Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-02-06

semble more or less closely that of the
| whole Tuber.
When potatoes are stored they I'M
| dergo a shrinkage. According 10 tests
made at the Michigan agricultural ex-
pertinent station, this amounted to
| 11.5 per cent when they were kept in
storage from Sept. 80 to May /. This
| sh-inkage is probably due to loss of
water by evaporation.
The potato contains some protein,
but as the principal ingredient in it is
starch it may be properly classed as
carbohydrate food. AS in the case
with all carbohydrate foods, it is
chiefly valuable in the diet to supply
the body with energy. The potato has
a fuel value Of 385 calorics to the
pound-that is. when burned in the
body, as all foods must be to be util-
ized. it yields energy equal to the
amount named.
Cooking the Tubers.
The principal ways Of cooking Pc
tatoes are baking, boiling and frying,
or some modification Of these process
ses. The objects sought are principal
~ to soften the tissues and render
them more susceptible to the action Of
the digestive juices and to improve the
flavor.
Just why cooking changes thefavOr
as it does has apparently never been
made the subject Of investigation. in
potatoes. as in other foods, the cooked
starch IS more agreeable to the taste
than raw In the raw potato the Sc
paratc starch grains are inclOsed IN
cells with walls composed Of crude
fiber, a material resistant to digestive
juices If potatoes were eaten raw the
digestive juices would not reach the
starch as easily unless the cell walls
ahppened to be ruptured mechanically,
as in masticatiOn.
To obtain the highest food value pO-
tatoes should not be peeled before
cooking and placed directly in hot
water and boiled rapidly less loss of
material is sustained than when they
are cooked in water cold at the start.
The wholesomeness of potatoes cooked
in different ways is largely q matter
which each must decide for himself,
the general experience being that for
men in health most of the methods
followed are satisfactory.
When They Are Injurious.
Although under ordinary cIrcum-
! stances potatoes are UnquestiOnabIy
wholesome food for most persons. i'll
ness is sometimes caused by eating
them. There are undoubtedly some
persons in health with whom potatoes
do not agree, just as there are those
who cannot eat strawberries without
distress. This is due to personal idi-
osyncratic and not TO the harmful
character of the food.
Cases of actual poisoning Ivy pc
tatoes. however, are by no means up-
known So far as can be learned the
abnormal symptoms in such cases
were caused by the presence Of so
lauin in the potatoes. Several years
ago 1851 soldiers in a battalion Of the
Austrian army showed symptoms of
solanin poisoning. The potatoes used
for food were examined. Those which
were fresh contained a small amount
Of solanin, while those which had
sprouted contained much more, still
larger amounts being found in The
sprouts than in the tubers themselves
The potatoes undoubtedly caused the
poisoning in this case.
Potatoes year old which have lain
in a cellar and shriveled and small po-
I tatoes which have sprouted without
be .ng planted are considered especial
Iy dangerous and should not be eaten.
II perfect fresh potatoes contain any
soIanin the amount is so small that 1t
does not cause harm.-WashingtO
Times.