the pride of prince edward island, a kitchen staple, and one of the most versatile foods you can eat.
imagine a shape, taste, or texture, and the potato can probably be made into it, or at least something similar.
but are these root vegetables just empty carbs, or is there more to their underground goodness?
where did potatoes come from?
the potato is originally from the peruvian-bolivian andes and cultivated by the incas as much as 1,800 years ago, according to
britannica
. the vegetable was then introduced to europe by the spanish who colonized the area in the 1500s.
today, china produces more potatoes than any other nation, with more than
99 million tons of potato being grown annually
.
india, russia, ukraine and the u.s. are the next largest producers of potatoes.
canada, for reference, produces 4 million tons of potatoes each year.
p.e.i. is the most potatoed province, with more than
23 per cent
of all spuds sprouted in canada coming from the island. alberta and manitoba are the next largest producers of potatoes in canada.
potatoes are starchy vegetables
potatoes do include some essential nutrients, according to the
cleveland clinic
.
the vegetable includes potassium, vitamin c, b6, fibre and protein. and as much as half of the fibre in a potato can come from the skin alone. however, there are so many other vegetables that include far more nutrients in a smaller serving. a serving of broccoli has as much as four times the amount of vitamin c as a potato.