The potato is the world’s fourth
largest food crop, following rice, wheat, and corn/maize. The Inca
Indians in Peru were the first to cultivate potatoes around 8,000
BC to 5,000 BC. They first came to the US in 1621.
Did you know there is a National Potato Council, Potato
Association of America, World Potato Congress, US Potato Board, US
Potato Promotion Board, among others. In addition, Michigan has
Mich. Potato Industry Commission, Mich. Seed Potato Assoc., and
Potato Growers of Mich. There are more than 100 varieties of
potatoes in the US. There are many more types of potato chips from
around the world. Next week I will list a few of them.
Michigan supplies over a third of all potato chips in the US. Its
annual Winter Potato Conference is one of the biggest in the
country. It is overshadowed by the Potato Expo, the largest
conference and trade show for the potato industry held in North
America.
Potatoes contain many of the essential nutrients that the dietary
guidelines recommend Americans increase in their diet. Potatoes
eaten with the skin provide nearly half of the Daily Value for
vitamin C and are one of the best sources of potassium (more than
a banana), iodine, iron, other trace minerals, and fiber. One
medium-sized potato has 100 calories and provides complex
carbohydrates needed to fuel our brains. Potatoes contain no fat.
Researchers at Queen Mary, University of London noted that a small
"bag of ready-salted crisps" contains less salt than a serving of
"Special K, All-Bran, Golden Grahams, Cheerios, Shreddies, and
every brand of cornflakes on sale in the UK."
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