Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-03-06

Tho general use OF potatoes In tn
average family and the better customs
prevailing in many homes In preparin,
the tubers for food are based on sount
economic and dietetic reasons, accordips
to specialists of the Office OF Home Eco
nomics of the United States Department
of Agriculture. Studies of the prepa
ration and use of potatoes as food are re
ported in Department Of Agriculture
Bulletin No. 46S, recently issued.
Potatoes are easy to cook In q variety
OF ways. From the point of view Of
dietetics, they furnish starch in ont
readily digestible form, contain minera
substances of importance to the body
and-s fact less generally known-tenG
to make the tissues and fluids of thu
body alkaline, 30 counteracting the tend
ency of meats, eggs, fish, and like foods
to create acid conditions. Since the
body does its work best when Its condi
tion is either neutral or slightly aka
line, potatoes, like most vegetables, per.
form an important function in the diet
besides furnishing energy-producing ma
tsrial. This scientific fact justifies the
custom that is prevalent In m any families
of serving q goodly supply of potatoes OIL
other vegetables with each helping OF
meat.
Potatoes, however, while valuable
addition to q mixed diet, alone are not
suited to meet the needs Of the body be.
cause of their poverty In proteins and
fat. OF these latter important elements
protein Is furnished in meats, eggs, fish,
milk, beans, and similar foods, and fat In
butter, bacon, table oils, and the fats
and oils used in cookery.
Greater care than commonly is exer-
cised should be taken In peeling pots-
toes. Very often 20 per cent OF the
potato Is pared away. This results not
only in the waste of considerable po.
tato but also in the loss of one of the
since the soluble mineral salts are pres
ent In the material near the skin, which
would be removed and thrown away.
These salts can be preserved by q more
careful removal of the skin, as by shall.
low pairing or rubbing, and also by boil.
ing or baking the potatoes In their jack
cts.
PAIRING before boiling, however, may
be the most desirable method Of cook
ing potatoes which through an undue
exposure to light may have acquired q
bitter taste, or those which have been
kept until late in the spring, since In
this way more of the disagreeable flavor
is eliminated. Such potatoes may also
be soaked before cooking.
While these methods may be desirable
with potatoes which have been exposed
to light, they result in the loss of con-
siderable food value without compensat.
ing advantages when applied to new ol
well-masured potatoes. II such pots.
toes are boiled after pairing, they should
be dropped into boiling water instead oi
being placed on the stove in cold water
By the latter method there Is twice the
loss of protein, of tissue-building ele-
ments, resulting from the former. The
loss of mineral matter Is about the same
by each method. There Is no loss OF
stsrchy material In boiling unless por
tions of the tuber break of.
Practically the only loss when potatoes
are baked In their skins Is OF the wateI
which escapes as steam. The more oi
less common custom of pricking holes In
the skin of baked potatoes or breaking
them is explained by the fact that unless
the steam which is formed inside the
skin is allowed to escape 1t will change
back into water and produce sogginess
Potatoes which have turned green and
sprouting tubers have present consid
erabls quantity Of solanin, an acrid
poisonous substance, which, though no,
dangerous In the quantities ordinarily
met with. gives disagreeable flavor. II
ia best, therefore, to avoid such pota
toes or to cut out green or sproutine
portions.