International potato day: why is it the most powerful ingredient in Peru?

Ten thousand years ago the potato originated and for millennia it was part of the pre-Inca to Inca populations. Around 400 years ago, this tuber was brought to Europe, where it was very well adopted and became a very important food in the diet of millions of people. Later, it was taken to Africa and Asia, where it also had a good adaptation. Every May 30, National Potato Day is celebrated, to commemorate the benefits that this food offers.

Currently, according to the International Potato Center (CIP), there are more than 4,000 varieties of edible potatoes, and it is the third most important food crop in the world, after wheat and rice. “It is a food source that contributes to diversifying the diet of farmers and consumers, who would otherwise depend solely on cereals such as rice, corn or wheat. In reality, the potato is a highly adaptable crop. It can be planted from sea level to almost 5,000 meters above sea level, and from the equator to very high latitudes such as northern China, Russia, Canada, or southern Argentina and Chile.”, indicates Dr. Oscar Ortiz, Director General of the CIP.

The nutritionist Mónica Bamonde indicates that being a very versatile food that can not only be consumed cooked but in different ways such as baked, fried, sautéed “In addition, she affirms that the potato currently “is part of food products”. For her part, Sylvia Rodríguez, nutritionist of the Magnesol team, indicates that this tuber “It is a food that is currently being studied for its contribution of amino acids and because it is very accessible, it could be a good alternative to obtain vegetable protein supplements at a lower price.”.

The nutritional value of potatoes

Mónica Bamonde, a specialist in plant-based nutrition, indicates that the potato is “an important source of carbohydrates such as starch, vitamin B6 and potassiumeither”. “It provides us with 2g of protein for every 100g of food, being the tuber with the highest content of this important nutrient“, Add.

Dr. Ortiz of the CIP indicates that “higher protein content has been observed in native varieties”. This due to hisrelatively high productivity per hectare, it is considered one of the crops that produces more protein per unit area”, he complements.

Specialists agree that it is also a source of antioxidants such as phenols, anthocyanins and carotenoids (especially in colored potatoes), important for fighting free radicals.

Nutritionist Mónica Bamonde indicates that although the potato contains vitamin C, when cooked it loses between 18 to 24% of vitamin C with the skin, and without the skin the loss can be between 35 to 50%. She recommends that to avoid losses, cook them in the oven.

According to Dr. Ortiz, CIP research has been able to increase the iron and zinc content by approximately 50% in new potato varieties, and, what is better, it has been shown that the iron in the potato is better utilized by the human body compared to iron from other plant foods such as beans, soybeans or lima beans.

not fries

Definitely, frying them is not a good option. “By frying them and adding a type of oil that does not withstand high temperatures or a reused oil, then we would be adding an unhealthy fat to this potato,” adds Sylvia Rodriguez.

The potato food for the microbiota

The resistant starch that the potato provides when it is cooked and then cooled is an excellent “fiber” for our intestinal microbiota, where 80% of our immune system is located, and therefore we must take care of it. “To generate this type of starch, which has characteristics similar to fiber, it is recommended to cook the potato and when it has cooled, refrigerate it; then when it is very cold, consume it (it can be heated slightly so that it is not frozen, but not too much to maintain the resistant starch)”, adds Monica Bamonde.

Nutritionist Sylvia Rodriguez explains that “Starch is how vegetables reserve energy through photosynthesis and there are types of starches such as resistant, which resist enzymatic action until the end of the small intestine or reach the large intestine intact. Within these resistant there are type 1, 2, 3 and 4″. In the case of the potato, when cooked and then cooled, it contains type 3.

Sustainable consumption

Dr. Oscar Ortiz, General Director of the International Potato Center (CIP) indicates that “consumers have a great responsibility to demand that the products they consume come from sustainable processes”. “For example, CIP and several public and private organizations have been promoting the consumption of native potato varieties that are generally produced in the high Andes, with relatively little use of fertilizers or agrochemicals, and are a healthy food that contributes to conserving the mountains. , water, environment and culture, in addition to providing income to small farmers in these areas“, it states.

The specialist indicates that another of the techniques that is used and should continue to be promoted for the care of the soil, the environment and the reduction of pests is crop rotation. “This means that the same crop should not be grown year after year in the same field, but rather the crop should be varied. This allows the soil to recover better”, he comments.

“For example, if beans are planted after the potato, the soil will benefit because the beans have beneficial bacteria in their roots that fix environmental nitrogen; that is, they produce their own fertilizer which remains in the soil and enriches it. This would not happen if potatoes were planted several years in a row in the same field. The farmers of the Andes know well that crops must be rotated or the soil must be left to rest so that it can recover”he assures.

food crisis

The potato is the third most cultivated food in the world, after wheat and rice. Due to the global situation, the rise in fertilizer prices is increasing. Importing food may not be the answer. Therefore, the local consumption of potatoes instead of cereals could help mitigate this problem. “The potato is an excellent source of nutrients, both carbohydrates and vitamins, minerals and protein. It has been observed that, in many countries, the potato helps to cushion extreme variations in the prices of cereals that are traded globally”, adds Dr. Oscar Ortiz from CIP.

“In times of high cereal prices, consumers look for potatoes and other roots and tubers such as sweet potatoes and cassava, since these are produced and consumed locally. In Peru, due to collaborative work between multiple public and private organizations, including CIP, potato consumption per person per year has increased from 65 to 92 kg in the last decade. The potato can definitely help alleviate the scarcity or high prices of cereals, so it is necessary to continue promoting its consumption in fresh or processed form in innovative products. However, potato production could also decrease at this juncture due to the increase in fertilizer prices, so technologies that can counteract this effect must be promoted.”he concludes.