Detoxified Potato in Changgang

The tubers of potatoes consist of 76%–85% water, with dry matter making up 15%–24%. All their nutrients are found in the dry matter — starch and sugars account for 13%–22%, and protein for 1.6%–2.1%. The protein in potatoes is highly nutritious, easy to digest and absorb...

　　Detoxified Potatoes in Changgang

　　Detoxified Potatoes

　　The potato tubers are composed of 76%–85% water, with the dry matter content ranging from 15% to 24%. All the nutrients are found in the dry matter: starch and sugars make up 13%–22%, and protein 1.6%–2.1%. The protein in potatoes is highly nutritious, easy to digest and absorb, comparable to that in eggs, and contains all eight essential amino acids required by the human body, especially lysine and leucine. In addition, potatoes are rich in a variety of vitamins, such as carotene (vitamin A), thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin PP), and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), totaling about eight to nine types. They also provide a number of minerals, including iron, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. Potatoes contain a certain amount of fat and crude fiber. Among these nutrients, starch, protein, iron, and various vitamins are the most abundant, significantly higher than those found in staple crops such as wheat, rice, and corn.

　　Potatoes are highly nutritious. Aside from being a staple food and vegetable for humans, they also serve as excellent animal feed — not only can the tubers be fed to livestock, but the stems and leaves can also be used for silage or green fodder. Feeding them to poultry and livestock can increase the yield of meat, eggs, and milk. According to data: feeding pigs with 50 kilograms of potato tubers can result in an additional 2.5 kilograms of meat; feeding dairy cows can produce 40 kilograms of milk or 3.5 kilograms of butter. Even the leftover potato residue from starch production is good feed.