In Russia, it has long been believed that potatoes are the second bread. In the harsh war and post-war Stalin years, it was she, the foster-potato, who did not let the peasants die of hunger, who were strangled with the most severe taxes, removing every last handful of grain from the bins. It seems that people know everything they can about this culture. Is it so?
Potato varieties
There is no universal knowledge. Even potato growers cannot describe all the varieties of potatoes that are cultivated in Russia. The soil and climatic characteristics in the regions differ - the potatoes also have to adapt. However, there are still established favorites that everyone knows. The most popular is the Nevsky variety. Pale gray tubers with pink eyes are grown in all soil and climatic zones. In addition to this variety, "Lorkh", "Ogonyok", "Istrinsky" and others are very popular.
With osteochondrosis, a compress of grated potatoes with honey is well anesthetized, which must be applied to sore joints for an hour.
Each variety differs from the other in starch content, sugar content. Tubers of the same variety sometimes differ in taste, if they grew in different conditions. Oddly enough, potatoes grown on oily peat soil will taste worse than those grown on sandy, relatively poor soil. The fact is that in the first case, the amount of nitrogen compounds in the tubers increases, which negatively affects the taste, and there are fewer glycoalkaloids. The most delicious and healthy potatoes grow on soil fertilized with wood ash.
What are the benefits of potatoes
Nowadays, when the opinion of experts about food products changes almost every day, you should not refer to them, sometimes contradicting themselves, but it is much more useful to turn to dry numbers - what is in potatoes?
So, the consumption of potatoes provides the body with the necessary proteins by 20%, vitamin C - completely, more than 50% replenishes the supply of B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and other essential vitamins and microelements. The calorie content of 1 kg of potatoes is 880-900 kcal, i.e. no more than 30% of the daily requirement.
Of course, it is not at all necessary to go on a diet consisting of only potatoes. In order to satisfy the need for a full-fledged content of nutrients, it is enough to eat 100 grams of potatoes in soup, in the form of mashed potatoes, in salads, etc.
How to cook potatoes properly
There are little tricks to make potato dishes tastier and healthier:
Try to bake the whole tuber in the peel or boil it in your uniform.
It is advisable to boil the potatoes with steam or in a small amount of water.
When you cut potatoes into wedges, do not put them in water - this way you lose most of the starch, the potatoes become less tasty and healthy.
Do not pour the chopped potatoes into unsalted and cold water; wait until they boil. This will also preserve vitamins in it.
If your hair is brittle and dry, you can try applying a potato mask: knead the boiled potatoes hot, add cream to the consistency of thick sour cream and apply to your hair for 30 minutes.
Traditional medicine has long used recipes using potatoes for gastrointestinal diseases, heart and vascular diseases, for bronchitis and acute respiratory infections - in the form of inhalations over hot potatoes, etc. You can remember many more examples when this everyday vegetable provided invaluable help.
I would like to advise readers - do not neglect potatoes, appreciate them and, if possible, use them in your menu. And the potatoes that are cooked correctly and with heart will be more useful.
