Five Things Worth Knowing About Potatoes:

12/26/2012
Potatoes are such a favorite food all year round. They are one the worlds staple foods, and make for great side dishes.

 
A few things worth knowing about potatoes are that they are the most favorite vegetable in the United States.According to the The United Nations FAO report,the world produces approximately 324 million tons of potatoes. The United States ranks at about 5 in the production of potatoes.
 
The word potatoe is actually derived from the Spanish word patata. The common synonym for potatoe is spud, which is derived from a combination of Dutch and Latin words.
 
The fact that potatoes grow in a variety of types in the Americas including Chile not only makes it a good side dish, but a great food to have in the pantry.

Potatoes tend to grow in a cold ground, and are better stored in dark cool places like basements if you have one. Potatoes will convert the natural starch into sugar when exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time.
 
potato-side dishes included in select fresh prepared meals
Potatoes turn dark when they are stored in the refrigerator and or in the freezer. If you are going to use frozen potatoes then, the best ones to use are the ones that have been prepared for freezer to preparation use found in the freezer sections of most grocery stores.
 
Another thing worth knowing about potatoes is that they give the body a natural supply of Vitamin C, potassium, fiber and carbohydrates. The amount of Vitamin C and Potassium contained in a potatoe surpasses the amount of Vitamin C in fruit, and the Potassium of a banana.
 
The potatoe skin is not as popular for eating however,it contains doses of B vitamins, Zinc as well as Phosphorous,Iron, Fiber and Potassium.

Cooking the potatoe determines how beneficial it is to the diet. For instance if you bake the potatoe you will have a better chance of absorbing the vitamins then frying.