In the light of food shortage and malnutrition, a potato a day will keep the doctor away. Potato is cheap and nutritious. There is just something about potato that makes everyone want it. It just goes with anything on your plate. Today, the prices of bread and rice are rising and this seems unstoppable, and a probable full-filling substitute for this is this vegetable.
In this country of rice eaters, a lot of attention is being given to potatoes. Knowing that food crisis becomes an issue when production of food is not enough for the poor families and prices of rice, wheat, and corn gets higher. As this world phenomenon continues to up rise, the United Nations played an important role by declaring the “year of the potato” back on 2008.[1]The purpose of this declaration is to recognize the virtues the potato contributes to mankind.
Despite of its low price, the potato is easy to cultivate compared to any crops, and the nutritious content of it is unbelievable that actually people can live long enough with eating potato alone as this was considered as a complete food in itself. In fact a Denmark food Scientist, Professor Hinhede has already proven that potatoes can be enough in living through the days without depreciation of body fat, as he survived 3 whole years by eating raw and cooked potatoes alone.[2]The Laguna-based Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) stated that “A potato crop produces more edible energy and protein per hectare and per unit of time than practically any other crop”. It is also seen that 90 percent of potatoes are produced in the high lands of Northern Luzon. [3]
Perhaps now, we should change our eating habits and have a lifestyle healthier than before, for malnutrition and sickness due to hunger can be avoided if we will be wise enough in choosing our meals. Poverty should not be an excuse to see your love ones die in hunger since a cheap and nutritious solution is already available, all we have to do is to grab it.
[1] Philippines: Potato can be a good supplement to rice, 2008, Yzza Ibrahim, Fresh Plaza [online] Available at: http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=25741 [Accessed 09 March 2010]
[2] Potato, (n.d.), [online] Available at: http://www.health-care-clinic.org/vegetables/potato.html [Accessed 09 March 2010]
[3] A second look on the lowly potato, (n.d.), [online] Available at: http://www.agribusinessweek.com/a-second-look-at-the-lowly-potato/ [Accessed 09 March 2010 ]
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