# Potato - The perfect survival food



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

From an email that I received today (that did not provide who the author or source was):



> Reason #1: They're easy to grow and require no machinery or processing
> Potatoes are easy for one person to grow and harvest. Growing a family plot of potatoes requires minimal labor and attention. No heavy machinery needed! Unlike grain crops, potatoes don't need to be milled, threshed, combined, or undergo any other processing. You just pull them out of the earth, brush off the dirt, and cook them.
> 
> Reason #2: Potatoes are packed with nutrition
> ...


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

The potatoe "expert" forgot all about most of the good red potatoes, that tend to be even easier to digest and much better for people who suffer from muscle cramping issues, but the truth is there, potatoes are a great food source


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## Boomy (Mar 17, 2012)

I medievil times it was an ideal crop for war torn countries beacause if a troop of souldier tranmped through your corn field or burnt your whaet field, you were screw. Potatoes on the other hand don't care. They are underground in storage. Go ahead and trample my potatoe patch!

Im considering Gorilla Gardening some through my subdivision. History shows that when the water and power go out, 90% of the residents bail out to stay with their wealthy family elsewhere or over a few counties where they still have resources. One brightside of living in a huricane zone, you get to see trial runs of SHTF......


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## Cast-Iron (Nov 8, 2013)

As good as potatoes are, I've read the sweet potato can sustain human life indefinitely because they are a complete food. _(Probably just an ad campaign by some clandestine sweet potato council?) _ I've never grown any, but there are plenty of folks in these parts that do. Folks who are managing diabetes will have to limit their intake of potatoes. Still for a majority of the population potatoes do pack a lot of calories in a small package.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Boomy said:


> I medievil times it was an ideal crop for war torn countries beacause if a troop of souldier tranmped through your corn field or burnt your whaet field, you were screw.


Hate to be that guy, but fwiw, potatoes didn't get to the old world until about the end of the 16th century (much like corn), in most places they didn't catch on for quite a while but when they did it certainly had a huge effect. Everything else you said is spot on imo, much harder to confiscate or steal.



Cast-Iron said:


> As good as potatoes are, I've read the sweet potato can sustain human life indefinitely because they are a complete food. _(Probably just an ad campaign by some clandestine sweet potato council?) _ I've never grown any, but there are plenty of folks in these parts that do. Folks who are managing diabetes will have to limit their intake of potatoes.


Sweet potatoes and yams have certainly gotten a lot of hype as a "healthier" alternative to potatoes lately but when you look at the facts it isn't very clear cut imo. Sure sweet potatoes are much, much higher in some things such as vitamin A and beta-carotene, on the other hand they have much more sugar and potatoes are higher in quite a few things like protein, vitamin C, etc. I don't know how anyone can claim sweet potatoes are a "complete" food but I know some people do.

I know people with diabetes who monitor regularly and are very sensitive to diet (a package of ramen will rocket their blood sugar) and yet they have found potatoes do not cause similar effects, when I researched it before I was surprised to find the glycemic index of spuds was very variable.

This is just from wiki;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potatoe


> A small but significant portion of this starch is resistant to digestion by enzymes in the stomach and small intestine, and so reaches the large intestine essentially intact. This resistant starch is considered to have similar physiological effects and health benefits as fiber: It provides bulk, offers protection against colon cancer, *improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity*, lowers plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, increases satiety, and possibly even reduces fat storage.[37][38][39] The amount of resistant starch in potatoes depends much on preparation methods. Cooking and then cooling potatoes significantly increases resistant starch. For example, cooked potato starch contains about 7% resistant starch, which increases to about 13% upon cooling.[40]
> 
> The cooking method used can significantly affect the nutrient availability of the potato.
> 
> Potatoes are often broadly classified as high on the glycemic index (GI) and so are often excluded from the diets of individuals trying to follow a low-GI diet. In fact, the GI of potatoes can vary considerably depending on type (such as red, russet, white, or Prince Edward), origin (where it was grown), preparation methods (i.e., cooking method, whether it is eaten hot or cold, whether it is mashed or cubed or consumed whole, etc.), and with what it is consumed (i.e., the addition of various high-fat or high-protein toppings).[41]


I never knew this and was surprised to find out. I grew up on potatoes but at some point half-ways bought into the idea that they were "empty calories", now I am swinging back the other way :dunno:


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## Boomy (Mar 17, 2012)

cowboyhermit said:


> Hate to be that guy,


Who are you kidding?????:rofl:

On the negative side of potatoes, I'm hypoglycimic. I can't eat straight, plain, baked potatoes. The fuel is too hot? Instant heart burn. The only way that I can eat them is counter balanced by fat. In which case good fuel artydance:


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

@ Boomy, does it seem to make a difference if the potatoes are red or pale skinned, I find that too many light skinned potatoes tend to bloat me and cause some muscle cramping. But red skinned don't seem to bother at all,


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Ok, maybe I am that guy, doesn't mean I have to like it

Like Tirediron I am curious too, not diabetic myself but blood sugar spikes don't do anyone any good. Anybody have any info on which varieties/way of cooking are "better" for glycemic index or "resistant starch". I know I found some in the past but not sure where.


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## Boomy (Mar 17, 2012)

Tirediron said:


> @ Boomy, does it seem to make a difference if the potatoes are red or pale skinned, I find that too many light skinned potatoes tend to bloat me and cause some muscle cramping. But red skinned don't seem to bother at all,


Have to admit that I've never made the comparison, and the on occasions when I made the mistake, they were lightskinned taters.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

I have considered planting root veggies, including potatoes, between my home and what I consider to be my BOL. A few carrots here, a few onions there, and a few potatoes her and there would make for a much better trip than running out of food. Ditches might be a good place to plant them as water would collect there and they would stand a better chance of getting enough.

Also, I have considered planting these same veggies in areas where no one is tending to the ground at all, except the weeds. If your food storage gets confiscated, stolen, or destroyed, it could be a good back-up.


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## Cast-Iron (Nov 8, 2013)

weedygarden said:


> I have considered planting root veggies, including potatoes, between my home and what I consider to be my BOL. A few carrots here, a few onions there, and a few potatoes her and there would make for a much better trip than running out of food. Ditches might be a good place to plant them as water would collect there and they would stand a better chance of getting enough.
> 
> Also, I have considered planting these same veggies in areas where no one is tending to the ground at all, except the weeds. If your food storage gets confiscated, stolen, or destroyed, it could be a good back-up.


Interesting concept! Something that would concern me though, is the possible level and the extent of contamination along the roadsides and within their ditches. Would it be better to opt for creek sides or other areas on the "upstream" side of the roadway? I am wondering if there would be less chance for runoff contamination in these areas? Here in Texas, the state highway department occasionally sprays various herbicides along these right of ways. What they're applying and how often they're applying it could impact the safe consumption of these "crops".

Just some food for thought! (obvious pun intended)


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## talob (Sep 16, 2009)

Last year wife canned almost all the taters we grew (Red Pontiacs) except what I kept back for seed this year, but she did do a little experiment, she cooked them shredded then dehydrated really dry or they mold, when redydrated they come back like fresh go really well with the home smoked Canadian bacon and home grown eggs for breakfest greatly expanding the garden this year growing a lot more spuds. And trying sweettaters this year to.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Potatoes are one of the most "suited for dehydration" foods there is!


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Cast-Iron said:


> Interesting concept! Something that would concern me though, is the possible level and the extent of contamination along the roadsides and within their ditches. Would it be better to opt for creek sides or other areas on the "upstream" side of the roadway? I am wondering if there would be less chance for runoff contamination in these areas? Here in Texas, the state highway department occasionally sprays various herbicides along these right of ways. What they're applying and how often they're applying it could impact the safe consumption of these "crops".
> 
> Just some food for thought! (obvious pun intended)


Thanks for that! Yes, state highways do spray herbicides. I could actually imagine the other potential contaminants along roadsides. I have really thought that I need to spend some time each week working on my alternative routes to the BOL, and walking along streams, creeks and rivers would certainly help stay out of roads where there could be roadblocks and road pirates.


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## siletz (Aug 23, 2011)

I would highly recommend growing potatoes in your garden this year as a step toward sustainability. They are definitely one of our staple crops that can get you through winter feeling full and nourished. Last year we planted 20 lbs of seed potatoes and harvested 300 lbs.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

siletz said:


> I would highly recommend growing potatoes in your garden this year as a step toward sustainability. They are definitely one of our staple crops that can get you through winter feeling full and nourished. Last year we planted 20 lbs of seed potatoes and harvested 300 lbs.


Potatoes are easy to grow and can be productive. I try to grow different varieties to ensure that if one variety is particularly susceptible to disease, I will have some. I also try to grow colorful varieties of foods because they tend to have more nutrients.


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## forluvofsmoke (Jan 27, 2012)

*FYI: info on nutrition and varieties of potatoes*

I was interested enough in this topic to do a little digging and see what I could find out about potatoes. I was specifically looking for nutritional comparisons between the varieties, but found other info I thought could be useful in determining what varieties would be best suited for your individual needs. I didn't find much to differentiate the nutrient values between different varieties yet, but will post that if I find it.

Read the Key/Legend on the far lower left of this page to make sense of the chart info regarding maturity time, yield, raw storage, etc:
http://www.fedcoseeds.com/moose/varietychart.htm

This page has a ton of links, so see if anything might interest you:
http://potatoassociation.org/Industry Outreach/varieties/

Some generalized info with additional page tabs:
http://www.potatogoodness.com/nutrition/

http://www.ehow.com/list_7632521_list-varieties-potatoes.html

UK-specific info:
http://www.potato.org.uk/seed-export/varieties

Auto-Immune diet comparison - potatoes/rice:
http://100percenthealth.us/6-months-to-year-1/rice-vs-potatoes-starch-comparison/

This is a broad-range food nutritional value chart...potatoes are way down the page, but this can offer more insight as to what you grow/eat to achieve a nutritionally complete diet:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/NutritionalChart.htm

A little sweet potato trivia:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/sweetpotato.html

Sweet potato varieties:
http://www.sweetpotatoes.com/About/VarietiesandBotanicalInformation.aspx

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sweet_potato_cultivars

Nutritional info:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/297519-sweet-potato-nutrition-data/

I do think there would be merit in growing several varieties of potato for different preparations and dietary needs, providing each variety meets your health needs without any adverse effects...that's what my plan will include. Sweet potatoes could be utilized for additional calories, but being those calories are from simple sugars, maybe not so much. Considering that potatoes, which had long been thought of as a peasant's food, became a staple during the famines in Europe (little ice age, and the year without a summer come to mind), it would stand to reason that the potato's role in feeding the masses in the future will be equally important. In any case, growing a variety of tubers (along with your standard surface crops) and using viable methods to store them for longer periods would be wise.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Reason #7: They're easy to dehydrate
Scrub 'em, slice 'em, and dehydrate them ... either in a dehydrator or in your oven. Dehydrated, potatoes take up less space and can be stored in airtight containers for very long periods of time. In fact, they'll last for ten years in a sealed #10 can.
I have 100 potatoes in 10 quart jars. If I had broken them into pieces, it would have taken less jars.
That's about (5) 10 lb. bags of potatoes.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

I agree, but history says you need at least 3 to 6 vegetables, so crop failure will not hurt you.
I would put white potatoes at the top of the Winter/early Spring crop.
Perennial vegetables like Sun chokes,asparagus,apples,garlic/onions would be easy to manage.
Tomatoes,beans, okra & cucumbers are good too.
I will go as far as to say crop failure is less likely then 100 years ago.
But we should back up our back up plan.
Potatoes are great, can be cooked most anyway you can think of.
In any kind of heat source you have, but variety is the spice of life.
Thanks Sentry 18, that a good tip & I going to name you the source.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

weedygarden said:


> I have considered planting root veggies, .....
> 
> Well-drained ditches that don't hold standing water for long periods might be a good place to plant .


I fixed it for you. Make sure they don't drown.

Spuds love sandy soil and hate clay, so be aware of that.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

LincTex said:


> Spuds love sandy soil and hate clay, so be aware of that.


We have seriously heavy clay here. We've had three seasons of potatoes, and the best production was when we mixed in A LOT of aged leaves with the soil - about a 50/50 blend. The leaves were laid on the plot in about January and well-tilled in with the soil in May prior to planting. We're going back to that with our potatoes this year. 

(For what it's worth, the other two seasons were 1) using unamended soil, and 2) growing in buckets with a variety of soil and compost blends.)


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

I am sure as LincTex says, sandy soil is the best for them in general but the best potato crop I have ever seen was in extremely clayey soil that had received lots of organic matter (rotted straw and manure). The spuds were as big as dinner plates and not a scab to be seen, they split the ground for feet in some places and this was with no irrigation. I think the key is what goshengirl also found; heaps of organic matter make potatoes happy.

On the other hand we had a large site with sandy loam and it produced amazing potatoes as well, the only problem being it dried out fast in hot weather so required some attention. I don't know how clay would do in places with tons of rain that doesn't dry up, or with irrigation, I imagine there would be issues. All I am trying to say (and not doing a very good job) is that if you have clayey soil I wouldn't assume potatoes are a no-go.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Those are good encouraging posts.

YES - potatoes DO seem to do very well in organic material like leaves and hay!! Thanks, I had forgotten about that.

Mulching Potatoes With Straw
http://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/mulching-potatoes-straw

You'll NEVER grow potatoes any other way again!
http://strawbalegardens.com/blog/2013/02/youll-never-grow-potatoes-any-other-way-again/

Growing potatoes in just hay?
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/organic/msg0602195028617.html?14

Growing Potatoes In Straw
http://www.bettervegetablegardening.com/growing-potatoes-in-straw.html

Country Lore: Growing Potatoes in Hay
Growing potatoes in hay can keep them from rotting in heavy clay soil. 
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/growing-potatoes-in-hay-zmaz08fmzmcc.aspx

7 Ways to Plant Potatoes
We tested 7 easy ways to grow potatoes: 4 in containers, 3 in the ground.
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/7-ways-plant-potatoes

Growing Potatoes the No-Dig Way
http://www.growveg.com/growblogpost.aspx?id=237

Grow 100 lbs. Of Potatoes In 4 Square Feet
http://tipnut.com/grow-potatoes/


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

I grew red skin Pontiacs & yellow Yukon Gold this Spring.
I got over 50 pounds of Pontiacs to the 5 pounds I planted, I have not dug the yellow potatoes yet.

In post #1 the Rose Finn Apple sounds like the "The Potato Garden", they grow naturally & Certified Organic seed potatoes, also naturally seed garlic.

I have not tried them yet.
My local potato dealer has good seeds at a good price.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

We LOVE potatoes, but I don't eat them very often due to watching my weight (go up!). My daughter wanted to eat potatoes for every meal when she was growing up. When we were moving and spent the night in a motel, I asked her what she would like for breakfast? "Mashed potatoes and gravy." 

I did plant potatoes in my garden this year. I have reds and russets. They are still blooming so I have not dug any up yet. 

I did plant some reds and blues a few years ago. They bloomed and developed little potatoes where the blossoms had been. I had never seen that before, but figured those could be used for seed potatoes.

If I had the land, I would plant lots of potatoes and lots of varieties of potatoes. I would can and dehydrate the bulk of them and save a few of each for seed potatoes for the next year. They really would be a basic food that would be easy to grow, harvest and store.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

weedygarden said:


> We LOVE potatoes, but I don't eat them very often due to watching my weight (go up!).


Their "energy density" puts them at a great advantage in a survival situation. 
If a person is burning a lot of energy, potatoes give a lot of useful carbs.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

cowboyhermit said:


> Ok, maybe I am that guy, doesn't mean I have to like it
> 
> Like Tirediron I am curious too, not diabetic myself but blood sugar spikes don't do anyone any good. Anybody have any info on which varieties/way of cooking are "better" for glycemic index or "resistant starch". I know I found some in the past but not sure where.


The more processed a potato is the worst it is for blood sugar spikes. So a baked potato or something like a potato salad where the chunks are bigger is better where instant mashed potatoes are the worst. The smaller the particles the faster it gets digested. Larger chunks take longer to digest so the sugar load is spread out a bit.

For any starch eating a protein at the same time helps balance the load on your system so a steak and a baked potato :congrat: is better for your blood sugar than a stack of pancakes.


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

any bad taters are great cricket food and that is good for fishing


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

nightwing said:


> any bad taters are great cricket food and that is good for fishing


That's good info: I'd like to raise some crickets to supplement chicken feed with a lil' extra protein


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

LincTex said:


> That's good info: I'd like to raise some crickets to supplement chicken feed with a lil' extra protein


Man that will be a hoot chickens are very competitive and one 
grasshopper puts them in a frenzy have a video camera 
that should be wild


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

nightwing said:


> Man that will be a hoot chickens are very competitive and one grasshopper puts them in a frenzy have a video camera


They "free-range" and eat grasshoppers all summer long. I want some treats for them in the winter, and crickets would fit the bill


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

LincTex said:


> They "free-range" and eat grasshoppers all summer long. I want some treats for them in the winter, and crickets would fit the bill


This link may or may not help.
http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/dirty-jobs/videos/cricket-farmer.htm

We use potatoes for crickets,too.
You have to cut the old dry scab off every day until you fish/feed the chicks.
The crickets drink the water, so will Fire ants.


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

some hair spray and PVC and you got a potato gun I don't care what they are wearing a shot to the baby banks and out go the lights 

I built one that uses tomato paste cans and same size sardine cans
a piece of good duct tape and a double tail stabilizes it well 
I have used a large air compressor / air all I can say is devastating.
I think it would work as well with potatoes.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

Grew some a year or two ago just for an experiment in a 5 gallon bucket,totally forgot about them till my daughter reminded me,got about 2 pounds of white potatoes,great addition to my Georgia sausage breakfast,will have to try it again on a bigger scale,but I`ll have to watch my diet:ignore:.


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## GrinnanBarrett (Aug 31, 2012)

One of the things we got involved in was our community garden at our church. It is a great way to enjoy and learn at the same time. 

I agree that potatoes are an easy thing to plant and harvest. Big thing around here is planting the cut potatoes at the right time. It will really vary by the climate of your area.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

I'm thinking about potatoes in a raised bed. How deep would the soil need to be?


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

Caribou said:


> I'm thinking about potatoes in a raised bed. How deep would the soil need to be?


6"-12" it really depends on how much mulch you use to keep the moisture in, weeds down & sun out of the bed.
You do not want the sun on your potatoes fruit, the vines yes.
So how deep you plant will have to do with if you are going to bank your potatoes hills/vines or just plant water & harvest.
I did not bank: pull soil up around the vines after the plants were 12 inches tall.
When I went to dig them they were splitting the soil & right under an inch of soil.
It is better to mulch after you hill or bank the vines then mulch between rows & between plants.
I used pine straw, but any mulch will do.


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## kyredneck (Aug 12, 2012)

Caribou said:


> I'm thinking about potatoes in a raised bed. How deep would the soil need to be?


Last few years I grew them I followed latest research from Rodale which showed planting pre-sprouted (up to 4" long) whole potatoes 4"deep to be the most productive method. I would spread my seed potatoes out in a corner of the basement floor a couple weeks before planting to give them time to sprout; it worked very nicely and resulted in MUCH healthier and more productive potato plants than when slicing the seed potatoes.

Potatoes do very well in bed plantings if spaced correctly, that's how I garden.


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## kyredneck (Aug 12, 2012)

cowboyhermit said:


> ...I know people with diabetes who monitor regularly and are very sensitive to diet (a package of ramen will rocket their blood sugar) and yet they have found potatoes do not cause similar effects, when I researched it before I was surprised to find the glycemic index of spuds was very variable.


Thanks! That's good info to know.



cowboyhermit said:


> Ok, maybe I am that guy, doesn't mean I have to like it
> 
> Like Tirediron I am curious too, not diabetic myself but blood sugar spikes don't do anyone any good. Anybody have any info on which varieties/way of cooking are "better" for glycemic index or "resistant starch". I know I found some in the past but not sure where.


Don't know the answer to your question but I will tell you what I DO know from several years of experience, and that is the inclusion of some form of lacto fermented food with a meal will greatly reduce or even eliminate blood sugar spikes from ingesting carbs. I experimented and verified this on myself with a blood sugar monitor a few years back.

"&#8230;.research shows that these foods are good for your blood sugar. The acids in fermented foods - lactic and acetic acid - block carbohydrates from entering the blood and turning into blood sugar, reducing spikes. And these benefits can carry over to the next meal. But that's not all. Every culture has a long tradition of fermented and raw foods - foods that provide for healthy intestinal flora and decrease the load on your pancreas and liver. Fermented foods are less common in the typical Western diet but play a starring role in the diets of other cultures, especially Asia. Probiotics (friendly bacteria) in fermented foods help convert sugar into lactic acid for greater digestibility. They help stabilize blood sugar, improve gut flora, boost the immune system and are rich in essential vitamins - all of which are helpful in any Diabetes Healing Diet&#8230;."
http://healthy-diabetic.ca/foiled-again-fermented-foods-and-diabetes/

I have along with nearly every meal some sort of fermented condiment or beverage such as pickled cukes, peppers, garlic, kraut, relish, salsa, kvass, etc.; more than anything beet kvass, because it is so easy to simply have 'a shot of kvass' after every meal, and it's a fantastic thirst quencher.

The ADA strongly recommends for diabetics to include fermented foods into their diets.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

I usually buy my potatoes starts when I see them. There are some companies that specialize in potatoes. I am sure there are more than these two.

https://www.mainepotatolady.com/pdf/2014_catalog.pdf

http://www.potatogarden.com/2013PotatoGarden.pdf


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

The most unusual use for potatoes was as a weapon.

I was just watching a You Tube video called Tin Can Destroyers of WWII. A Navy Destroyer pulled up along a Jap Sub thinking that it was dead in the water. When Jap sailors came running out on the deck. The Destroyer was too close to use its guns so the US sailors grabbed potatoes that were being stored on the deck and started throwing them onto the deck of the sub. The Japanese sailors thought they were Hand grenades and hit the deck. This gave the Captain of the Destroyer enough time to pull away from the sub and use their 5" inch guns and sink the sub.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

I am digging my late potatoes as soon as the frost kills the vines.
They may not all be full size, but they will be fresh from the garden.


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