Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1917-04-06
POTATOES AS FOOD.
Perform Important Function on Tissues
Methods of Preparation.

The general use of potatoes in the
average family and the better customs
prevailing in many homes in preparing
the tubers for food are based on sound
economic and dietetic reasons, accord.
ing to specialists of tho office Of home
economics of the United States depart.
mcnt of agriculture. Studies of the
preparation and use of potatoes as food
are reported in department of agricul.
ture bulletin No. 46S, recently issued
Potatoes are easy to cook in a vari.
| ETY. of ways. From the point of view
of dietetics, they furnish starch in one
readily digestible form, contain min.
eral substances of Importance to the
body, and-a fact less generally known
tend to make the tissues and fluids
of the body alkaline, so counteracting
the tendency of meats, eggs, fish, and
| like foods to create acid conditions
Since the body does its work best when
its condition is either neutral or slight
ly alkaline, potatoes, like most vege
tables, perform an important function
in the diet besides furnishing energy.
producing material. This scientific fac,
justifes the custom that is prevalent in
many families of serving goodly sup
1 w
each helping of meat.
Potatoes, however, while valuable
addition to q mixed diet, alone arc moi
suited to meet the needs of the body
because of their poverty in proteins and
fat. Of these latter important cle
ments protein is furnished in meats
eggs, fish, milk, beans, and similar
foods, and fat in butter, bacon, table
oils, and the fats and plsaused in cook,
cry.
Greater care than commonly is cxer
ciscd should he. taken in peeling pota
toes. Very often 20 per cent of the
potato is pared away. This results not
only in the waste of considerable pota
to but also in the loss of one of the
most valuable portions of the tubet
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 more careful removal of the skin
as by shallow pairing or rubbing, and
also by boiling or baking the potatoes
in their jackets.
PAIRING before boiling, however, may
be the most desirable method of cook.
ing potatoes which through an undue
exposure to light may have acquired
bitter taste, or those which have been
kept until late in the spring, since in
this way more of the disagreeable fla
vor is eliminated. Such potatoes may
also be soaked before cooking.
While these methods may be desir.
able with potatoes which have been
exposed to light they result in the loss
of considerable food value without com,
pcnsating advantages when applied to
new or wellmaturod potatoes. If such
potatoes arc boiled after pairing, they
should be dropped into boiling water
| instead of being placed on the stove
i'll cold water. BY the latter method
there is twice the loss of protein, or
tissue-building elements, resulting from
the former. The loss of mineral matter
is about the same by each method
There is no loss of starchy material in
boiling unless portions of the tubcr
break off.
Practically the only loss when pota-
toes are baked i'll their skin is of the
water which escapes as steam. The
more or less common custom of prick
ing holes in the skin of baked potatoes
or breaking them is explained by the
fact that unless the steam which il
formed inside the skin is allowed to
escape if will change back into water
and produce soggincss.
Potatoes which have turned green
and sprouting tubers have present a
considerable quantity of solanin, an
acrid poisonous substance which
though not dangerous in the quantities
ordinarily met with, gives disagree
able flavor. 1t is best, therefore, to
avoid such potatoes or to cut out green
or sprouting portions.