produce 12: Potatoes, a primer

 Hey all!

I really really love potatoes! I'm going to be focusing on a few different potatoes in this post. I will be covering white potatoes, yellow potatoes, russet potatoes, red potatoes and sweet potatoes. Each have different things they are known for in cooking, some better than other varieties.

White potatoes are used for a lot of things. They are really good for boiling and are excellent for soups and stews.

Russet potatoes are ideal for french fries, mashed potatoes as well as baked potatoes

Red potatoes are best for salads

Yukon golds/ yellow potatoes are used for just about anything and are good for grilling too

Sweet potatoes are good for a number of things. Mashing, boiling, baking, sweet potato fries!

(source: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/what-types-of-potatoes-are-best-for-which-recipes/ )

I'm breaking up the nutrients of the potatoes. 

Red potatoes are the healthiest as well as purple potatoes and potatoes with darker skins. They have a lot of nutrients even the lighter colour potatoes.

Potatoes have vitamin C and antioxidants as well. The darker the potato, the more antioxidants!

They also have iron, and potassium! 

(source and for more specific nutrition amounts: https://www.livestrong.com/article/465529-what-kind-of-potatoes-are-the-healthiest/ )

Sweet potatoes are very good as well for health benefits.

They are a good way to get beta-carotene. This is a early form of Vitamin A. The site I read this on says it's a precursor. I will cite it when I am done.

Also, sweet potatoes contain Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, potassium, and fibre. 

Be careful though, because sweet potatoes have a high sugar content on the glycemic index, it is important to watch your intake of them if you are diabetic.

( source: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/sweet-potatoes/ )

This is the last produce facts post. I had others planned for a few years in my drafts but I have scrapped them permanently. I started produce facts when I was a produce clerk at a local grocery store that has 2 locations. I still love learning about produce and eating produce, but this is no longer the focus of my blog. I have other things planned, so stay tuned! Some of it is decluttering stuff, dealing with emotional trauma, autistic stuff, Disney and more!

Thanks for sticking with my produce facts for years!

curlyalicia