Potatoes - Good or Bad?

[rylek]

Still need to do more checking, but perhaps the type of potatoes used by Inca's or other indigenous population was different from the potatoes we see now. Perhaps they misused not only the word but also the type?

Not sure how true this is but I once heard from a food adviser that the indigenous population of S. America used to expose the potatoes to the sun, or the weather in general, to neutralize the toxins in potatoes. Also they had many variations so who knows which ones made it to Europe.

I've personally stopped eating potatoes, not that I ever particularly liked them and replaced them with sweet potatoes. They are now a regular part of my diet, be it steamed or fried.
They're really versatile and can be used for sweet and savory dishes.

Thanks Psyche for the detailed info on potatoes.

 

[T.C.]

Thanks for the discussion and info, everyone.

I have sweet potato's at least twice a week. I cut them up into wedges and put them in a bowl. Then I add olive oil, salt, pepper and mixed herbs and toss them until they're evenly covered. Then I bake them in the oven for around 25 mins, turning half way through.

They're a lovely alternative to chips/french-fries.

 

[Ellipse]

Cayce regularly advice to do not eat the flesh of potatoes but only the skin (iodine). Some quotes:

850-2
Keep THESE as things NOT to be eaten: No bananas, no raw apples, no potatoes - no white potatoes or the pulp of same, though the jackets may be eaten with the small quantity that would be attached; or what is commonly known as the parings. Eat the potato parings and throw the potato away! These may be well cooked together with carrots, beans, peas or the like. A great deal of fruits. And when anything is eaten between meals, let it NOT be sweets - but fruits; particularly pears or plums or berries - preferably NOT strawberries.

5475-2

Q. Outline proper diet for body.

A. That as will give to the nerve system more of the ENERGY as is necessary. That is, those of the vegetables that are nerve building. Those that do not carry too much of the value of just weight, but [that] carry more WITH same that as is ASSIMILATED in system. As may be illustrated in this: In potatoes of any character, better were the body to eat the peel than for the other portion. In those of the green vegetables, those of the radish, onion, the lettuce - HEAD, especially - for were the other character taken much by the body it would produce too much drowsiness - and those of celery; these do not carry so much dross, but are MOSTLY all assimilated, see?

1024-1
When eating the potato - the Irish or white potato - eat more of the peel than the pulp, whether it is prepared by boiling or baking. Eat rather the peel and that close to same; NEVER the potatoes that are pared before preparation.

 

[SolarMother]

Rudolf Steiner advised not to eat often potatoes in "_http://www.doyletics.com/arj/mammoths.htm Answers to Questions, 16 Sessions in Dornach, May to September, 1923" :

[page 202] When we eat potatoes, we really get a longing to eat something again quite soon. The potato will soon make us hungry again because it does not go all the way to the head. . . . Someone who eats a lot of potatoes does not get powerful thoughts; but he'll get dreams that make him heavy. And someone who has to eat potatoes all the time will get really tired all the time and always want to sleep and dream.

And precised in _http://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/19240802p01.html;mark=252,35,47#WN_mark Nutrition and Health"

And then came the potato diet! The potato takes little care of lung and heart. It reaches the head, but only, as I said, the lower head, not the upper head. It does go into the lower head, where one thinks and exercises critical faculties. Therefore, you can see, in earlier times there were fewer journalists. There was no printing industry yet. Think of the amount of thought expended daily in this world in our time, just to bring the newspapers out! All that thinking, it is much too much, it is not at all necessary — and we have to thank the potato diet for that! Because a person who eats potatoes is constantly stimulated to think. He can't do anything but think. That's why his lungs and his heart become weak. Tuberculosis, lung tuberculosis, did not become widespread until the potato diet was introduced. And the weakest human beings are those living in regions where almost nothing else is grown but potatoes, where the people live on potatoes.

I don't know if there is evidences confirming that since that time.

Gives new meaning to the term 'Potato Head.' Remember that comic figure/toy?
Or, "Couch Potato"
One of the hardest things to give up for me is mashed potatoes! If the above info is true, then having mashed potatoes with your holiday turkey is a double whammy of soporific delights.

 

[davey72]

Rudolf Steiner advised not to eat often potatoes in "_http://www.doyletics.com/arj/mammoths.htm Answers to Questions, 16 Sessions in Dornach, May to September, 1923" :

[page 202] When we eat potatoes, we really get a longing to eat something again quite soon. The potato will soon make us hungry again because it does not go all the way to the head. . . . Someone who eats a lot of potatoes does not get powerful thoughts; but he'll get dreams that make him heavy. And someone who has to eat potatoes all the time will get really tired all the time and always want to sleep and dream.

And precised in _http://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/19240802p01.html;mark=252,35,47#WN_mark Nutrition and Health"

And then came the potato diet! The potato takes little care of lung and heart. It reaches the head, but only, as I said, the lower head, not the upper head. It does go into the lower head, where one thinks and exercises critical faculties. Therefore, you can see, in earlier times there were fewer journalists. There was no printing industry yet. Think of the amount of thought expended daily in this world in our time, just to bring the newspapers out! All that thinking, it is much too much, it is not at all necessary — and we have to thank the potato diet for that! Because a person who eats potatoes is constantly stimulated to think. He can't do anything but think. That's why his lungs and his heart become weak. Tuberculosis, lung tuberculosis, did not become widespread until the potato diet was introduced. And the weakest human beings are those living in regions where almost nothing else is grown but potatoes, where the people live on potatoes.

I don't know if there is evidences confirming that since that time.

What about the cabbage soup diet? Have you heard of this one? My exes parents were on nothng , but cabbage soup.
The gas was crazy, and very odorific. The ammusing part was that they thought it was the funniest thing in the world. We ended up leaving early.

 

[alphonse]

Thanks for the discussion and info, everyone.

I have sweet potato's at least twice a week. I cut them up into wedges and put them in a bowl. Then I add olive oil, salt, pepper and mixed herbs and toss them until they're evenly covered. Then I bake them in the oven for around 25 mins, turning half way through.

They're a lovely alternative to chips/french-fries.

Slicing them in to thin wedges, preparing them as above, but then grilling them on both sides works well too
Watch them though, because they can burn quickly.
Al

 

[Mountain Crown]

We regularly buy white yams (Dioscorea rotundata) and mash them. Noticeably less sweet then normal yams, the result is remarkably similar to mashed potatoes.

We like to mix in a small amount of coconut cream and/or butter. Adding roasted garlic is a treat.

To my taste, it's really a superior mash.

 

[SolarMother]

We regularly buy white yams (Dioscorea rotundata) and mash them. Noticeably less sweet then normal yams, the result is remarkably similar to mashed potatoes.

We like to mix in a small amount of coconut cream and/or butter. Adding roasted garlic is a treat.

To my taste, it's really a superior mash.

I hope I can find those! Better yet, grow them if I can find the seeds. Sounds absolutley delish!

 

[D Rusak]

Are those the ones often found in Asian markets? I have not tried them in a long time, I actually can't recall the taste! I will keep my eyes open for these.

 

[Mountain Crown]

Are those the ones often found in Asian markets? I have not tried them in a long time, I actually can't recall the taste! I will keep my eyes open for these.

Yes, that's where we buy them.

 

[KTC]

Geez.. and everything is served with a side of fries!! There goes my Friday night treat of 'fish and chips'

 

[kryon]

I would mix them with roasted beats and mash them with virgin olive oil and garlic.
That's the only way i could accept eating so much starch

 

[SolarMother]

Here is an interesting idea. I have not tried it yet...so I will report back. I heard about sweet potatoe flour as an Indonesian dish--here is what I have found so far. I am assuming the sweet potatoes or yams have been peeled.
For those that like sweet potatoes or any variety of yams, you can make deep fried fritters using this recipe and substituting buckwheat flour for regular flour, use xylitol or natural sugar, lard instead of oil, probably don't need the egg either if you are egg intolerant.

http://www.whats4eats.com/appetizers/pilus-recipe

4 to 6 servings

* Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks -- 1 pound
* Flour -- 1/4 cup
* Egg, beaten -- 1
* Brown or palm sugar -- 1 1/2 tablespoons
* Salt -- 1 teaspoon
* Oil for deep frying

Method

1. Place the sweet potatoes in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cover with water. Set the pot over a medium flame and simmer until cooked all the way through, around 8-12 minutes.
2. Drain the cooked sweet potatoes and mash them or put them through a ricer. Return the potatoes to the pot and cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, for another 5-6 minutes, until they begin to dry out. Remove the potatoes from heat and allow to cool.
3. Beat in all the remaining ingredients except for oil until smooth. Add more flour if the batter is too moist to hold its shape on a spoon.
4. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large skillet to 350-360°F. Drop large spoonfuls of batter into the oil and brown on both sides, turning occasionally. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and finish with the remaining batter.
( 5. Serve with a sambal or sriracha chile sauce.)

Notes

* The second reheating and cooking of the sweet potatoes is necessary to dry them out somewhat and make sure the batter will not be too moist. This renders the sweet potato to be like flour.

 

[davey72]

I can eat them occasionally, but not too often. The fact that they do affect me, making my joints hurt, tells me that they should be avoided unless you have nothing else available.

"unless u have nothing else" This seems to be my problem. Something my mother always said comes to mind a lot lately."beggars can't be choosers"

 

[EGVG]

I can eat them occasionally, but not too often. The fact that they do affect me, making my joints hurt, tells me that they should be avoided unless you have nothing else available.

"unless u have nothing else" This seems to be my problem. Something my mother always said comes to mind a lot lately."beggars can't be choosers"

Then work on stop being a beggar, if you don't have options, work on gaining options some products are as cheap as potatoes and healthier like Yams, at least here where I live they cost pretty much the same. :)

EDU