A Short History of Potatoes!

Potatoes are a form of nightshade plant that originate from the Andes mountains of South America. If you struggle to believe that potatoes are a nightshade, due to them being edible you may relate to the old Europeans, since after the poisonous and toxic part of the potatoes was bred to a manageable amount, they refused to eat them; though this is mainly due to the fact that they weren’t mentioned in the Bible.

Interesting facts:

In the 18th century, people used to hold potato banquets to try and convince people to try them. This was quite popular in high society!

The poisonous compound found in potatoes is known as solanine. This is still present in potatoes and is important as it helps the plant to get rid of bugs, mites and disease.

Higher levels of solanine can cause the potato skin to turn green and is also found in the sprouting 'eyes' of potatoes. These areas are the most poisonous part and have a bitter taste and should be discarded, since they can give you 'gastrointestinal distress'.