On this page I'm reporting on the on-going study of the health benefits of potato - particularly glycoalkaloids and antioxidants that have proven to be anticarcinogenic.
TGA in the potato skin and antioxidants in dark colored potato flesh.
Click here to review the catalog.
Please open my catalog page and search for keyword TGA (Total GlycoAlkaloids) to find the varieties reported to have high levels. To be safe Health Canada has established an upper limit of 20mg of TGA per 100g of fresh weight in potato tubers. Cultivars that show higher levels cannot be registered for commercial food production.
Tested cultivars have shown a higher concentration in the skin. Perhaps we need to wait years to find out if the health benefits of the anticarcinogenic effects outweight the negative effects (like intestinal permeability).
Very interesting is the report by Dr. Horia Goza (UW - retired) published in the Badger Common'Tater that shows how antioxidant levels in dark potato flesh are higher than in white flesh, and are enhanced with cooking!
In dark purple flesh the antioxidant levels may be ninety times higher than in white flesh. Obviously higher levels are found in fresh tubers (poor soil quality, bruising, storage would reduce the high oxidant levels). An other reason for growing your own garden potatoes?
The Kenosha Potato Project provides pictures of all potato cultivars of our extensive "garden grown" tuber collection, including description of skin and flesh colors. A text search will lead you to the cultivars with different skin / flesh colors.
Forward this link; it will take them to the free subscription page.
http://www.curzio.com/N/subscribe.htm
If you need help subscribing please drop us a note; we can do that for you.
We hope you enjoy receiving our newsletter and will forward it to your friends and family. We appreciate your help in spreading the word about our activity.
Looking forward to meet you at the HarborMarket of Kenosha this Saturday, or some day.
Your friends will be under the white tent,
Curzio