Potato

Scientific Name(s): Solanum tuberosum L.
Common Name(s): Irish potato, Potato, US russet, White potato

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 28, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Potatoes are rich in starch and may affect glycemic control and insulin levels in people with diabetes. Antioxidant effects and protease inhibitor action are being studied.

Dosing

There is no clinical evidence to support specific dosage of potato. The widespread use of the tubers as food is tempered by the occurrence of toxic alkaloids in sprouting potatoes and in foliage.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been identified. Excessive consumption of potatoes in people with severe renal function impairment may lead to hyperkalemia.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Generally recognized as safe for use as food. Avoid excessive consumption because safety and efficacy are unproven.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Allergic reaction to raw and cooked potato has been documented and includes anaphylaxis. GI symptoms (eg, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting) are generally associated with the consumption of blighted, greening, or sprouted tubers. Case reports of fatalities exist.

Toxicology

Two primary types of toxins are associated with potatoes: acrylamide and glycoalkaloids, with levels of acrylamide dependent on the cultivar as well as on postharvesting and processing methods.

Scientific Family

• Solanaceae (nightshade)

Botany

The potato is a weedy plant recognized for its tuberous growth and valued as a commercial food. Potatoes are propagated from the underground runners of the plant from the "eyes."1, 2

History

Potatoes have been cultivated since 500 BC; Central and South American Indians were probably among the first to select hardy cultivators of the potato as a food staple.2, 3 Despite the Spanish introduction of the plant into Europe in the late 1500s, the tubers did not become a popular food source until the 17th century because of religious and mythological concerns about the toxicity of the plant. Once accepted, potatoes were widely disseminated to Germany, other parts of Europe, and Russia.

By the 17th and 18th centuries, potatoes formed such a large part of the Irish diet that intake for adults exceeded 8 lb/day. The fungal disease known as potato blight destroyed more than 80% of the crop in the 1840s, resulting in the starvation of more than 3 million Irish and the emigration of many more.3

Raw potato has been used traditionally in poultices for arthritis, infections, boils, burns, and sore eyes; potato peel tea has been used to soothe edema or bodily swelling; and raw potato juice has been ingested to soothe gastritis or stomach disorders.4

The potato remains an important food crop, with over 200 million metric tons harvested annually worldwide, surpassed only by wheat.3 Potatoes are also used as a source of starch and in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages.5

Chemistry

Potatoes are rich in starch, with potato maltodextrin used in the preparation of commercial foods. Varying amounts of potassium, iron, riboflavin, folate, and vitamins are found primarily in the thick periderm of the skin.3, 6, 7, 8 Potatoes are a poor source of protein, with only about 2% to 10% as protein content.