home > Psychology > What are the benefits of purple potatoes? Description of purple potato varieties, their beneficial properties


What are the benefits of purple potatoes? Description of purple potato varieties, their beneficial properties




Purple potatoes appeared on the shelves of our stores relatively recently and were able to quickly gain popularity. This vegetable has a characteristic purple color of the peel and pulp. This vegetable crop is of great interest to gardeners who successfully grow such purple potatoes in Russian summer conditions. We will tell you about the features of such varieties and the agricultural technology for growing them.

This variety was bred in South America, from where it quickly spread throughout the world. It is very popular in Europe, where such a vegetable is considered a gourmet dish. Among other things, such potatoes are extremely beneficial for the body, which has made them the basis of many diets with proper nutrition.

Ripened tubers have a sweetish buttery taste with a slight nutty flavor. Thanks to its excellent gastronomic properties, such purple potatoes are widely used today.

Health benefits of purple potatoes

Purple potatoes contain a large amount of antioxidants, which have strong anti-cancer properties. It has also been established that such antioxidants are responsible for human immunity, restoring the integrity of DNA. Another property of the antioxidants contained in this vegetable is to slow down the aging process.

Due to the presence of a large amount of ascorbic acid, human immunity is strengthened and its protective functions are increased. It has been established that regular consumption of this type of vegetable helps normalize blood pressure, strengthens capillaries, which is the prevention of heart attacks and strokes.

It is also necessary to note the high calorie content of these purple potatoes, which is explained by the high starch content. At the same time, studies have shown that such a high calorie content does not lead to excess weight. Purple potato fruits also contain potassium and polyphenols, which improve vision and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.

Features of purple potatoes

Among the differences between the purple varieties of this vegetable, the following can be noted:

  • The oblong shape of the tubers and the pulp are of an unusual purple color. Even after heat treatment, such an unusual color does not lose its brightness.
  • The content of a large number of various beneficial microelements will allow this vegetable to be considered not only as a gastronomic product, but also as an excellent means for increasing immunity and preventing various diseases.
  • This variety has the thickest peel, which allows you to store this vegetable for 6-10 months.
You just need to remember that purple potatoes should not be eaten by people who suffer from low blood pressure. In rare cases, individual intolerance to this vegetable may also occur. In this case, it is also necessary to stop eating it.

Features of agricultural technology for growing this variety

Purple potatoes not only have an original color, but are also resistant to various diseases. We recommend that gardeners who plan to start growing this type of vegetable on their plot carefully approach the issues of choosing seed material.

You can plant such potatoes with tubers, but the easiest way is with seeds. In the latter case, you will need to germinate the seeds and grow seedlings at home, which are subsequently transplanted into open ground. It is recommended to plant seeds in April, and seedlings are transferred to open ground no earlier than mid-May.

Directly when growing this variety of potatoes, no difficulties arise. The gardener needs to regularly water the vegetable crops and properly hill the plantings. Also, do not forget to loosen the surface layer of soil after each rain or watering, which will allow you to deal with the dense surface crust, which impairs the breathing of the plant root system.

Depending on the specific variety of purple potatoes, harvesting can take place in September and even October. The harvested crop has excellent shelf life and retains its taste for a long time. Note that the vegetable grower has the opportunity to independently harvest seed material, for which it is recommended to use medium-sized tubers.

Potato variety Sineglazka

Sineglazka is a potato variety that is well known to all of us, which is resistant to various pathogens and at the same time allows us to obtain an excellent harvest. One of the features of this variety is its low maintenance requirements, which makes this variety a favorite among beginning gardeners.

You can identify the Sineglazka potato variety by the characteristic blue color of the skin and dark eyes. At the same time, the pulp has a classic light yellow color. The Sineglazka variety is a mid-early variety, so it has mediocre keeping quality. Even if you create optimal storage conditions for the grown crop, you are unlikely to be able to preserve the potatoes until the next harvest.

Growing potatoes of this variety is not difficult. It shows the best yield indicators on soil richly fertilized with organic matter. You should also remember that potatoes, especially during the growing season, require abundant watering. No additional feeding of this crop is required during its growth.

Just remember that you will need to destroy the Colorado potato beetle, which loves to feast on the tender young leaves of this garden crop. Another common pest is the mole cricket, which lives in the ground and feeds on young roots of vegetables. As a preventive measure against this pest, we recommend not using fresh manure as fertilizer, and also digging up the soil in the fall and again in the spring.

Blue potatoes

Currently, dozens of different hybrids have been bred that have a characteristic blue color. Moreover, both the peel and the pulp itself can have this color. In the latter case, the grown tubers will have a wonderful sweetish aroma and oily taste. Blue potatoes allow you to get an excellent harvest.

Growing these varieties of potatoes is not particularly difficult. You just need to properly prepare the land for planting and provide the plantings with proper care. All this will be the key to getting an excellent harvest on the garden plot for the gardener.

Certain difficulties may arise only with the search for high-quality seed material. In this case, we can recommend that you give preference not to tubers, but to seeds. In most specialty stores you can find quality potato hybrid seeds that are blue and purple in color. Subsequently, growing vegetables from seeds is not difficult, which will allow you to get an excellent harvest.

Purple potatoes appeared on store shelves not long ago, but have already gained popularity. The vegetable differs in the color of the peel and the tubers themselves - deep purple, in some cases reaching black. The culture was developed in South America.

The culture belongs to the bindweed family. Purple potatoes have several other names: “French blue truffle potatoes”, “negress”, “Chinese truffle”. The length of the tubers is approximately 10 centimeters. Weight reaches 70 grams.

The main varieties of the crop are Purple Peruvian, Purple Majesty, Purple Viking.

Beneficial features

There is one rule that says that darker colored fruits are the most valuable. Purple potatoes are no exception. It contains a huge amount of antioxidants. Anthocyanins have anti-cancer properties and are excellent for improving immunity. Among other things, they are responsible for the integrity of the DNA structure.

Since purple potatoes are high in antioxidants, they help slow down the aging process in the body. The high content of ascorbic acid helps strengthen the functions of the entire body, especially during infectious diseases.

During research, it was revealed that the purple vegetable of the described type perfectly reduces high blood pressure. The thing is that potatoes have a beneficial effect on blood vessels, including capillaries. Potatoes also contain chlorogenic acid, which is responsible for blood pressure in mice.

It is important to remember that purple potatoes are quite high in calories due to their high starch content. Its taste is reminiscent of regular potatoes, but the texture is creamy and has a subtle nutty flavor.

Many useful substances are found in potato peels - these are polyphenols, vitamin C and potassium.

Clinical studies show that consistent consumption of purple vegetables can improve vision. Among other things, the risk of atherosclerosis is reduced several times. The walls of blood vessels become stronger and more elastic, and the incidence of a number of cancer diseases decreases.

Features of the view

What is the difference between purple potatoes and regular potatoes?

  • Its tubers are oblong in shape, the pulp is purple, and the peel is dark purple. Even after boiling or frying, the fruit does not lose its unusual color.
  • The beneficial characteristics that purple varieties have make it possible to use them in folk medicine to prevent stroke and reduce blood pressure. Medicinal properties appeared due to the content of starch, anthocyanins, potassium, carotenoids, calcium, and phenolic acids.
  • Since the variety is distinguished by the presence of a thick peel, it can be stored for a long time. The scope of use of unusual potatoes is very extensive: they are boiled, fried, baked, used as an ingredient for salads, stews and casseroles.

Contraindications

Those who suffer from hypotension – low blood pressure – should not eat purple potatoes. Among other things, people with individual intolerance to the product should refuse the tuber. It is worth monitoring how many potatoes you consume per day - you should not overdo it.

Rules for planting and care

First, you should get some seeds. They are germinated. Be prepared that about half will rise. Seeds are planted in April. They are placed in open ground only in May.

Care is exactly the same as for regular potatoes.

It is necessary to carry out hilling. Lawn grass or pre-weeded weeds are laid out between the bushes. When it comes to fertilizing, preference should be given to vermicompost.

Use only high-quality soil for seedlings and monitor watering, otherwise mold will form and you will have to treat with special preparations.

The harvest begins at the end of August. At the same time, the weather should be good.

Where is it currently grown?

Recently, non-standard colored potatoes have become increasingly popular. It is grown in Canada, Scotland, USA, South Korea. Moreover, tubers in these countries can be easily found on store shelves. The success of the vegetable is due to the exhibition that was held in 2007.

In Korea, a special diet was even developed based on the vegetable. The culture is also actively used in the field of cosmetology. It is used to produce anti-aging masks and soaps with a delicate texture. In America, purple potatoes were used to produce chips.

In Russia, the presented potatoes have been grown in Tomsk since 2011. In 2007, one of the employees of the Siberian Research Institute of Agriculture received original tubers as a gift from breeders from South Korea, who came to Russia for an exhibition where amazing varieties were presented. At the same time, not only purple, but also orange and pink varieties were put on display. However, the more intense the color, the healthier the vegetable, which is why Russian scientists gave preference to purple potatoes.

It is known that the presented variety was also bred in the Urals. But for now it does not go on sale and is not actively grown. You can also see amazing tubers in private gardens. This means that in just a couple of years, healthy vegetables may appear on store shelves and become commonplace.

There are several varieties of purple potatoes. All of them are very healthy and have the original color of the peel and pulp. The homeland of this exotic vegetable is South America, but at the moment you can find tubers in many Western and Asian countries and in Russia. The hardest part about growing potatoes is germinating the seeds. Otherwise, care is exactly the same as for ordinary standard varieties of the usual color.

Here's some information about purple "potatoes". It is not even from the nightshade family, so, in my opinion, it cannot be called a potato. A friend bought a couple of tubers, made a puree, and says that the taste is peculiar and the color is scary, but you can eat it.

Purple potatoes- a plant of the Convolvulaceae family. This vegetable is also called “negress”, “Chinese truffle” or “blue French truffle potato”. The tubers of this potato are covered with a dark purple skin, which sometimes reaches almost black color. Beneath it there is pulp of almost the same color (see photo). The oblong tubers reach an average length of about 10 cm, with a weight of about 70 g. The tubers retain their color even after heat treatment.

It is still unknown how exactly this variety appeared. Many believe that its homeland is South America, where it is still grown in large quantities. Purple potatoes thanks to thicker skins can be stored for quite a long time. These root vegetables have a light nutty flavor.

Purple potatoes can be eaten similarly to the more familiar version. Since this vegetable contains a large amount of starch, the tubers are ideal for making purees. In this case, the dish will turn out not only tasty, but also unusual. In addition, root vegetables are baked in the oven, boiled, fried, etc. Purple potatoes add flavor and garnish to a variety of salads. It also makes delicious stews, casseroles and first courses.

Unexpected conclusions were made in light of recent studies of hybrids of domestic and foreign varieties of purple and blue potatoes. It turned out that the hybrid tuber absorbs harmful nitrates and nitrites three times less, maintaining the level of starch index. And the vitamin C content in two tubers is equal to its content in one lemon.

Purple potatoes are very susceptible to the pathogenic effects of scab and more often suffer from leaf blight. The Colorado potato beetle primarily eats purple potato plants, despite the high degree of pest control treatment. The most unpleasant fact remains that during “eye” propagation, the potato tuber stubbornly becomes smaller, turning into a wild form.

Interspecific hybrids were used to obtain new domestic varieties of purple potatoes. The source material for them was the maternal forms of South American cultivated potato species and domestic breeding varieties: Santarka, Exotic and Tiras. The classical method of sexual hybridization was applied, resulting in varieties with varying degrees of intensity of flesh color: from dark purple to pale pink. About 120 samples obtained are in selection work. This amount is very promising for obtaining fixed varieties with colored pulp.

It is very difficult to surprise with anything unusual today. Purple potatoes are an exception. This is justified by the fact that after heat treatment, the color of its pulp does not change.

This species was obtained by crossing a common potato variety with an “American relative”. Don't worry about it being modified. It appeared first in America, then in Russia.

The Siberian Research Institute of Russia was also involved in breeding potatoes with purple flesh. There are several variations, the color of which ranges from pink to dark purple. Sometimes there are lilac shades

Basic Views

The characteristics of potatoes are slightly different from ordinary varieties with standard colors. In addition, different varieties have different properties from each other. The distinctive features common to all are:

  1. The color of the pulp remains the same even after processing.
  2. The shape of the vegetable is elongated-oblong.
  3. High content of nutrients in the tubers.
  4. Due to the thick skin, it can be stored for a very long time.

Two potato tubers contain as much vitamin C as 1 lemon.

Root composition

As the description shows, potatoes are rich in components:

  • Vitamins: A, B, C, E, H, PP and others.
  • Macroelements: Potassium, Chlorine, Phosphorus, Calcium, Magnesium and others.
  • Microelements: Iodine, Lithium, Fluorine, Chromium and many others.
  • Starch.
  • Sucrose.
  • Glucose.
  • Fructose.
  • Acids.
  • Amino acids.

For 100 gr. Potato varieties account for: 2 gr. proteins, 16 gr. carbohydrates, 0.4 g. fat

Varieties

The intermediate result is about 120 potato samples. The main varieties widespread everywhere are:

  • "All blue." Its flesh is not blue, but more blue-violet. The skin and pulp are separated by a white ring. Reaches full maturity in 80 days. The tuber weighs 200 grams. Basically, heat treatment preserves the color. It only becomes paler when boiled.
  • "Explosion". The color of the pulp and peel is completely the same and has a blue tint. The tubers of the variety are considered early ripening. Potato weight 120 g. Very productive and immune to diseases.
  • "Lilac". Ready to eat in 95 days. The weight of the tubers is approximately 80 grams, they store well. The flesh and skin are the same shade. Lilac miracle of selection.
  • "Peruvian purple" Breeders worked on its breeding for 200 years. Considered a late species. Maturity occurs in 100–110 days. Weight 80 gr.
  • "Adirondack Blue." Potatoes weigh 100 grams and ripen in 95 days.
  • "Vitelot". Very popular among many summer residents, it has a second name “Negress”. The average weight of one tuber is 70–100 grams. Color with a hint of blue and purple. Ripening period is 110 days. Keeps for a long time.

Summer residents call all varieties simply like blue potatoes. To make it clear what we are talking about. The beneficial properties of tubers are not disputed by anyone, but on the contrary, they are only praised.

Who is indicated and contraindicated for its use?

  1. Reduced pressure. Good for those who suffer from hypertension and bad for those with hypotension.
  2. Antioxidants. Their presence in large quantities slows down the aging process.
  3. Of the many vitamins found in purple potatoes, E and C are the most important for humans.
  4. Strengthening vision. Useful for nearsighted people. Slows down the development of cataracts and glaucoma.
  5. Digestive system. Helps remove toxins from the body. Normalizes stool, relieves abdominal pain.
  6. Vessels and heart. By clearing toxins, potatoes reduce the risk of blood clots. Accordingly, it reduces the possibility of developing a heart attack and stroke.
  7. Immune support. Helps absorb iron and, thanks to folic acid, increases hemoglobin.

  • High sugar.
  • Constipation.
  • Obesity.
  • Low pressure.
  • Gastritis.

For each person, the benefits and harms are calculated individually, depending on the state of health. In any case, you can eat purple potatoes, but at the same time carefully monitor your well-being.

Growing Potatoes

Potatoes with purple flesh are more difficult to grow yourself than regular varieties. The main problems encountered during the growing process:

  1. Susceptibility to late blight and scab.
  2. Insect pest attacks. The purple potato variety is more susceptible to attacks by Colorado potato beetles than others.
  3. It is better not to propagate with eyes. Because the tubers are getting smaller.

Otherwise, everything is the same as with ordinary types of culture. Timely watering, fertilizing, hilling and pest control.

How to prepare the soil for planting

First you need to choose a place for the garden bed. Purple potatoes love light; it is best to choose a site on the south side. It is demanding on the composition of the soil; the following types of soil are suitable:

  • Floodplain.
  • Soddy-podzolic.
  • Light loamy.
  • Neutral sandy loams.

In order for the potatoes to take root and develop correctly in the future, the soil must be dug very deeply in the fall. You can immediately add fertilizers, potassium salt (KS), superphosphate (S.) and humus (P).

  • KS–15 gr.
  • C–30 gr.
  • P–0.5 kg.

It is better to leave the earth in clods; this will not give pests the opportunity to hide in the depths. They will freeze.

After the soil warms up to + 5 ⁰C, you can re-dig and loosen the bed.

Planting and care

Before planting potatoes, pour a little wood ash into the holes. The distance between the holes is 30 cm, their depth is 10 cm, row spacing is 60 cm.

If you want to get an early harvest, purple potatoes are left to germinate in a warm room. The temperature must be at least +15⁰С. This must be done 3 weeks before planting in the ground. You can cover it with film and remove it only when the sprouts are about 10 cm.

Watering is required, abundant and frequent, mandatory periods:

  • After germination.
  • During bud setting.
  • After the flowers fall.

It is recommended to monitor the flow of moisture to the roots. Its excess contributes to the development of rot, and its deficiency leads to the death of the plant variety itself. The resulting crust must be loosened, the roots must breathe.

Weeding and treatment against insects and diseases must be carried out in a timely manner; the crop is sensitive to their development and attacks. The bushes may die. If there is no rain for a long time, it is recommended to irrigate the plantings.

Opinion of people who tried to grow purple potatoes

Having studied the reviews of summer residents, you can understand what is special about growing potatoes, and whether it is worth spending time on planting them at all.

  • Irina. I experienced strange feelings when I simply held the tuber in my hands. I peeled it, but the color of the pulp did not change. Later I found out that there was no need to clean it. Overall, I was amazed by the color of the finished dish.
  • Faith. The first potato harvest has been harvested. It turned out to be a bucket with 4 bushes. He considers this a good result. Since the planting material was small. We tried baking it in the microwave. The taste is ordinary, practically no different from the usual potato. Blooms white, but stems are purple. He recommends planting purple potatoes less frequently than the regular variety, approximately 70*70.

Growing exotics on the site is not uncommon. But if it is also a useful product, then its importance increases several times.

Potatoes are rightfully one of the most versatile vegetables in the world. Hundreds of its varieties are known and cultivated, nevertheless this vegetable continues to amaze gardeners. Purple potatoes, or blue French truffle potatoes to use their full name, are considered a delicacy and also have many health benefits.

Origin and description of culture

There is no exact information about the origin of this species. Presumably, this is one of the varieties of potatoes that has long been common in South America. The result of long-term breeding work and careful selection was the development of new fixed hybrids with the color of the tuber pulp from lilac to dark purple.

The purple color of potatoes is influenced by the percentage of anthocyanins - colored plant glycosides - in it. The oblong-shaped tubers are small in size and weight - no more than 10 cm and 70 g, respectively. Most varieties are late ripening, but there are also mid- and super-early ones. The higher this indicator, the denser the tuber skin and the better the keeping quality.

Culinary processing does not change the color of dishes of the main number of varieties, but some may lose their brightness and purity of color after thermal exposure.

The following descriptions and characteristics of the most famous and tested varieties that are popular all over the world will help gardeners who want to grow such a “blue miracle” on their plots to decide and make a choice:

  • Vitelotte (also called Negro and French truffle) is a late variety with a dark purple skin. The ripening period is up to 110 days, it is stored for a long time without loss. It has a characteristic rich nutty taste and does not change color when cooked. Tuber weight – 70-100 g;
  • All Blue (an exact translation of the original name All Blue) is medium early, has large tubers - up to 200 g in weight. A characteristic feature of the variety is a light stripe between the pulp and the skin. Thanks to its excellent taste and dietary properties, it is quickly gaining popularity in our country;
  • Explosion - got its name due to its super-early fruiting (up to 65 days). The pulp and peel are an even dark purple color. A distinctive characteristic is high resistance to diseases. Does not store well, but is good for quick consumption in any dish, including raw in salads;
  • Lilac is a mid-season variety of Russian selection. Despite the small fruit weight (up to 80 g) and average yield, it has good shelf life and resistance to diseases (cancer and scab). Having the taste of almonds, it is considered a valuable dietary product;
  • Peruvian purple (Purple Peruvian) - bred in Peru. A variety of late ripening and medium yield. As you can see in the picture, Peruvian potatoes are small in size, but their amazing taste - walnut and hazelnut at the same time - arouses the constant interest of consumers.

Useful properties and applications

Despite the same name, the purple “brother” of white potatoes has incomparably fewer harmful qualities and possesses many unique substances that are beneficial to health.

You cannot gain weight from this product unless you eat it along with fatty and flour additives. The beneficial properties of purple potatoes are the basis for the fact that in many countries they are considered a particularly valuable and dietary product.

Nevertheless, excessive passion for blue varieties can in some cases bring not only benefits, but also harm.

Benefits and contraindications

Colored varieties contain much more micro- and macroelements than ordinary ones, which do not decrease even after prolonged heat treatment. This is precisely the reason for the benefits of purple potatoes. In frozen and canned (pickled, salted) form, the vegetable retains its beneficial qualities. It is recommended in many children's diets.

Main medicinal properties of the product:

  • lowers blood pressure, so much so that it is not recommended for chronic use by hypotensive patients;
  • Anthocyanins, which give the crop its recognizable color, are also powerful antioxidants. They stimulate metabolic processes at the cellular level, strengthen the immune system, neutralize the harmful effects of carcinogenic substances and radio radiation on the human body, help it suppress cancer tumors, improve vision and slow down the aging process;
  • contains a large amount of vitamins, especially important for the human body C and E, as well as carotenoids that affect the synthesis of vitamin A and regulate the functioning of the endocrine system;
  • beneficial substances contained in blue varieties make the walls of blood vessels more elastic, which reduces the risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Practice shows that eating purple species can be harmful to hypotensive people and people with individual intolerance to the components of the product.


Use in cooking

Purple potato varieties are suitable for any type of consumption: they are boiled, stewed, fried, used in preparations with marinades, and some are eaten raw in salads.

This type of culture is starchy, and therefore, due to its strong boiling, it is better suited for making purees. Naturally, it turns out to be a rich lilac or purple hue. The original, sweetish nutty taste makes the dishes delicious.

Some varieties lose color intensity when cooked, acquiring shades from lilac to blue instead of purple.

Features of cultivation

Planting purple potatoes is possible with tubers and seeds:

  • with the traditional option (tubers), the sowing time is the same as for conventional species;
  • in the second case, seedlings are grown from purple potato seeds, which are planted in open ground after 1-1.5 months.

The soil is light, and the site is bright and sunny: purple potatoes need constant access to air and light. With timely traditional processing methods, it will reward you with a high and valuable harvest.