Statement of Fashion.
Marie Antoinette made potatoes a fashion statement when she paraded through the French countryside wearing potato blossoms in her hair. They soon became all the rage in Parisian court circles.
Worth it's Weight in Gold.
Gold Rush miners prized the potato, high in vitamin C, because it prevented scurvy. Gold was traded for the precious potato, ounce for ounce.
Royal Potato King.
Louis XVI of France wore potato flowers in his buttonhole to encourage the growing of potatoes.
Work of an Artist.
Painter Vincent Van Gogh painted four still-life canvases devoted entirely to the potato.
Potatoes are a "tuber" or root vegetable.
The edible part of the potato plant grows under ground.
The Potato Museum.
One of the world's best Potato Museums is located in Washington D.C. It contains over 2,000 potato artifacts, including antique harvesting equipment.
Healthy Skin.
Potato skins contain lots of nutrients including fiber, iron, calcium, zinc, phosphorous and B vitamins.
Beam me up Space Potato.
In 1995 the potato was the first vegetable grown in outer space.
Long Ago.
Inca Indians in Peru were the first to grow potatoes in approximately 2500BC.
Not to be sniffed at!
In the late 17th Century, Germany's King Frederik William decided potatoes could solve the food shortage problem and ordered the peasants to plant potatoes or have their noses cut off!
The Final Four.
Potatoes are the world's 4th food staple... after wheat, corn and rice.
Secret Weapon.
Potatoes were seen as one of the best wartime foods throughout Europe because of their nutritional value and fast growth.
Potato War.
In 1778 Prussia and Austria fought a war by trying to starve each other's army by consuming their food source, mostly potatoes. The war became known as the Potato War.
No Waste of Space.
The potato is known to produce more food per unit area of land planted than any other major-planted crop.
Watery Tawty.
A potato is about 80% water and 20% solid.
Big Potato!
The largest potato grown was 18 pounds and 4 ounces according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It was grown in England in 1795.
Low-Cal Diet.
Contrary to a common misconception, potatoes are not high in calories. One medium sized potato has fewer calories than a grapefruit, more potassium than a banana, and more usable iron than any other vegetable.
Health Spud.
One medium sized potato contains 110 calories, while a one-cup serving of rice has 225 calories, and a cup of pasta has 155 calories. Potatoes are also high in fiber, and loaded with complex carbohydrates. And best of all, potatoes are fat-free! |
