing but potatoes is sometimes recommended to flush excess fluid, and the toxins and waste products that fluid may contain, from the body and help purify the blood. Simultaneously, the alkaline substances in the potato bind to uric-acid deposits and remove them from the body, thus relieving gout and arthritis. Eat one large, plain baked potato with the skin five times a day for two days. Drink plenty of water.<\/span>
\u2022 To improve liver function<\/span>
A tea made from potato skin can relieve gall bladder problems, thereby enhancing the liver’s ability to clear waste products and toxins from the body. To prepare, peel a large potato and boil the skin in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Strain and drink the brew.<\/span>
\u2022 Used to treat gastrointestinal complaints, arthritis, wounds, skin inflammations, tense muscle and general pain especially in the joints, back and abdomen<\/span>
\u2022 Method of administration<\/span>
\u2022 A potato wrap for pain relief <\/span>
The potato wrap has long history as a folk remedy for all types of muscle and bone pain. Potatoes retain heat for long periods of time, allowing the warmth to penetrate deep into the tissues. To make the wrap, boil 1 lb. of potatoes in their skins until tender. Place them in a linen sack and mash them. Apply the sack to the affected area, placing a towel underneath tightly to your body with a woollen blanket. Remove the only after it has cooled down completely.<\/span>
\u2022 Raw potatoes for inflammation<\/span>
The cooling effect of raw potato slices brings fast relief from swelling (and itching) caused by contact dermatitis and insect bites. The slices are also effective for bruises as well as sties that occur on the eyelids. Peel and slice a potato and apply a slice to the affected skin until the potato warms up. Repeat as necessary.<\/span>
\u2022 Potato juice for heartburn<\/span>
Potato juice helps reduce stomach acid and heal gastrointestinal inflammation because it contains compounds that coat the lining of the stomach. Use a juicer to extract the juice from 1-2 large potatoes (with the skins). Take 3-4 tbsp. of juice half an hour before meals. If you do not like the taste of potato juice when taken straight, mix it with another vegetable juice (such as carrot or beet) or add it to soup.<\/span>
\u2022<\/span><\/p>\n
The number of things you can do with the tuber is immense. You can make them in a few minutes (thanks to the microwave) or if you want them to be ready for a later meal the trusty slow cooker can assist you well. <\/span>
The different recipes for potatoes you can create are up to you. Once you have some experience you can try the tougher dishes. Several good potatoes’ recipes, for example, require boiling and mashing or boiling and frying. If you combine them with other vegetables, meats, fish or anything else you enjoy you are going to prepare some amazing meals.<\/span><\/p>\n