Definition Of a Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial nightshade Solanum tuberosum. The Word potato comes from the spanish word for potato which was patata, which Spanish people also claim came from the Taino word batata and the Quechua word Papa. You can find more about the etymology under the fun facts section.
General Potato Information
Due to the fact that the potato is one of the easiest crops to harvest, it has become one of the world's most common staple crops. Potatoes are now used in many ways that I will discuss under potato products.
Not only are potatoes easy to obtain, they are also very nutritious. Potatoes contain much of the nutrients that are needed to sustain everyday life.
However, potatoes can contain toxic compounds called glycoalkaloids. However, you do not need to worry about ingesting toxins as most of the toxins are contained within the leaves. The potatoes are also known to have many different pigments that give them phytochemicals along with other things.
Click on the other sections to get to the more specific individual sections.
Origins of the Potato
The Potato is believed to have come from the Southern Peru and Extremely North-Western Bolivia. They were domesticated approximately 7000-10000 BC ago. Read more about the hisrtory of the potato by clicking on the history section on the top bar.