Store Bought Potatoes

[Pharmer Phil]

In a different thread, things were said..
Pro- Tator peeling eating...

Which, we commonly do; However, here at the Pharm, Laura and I only eat the peelings from Our Home grown Potatoes. Raised with strict Organic practices.
And I suppose If you have the money, you can purchase Organic store bought.

But first, lets look at the phacts about potatoes:
potatoes contain carbohydrates (starch and sugar) many vitamins and minerals, the exception being vitamin A. potatoes have traces of just about every nutrient
A good helping of fiber, and they fair purty good in the low calorie department.
Here, I grubbed this offin da tator sack...

Nutrition Facts (1 oblong white, baked, about 2" x 4-3/4")

Calories 145
Protein 3.06 grams
Carbohydrates 33.63 grams
Dietary Fiber 2.34 grams
Calcium 7.80 mg
Iron .55 mg
Magnesium 39.00 mg
Potassium 609.96 mg
Phosphorus 78.00 mg
Vitamin C 19.97 mg
Niacin 2.17 mg
Folate 14.20 mcg

Even though it has been said for years, Potato Peelings, or Skins, contain all the potatoes nutrients, the peeling or "periderm" contains only dead cells and a waxy substance that protects the potato.
This waxy substance, has very little vitamin content at all.
the peeling does have Fiber however

However, leaving the skin on the potatoes retains fiber in the skin, makes potatoes easier to prepare.
keeps vitamins from being boiled off during cooking. A baked potato with skin intact has twice as much vitamin C as one that has been peeled.

NOW FOR THE CLINCHER ON STORE BOUGHT TATORS....
Yeahm some folks may have the CA$H to purchase Organic Potatoes at the market...but These days...well We don't.
So IF you eat the peeling, or cook potatoes with the skins on...Ya should know that, Tators, raised commercially Will be Produced using some, or most of the following Chemicals:

Insecticides:
Azinphos-methyl, carbaryl, diazinon, methamidophos, and permethrin
carbofuran, endosulfan, esfenvalerate, phorate, and phosphamidon.

Herbicides:
linuron, sethoxydim, and trifluralin

Fungicides:
chlorothalonil, triphenyltin hydroxide, Maneb

Then ifin that ain't enuff, they inlarge practice VINE KILLING, to "ease" harvesting the tators, for this they use...
Miscellaneous chemicals:
diquat and sulfuric acid

(Potato vine killing before harvest is a common practice, Killing vines 3 weeks before harvest allows stolons to loosen from the tuber, develops tuber maturity, sets skin and decreases vine quantity)

[digger48]

Good one Phil. WE plant Kennebachs (Sp), Norlands, which are red and Russets. Also a few Golden Yukons. Never have killed the vines. Just let nature take its course. We do dig under the pants around the 4th of July for potato salad. Don't seem to hurt the plant. Use to hate hilling potatoes. It seemed to take for ever. Had about 2000 ft of potatoes. When we bought the horse tiller we got a hiller attachment with it and I can hill tators as fast as I can walk. What use to take a couple a days is now a couple a hours.

[biita]

We grow our own potatoes also, but the only potatoe that will grow up here in the artic is the Mandel Potet, or Almond Potatoe. We very rarely if ever buy commercial potatoes, but the info you gave is just one more reason to continue growing our own. thank you for the info, very helpful in making a quick store decision. (just walk right past them)

[douglas]

I get mine at the store often for seed, anyone up for some potato skins with cheese?

[Tonnymonk]

I always heard that the skins are where the nutrients are, too. Good posting Phil! I never peel my taters, but may start doing it now that I know this...... ;D I just love the flavor of the skins!

Growing my own this year- can't wait to have some on the table!!

[Wrennie]

Aaack!

[abirdseyeview]

Phil,
Good point on the chemicals. Any thoughts on where one might get organic seed tators?

[jack]

Gidday

I too grow our own spuds and only wash them and cook with skins on. Caint see the sense in cutting them off then cooking them separtely.

[douglas]

I went to a place where they cleaned out the halves and filled them with cheese and sour cream and they were great

[Christy]

phil,
i always buy store bought, always peel unless im making baked potatoes, i cant aford the organic food. i should try growing some this year,!

douglas sounds like you had what i call a potato boat, those are good with onions n butter!

[Laura]

We planted 192 hills of tators this year!!
We have Yukon Golds, Kennabec, Gold Rush Russets. No reds this year they dont seem to do very well. The Yukons are by phar my fav. tator!!

[Compost Pharmer]

Thanks Phil for the post. Very enlightening. I also thought that all the vitamins and minerals were in the skins. Guess I better plant a couple hills of dem all important tators.

[peachfly]

Never thought I'd plant potatoes but guess I'll try it now. Thanks for the info, Phil. Honestly, I wish I never had to go into the grocery story...everything we buy is so filled with unpronounceable junk...

[douglas]

Think of it this way, each potato will make at least 5 times more than itself

[peachfly]

Phil, do you have any idea if scrubbing the potatoes with a vegetable brush and dishwashing liquid before cooking does any good at removing some of the chemicals you listed? I peel all of the potatoes we eat except for the small red new pot. But I do wash them thoroughly.

Just wondering....