SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

• Botanical Name : Solanum tuberosum

• Family : Solanaceae

• Classical name : Alooka

• Not mentioned in brihatrayee /

laghutrayee.
 About Potato
• Origin: South America
• Extensively cultivated all over world next
to rice & wheat.
• 1st cultivated in Peru.
• Came to India with Spanish sailors in 17th
centaury.
• Unlike other tubers & roots, it can
withstand spoilage & hence can be stored
longer than other vegetables.
• Its cheapness, taste & forming of bulk food
makes it a very popular food article.
 STRUCTURE
Outer thin covering layer :
• Contains minerals & vitamins.

Fibrovascular / broader layer:

• Rich in proteins & a kind of pigment that
alter colour of it when cut & exposed to
air.

Inner layer:
• Composed of starch grains, water etc.
 COMPOSITION
• The free soluble pectin, proto-pectin,
middle lamella pectin & total pectins begin
to rise in potatoes as growth proceeds.

• The increases become smaller at maturity.

• The free soluble pectin increases & the

other 3 pectic constituents decrease as the
age advances & as rotting sets in.
• Sprouting, growing tubers flowers, unripe
seeds & leaves contain colanine & hence
are poisonous.

• But full grown potato tuber does not

contain solanine.

• The half of nitrogen of the potato is in the

form of true-albuminoids or proteins called
tuberin & other half is in the form of
amido-compounds including principally
asparagin.
• Tuberin content is 16.24%.

• Greatest loss of nitrogen occurs when the

potatoes are peeled & soaked in water
before boiling (46 – 58%).

• Though boiling is done within no time after

cutting about 16% of total nitrogen matter
& 19% of total mineral matter are lost.

• Keep potatoes fresh by keeping them in

wooden crates.
 CALORIC VALUE / 100 G

Energy - 98 cal.

Macro nutrients:

• Carbohydrates - 22.5 gms

• Protein - 2.4 gms
• Fat - 0.1 gm
Essential Aminoacids / 100 gms of protein

• Arginine - 5.2
• Histidine - 1.2
• Isoleucine - 5.2
• Lysine - 5.4
• Cystine - 6.7
• Metheonine - 1.3
• Threonine - 3.9
Micro nutrients:
Vitamins
•A : 05 IU
• B1 : 100 µg
• B2 : 15 µg
• Niacin : 1 mg
•C : 10 – 53 mg

Minerals
• Potassium : 249 mg
• Chlorine : 78.5 mg
• Phosphorus : 32 mg
• Magnesium : 24.2 mg
• Sodium : 18 mg
• Calcium : 11 mg
• Iron : 0.7 mg
• Copper : 0.24 mg

• Oxalic acid : 15 mg
• Potatoes are exceptionally rich in iron.

• But only a very slight proportion of iron

exists dissolved in the cell sap.

• This is almost entirely precipitated by

boiling.
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• uÉÏrÉï : EwhÉ
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ÌuɹqpÉMüU, uÉ×wrÉ,
AlÉsÉWûU.
Juice of potato :
• Dark coloured liquid having an acid
character. The acidity is due to citric,
tartaric & succinic acids.

Potato:
• Antiscorbutic
• Easily digested by patients of neurosis &
liver dyspepsia.
• Aperient
• Diuretic
• Galactogouge
• Nervine sadative & stimulant in Gout
 USES
• Generally consumed as nourishing food,
cooked into various kinds of curries.

• Potato starch forms an adulterant of fine

flours & starches.

• A great amount of commercial glucose is

made from potatoes.

• In many places potatoes form an impotant

source of alcohol.
“Potato meal” – infant food: by Muller

• Prepared by washing selected, well cleaned

potatoes, slicing these & drying the slices at low
temperature, not exceeding 400C.

• The slices which contain the hulls are powered &

then are slightly roasted at 50-550C at which
temperature a conversion of the starch into
dextrin takes place.

• Such a powder contains natural constituents,

not only mineral substances & albuminoids but
also the vitamins.

• Baked potatoes with cream are good for baby as

food.
 THERAPUTIC USES
• Joint pain - ½ Cup of raw potato juice in empty
stomach daily.

• Indigestion – Potato cooled with tomato

• Burns with scalds - Pulp of boiled potato + pre

boiled milk- applied as soothing dressing.

• Mutrakruchra, lack of breast milk, stomatitis,

constipation – Eat whole potato roasted over
charcoal.
 CONTRA INDICATIONS

• DM

• Rheumatism

• Uric acid diathesis

• Obesity