Subject: Purple potatoes
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking

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From: treelo at my-deja.com
Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 22:05:44 GMT
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Is there a nutritional difference between regular potatoes and purple
potatoes?

Also, are there any other varieties of ordinary foods that maybe have more nutrition than the variety we usually purchase (ie; red bananas and such)? Just looking for ways to add nutrition to my 2-year-old son's already varied diet....he eats just about anything.

Thanks,
-Treelo

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From: penmart10 at aol.com (Sheldon)
Date: 14 Oct 1999 00:19:04 GMT
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Treelo writes:
>Is there a nutritional difference between regular potatoes and purple
>potatoes?

Most all potato varieties have a nutritional value so close as any differences would be negligible... more important for retaining nutrients would be the preparation method employed and whether or not the skin is consumed. Also, with potatoes, length and method of storage becomes a factor, as over time, potatao starch is converted to sugar and vitamin C evaporates.

>Also, are there any other varieties of ordinary foods that maybe have
>more nutrition than the variety we usually purchase (ie; red bananas
>and such)?

There are over 400 different banana varieties, each would have to be considered separately, but again, degree of ripeness plays a major role... I'm certain you've already discovered that riper bananas are sweeter, therefore contain more sugar and less starch.

By far the best way to ensure maximum nutritional value with all produce is to consume each when as fresh as possible while following correct storage procedures and prepared by methods where the least amount of nutritional value is lost. In almost all cases, all things being equal, the least amount of cooking yields the greatest nutritional value. Also, always consider consuming any resultant cooking liquids as they will contain a large proportion of dissolved nutients.