Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-01-09

d
tests made at the Michigan agri-
cultural experiment station, this
amounted to 11.5 per cent. when they
were kept in storage from Sept. 80 20
May l. This shrinkage 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 fuel value CT $50 calorics to the
pound-that is, when burned in the
body as all foods must be to be
utilized, it yields energy equal to the
amount named.
Cooking the Tubers.
The principal ways of cooking
potatoes are baking, boiling and fry
ing, or some modification Of these
processes. The object sought
principally 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 the flavor
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 he
separate starch grains are inClosed
in cells with walls composed of crude
fiber, material resistant to digestive
juices. If potatoes were eaten raw
the digestive juices would not reach
the starch as easily unless the cell
walls happened to be ruptured me-
chanically, as in mastication.
To obtain the highest food value
potatoes should not be peeled before
cooking When potatoes are 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 a
matter which each must decide for
himself, the general experience being
that for men in health most Of the
methods followed are satisfactory
Although under ordinary circum-
stances potatoes are unQuestiOnably
a wholesome food for most persons,
illness 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
idiosyncrasy and not to the harmful
character of the food.
Cases of actual poisoning by po-
tatOes, however, are by no means I'M
known. So far as can be learned the
abnormal symptoms in such cases
were caused by the presence of
sOlanin in the potatoes. Several
years ago 375 soldiers in a battalion
of the Austrian army showed symp-
toms of solanin poisoning. The pO
tatoes used for food were examined.
Those which were fresh contained
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 I'M
doubtedly caused the poisoning in this
case.
Potatoes a year old which have
lain in a cellar and shriveled and
small potatoes which have sprOuted
without being planted are considered
especially dangerous and should not
be eaten. If perfectly fresh potatoes
contain any solanin the amount is SO
small that it does not cause harm.