Potato

A herbaceous plant belonging to the tomato, tobacco and deadly nightshade family (Solanaceae). The potato, white potato, common potato or Irish potato, is one of the main food crops of the world, differing from others in that the edible part of the plant is a tuber, i.e. the swollen end of an underground stem.

It is a herbaceous plant 50 to 100 centimetres (20 to 40 inches) high. Leaf arrangement is spiral; underground stems (stolons) extend from the stem below ground. The ends of the stolons may enlarge greatly from a few to many tubers of variable shape and size usually ranging in weight up to 300 gm, occasionally purple. The tubers bear spirally arranged buds (eyes) in the axils of aborted leaves of which scars remain.

Potatoes are frequently served whole or mashed , as cooked vegetable and are also ground into potao flour, used in baking and as a thickener for sauce. Potatoes containing starch are highly digestible. They also ,supply vitamin C, amino acids, protein, thiamin and nicotinic acid.

The juice of raw potato if applied externally may relieve rheumatic pain and a crushed potato can be applied to sore or wound, bandaged and to be changed twice daily. The housewife who burns herself in the kitchen will find quick relief if she applies a little crushed potato to the burn. It is not good to eat potatoes in excess. It is not good for high blood pressure patients. Diabetic patients are not advised to eat potatoes.

Benefit and uses of Potato.

• Potatoes are good sources of carbohydrate (22.6 gms / 100 gm ) and only 1.6gms of protein for 100 gms.
• Potaoes is a useful source of vitamin C, It is good for high blood pressure patient and Potatoes are good for hyper acidity patient.
• Treat facial blemishes by washing you face daily with cool potato juice.
• Treat frostbite or sunburn by applying raw grated potato or potato juice to the affected area.
• Ease aches and pains by rubbing the affected area with the water potatoes have been boiled in.
• Sweet potato focus on two areas of unique health benefit. First are some unique root storage proteins in this food that have been observed to have significant antioxidant capacities.