Let's eat more potatoes!

[Baerdric]

Reuters says it's the cool and trendy thing to do (http://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSN0830529220080415?feedType=RSS&feedName=inDepthNews&rpc=22&sp=true)!
:thup:

[mermaiden9]

"We have to change people's eating habits," said Ismael Benavides, Peru's agriculture minister. "People got addicted to wheat when it was cheap."



So lets help them kick the habit and get them hooked on potatoes instead.

[moggsy]

I am so glad I hated potatoes once I grew into my adult taste buds. Unless they are the vehicle for some tasty condiment or hidden in something, I wouldn't eat them even at the highest of my bad eating. Unless I was totally broke. Then I would spend my $2 and dread eating mostly potatoes for 2 weeks.

[Baerdric]

So lets help them kick the habit and get them hooked on potatoes instead.Exactly!

For instance, too many people smoke cigarettes, but I know folk who "quit" but have to wear patches every day and also chew the gum. It's just changing the source of the drug. Probably a more profitable method for tobacco companies to process and distribute their product.

There's my paranoia showing again...

[Baerdric]

Then I would spend my $2 and dread eating mostly potatoes for 2 weeks.I've done that. I used to make "Periwinkle stew" which was tiny clam like shells (coquina or donax) you could gather by the thousands, boil until the meat released into the water, then remove the shells (and sand). Add in some potatoes and pepper and you have breakfast lunch and dinner until payday.

Isn't there a group of diets which consider potatoes poisonous?

[serrelind]

I'll keep the potato in mind if I ever have issues with starvation.

[NoWhammies]

They are feeding them to school children, prisoners and the military....I find that sadly telling somehow.

[Wyvrn]

Actually, wheat may be better for staving off starvation in the short term because it at least has some protein in it (gluten). Not so good for long-term health of course.

[Marillia]

Isn't there a group of diets which consider potatoes poisonous?
There are diets that tell you to avoid potatoes and tomatoes because they're *gasp* related to nightshade. :rolleyes:

[ruthla]

I feel so left out of this new trend!

Maybe I'll eat one or two potato chips so I can feel included. :lol:

[NoWhammies]

I do have to say tho - back when I ate potatoes - those purple fingerling ones were SO good. Roast them up at really high temp and toss them with a little EVOO, garlic and rosemary - nice flavor.

[mermaiden9]

Actually, wheat may be better for staving off starvation in the short term because it at least has some protein in it (gluten). Not so good for long-term health of course.



Potatoes are a great source of complex carbohydrates, which release their energy slowly, and -- so long as they are not smothered with butter -- have only five percent of the fat content of wheat.

They also have one-fourth of the calories of bread and, when boiled, have more protein than corn and nearly twice the calcium, according to the Potato Center. They contain vitamin C, iron, potassium and zinc.



According to this article potatoes do have protein, but I notice they compared it to corn rather than wheat. Funny because they were using wheat for all their other comparisons.

Also I always thought potatoes had very small amounts of nutrients just under the skin so peeling essentially leaves you with just starch

[kallyn]

There are diets that tell you to avoid potatoes and tomatoes because they're *gasp* related to nightshade. :rolleyes:

To be fair, plants in the nightshade family contain chemical compounds that can affect people who are sensitive to them. For instance, they can aggravate arthritis pain.

[Delphoene]

Dr Nathan Priticin advised not to eat potato skin, as it is "carcinogenic".

[renegadiab]

If potatoes are a "great source of complex carbohydrates, which release their energy slowly," then why do they have such a high glycemic index???? According to the GI, they are as bad as sugar.

I've measured what they do to my blood sugar and these people are full of crap.

[PearlWhite]

If potatoes are a "great source of complex carbohydrates, which release their energy slowly," then why do they have such a high glycemic index???? According to the GI, they are as bad as sugar.

I've measured what they do to my blood sugar and these people are full of crap.
Yeah, agree!
Luckily I never ever liked potatos, esp. the plain boiled ones, even though I come from a big potato eating region and was raised on this stuff. I used to have the odd baked one at dinner parties or when eating out, was never heavily into potato-chips and have even lost the taste for french fries.

But anyway, with me the problem was never giving up breads, pasta, potaoes, rice, cereals, pastries and that stuff, for me it was SUGAR, SUGAR, SUGAR all the way baby :)

[PearlWhite]

Oh, and did you guys know that 2008 is the "International Year of the Potato"?

Blah, baloney!!!

[Baerdric]

Blah, baloney!!!Yum...! Baloney!