Rooting for potatoes Board spiffs up spud's image as tasty, healthful, versatile veggie

Barbara Yost The Arizona Republic Mar. 15, 2006 12:00 AM

America is cooling on hot potatoes.

Once a staple at almost every American table, eaten at one out of three dinners just 10 years ago, potatoes are now a part of only one in four dinners prepared at home, according to the United States Potato Board.

In 1996, Americans ate 147 pounds of potatoes per person. In 2005, we ate 134 pounds. That indicates a gradual decline in spud consumption blamed on several misconceptions, says Melissa Myers, spokeswoman for the Potato Board.

Americans think of it as the bad boy of any diet plan, high in carbohydrates and calories, time-consuming to prepare and having great taste but little nutrition. Not true.

"Potatoes are extremely healthy," Myers says. "It's one of the healthiest vegetables you can put on your plate. They have more potassium than a banana, and almost 50 percent of the daily value requirement of vitamin C. They have good fiber and no fat."

A 5.3-ounce potato contains only 100 calories. The toppings are what add heft.

Potatoes are satisfying. They top the satiety index, which ranks foods on their ability to satisfy hunger long term.

And for those still clinging to their Atkins diets, potatoes contain only 9 percent of the daily requirement of carbohydrates.

The potato might be down, but don't count it out. Potato history goes back at least 7,000 years to its discovery in the Andes Mountains of South America. While we think of it as the must-have food on St. Patrick's Day and as Irish as leprechauns, the potato is eaten in cuisines around the world - African, Asian, European, Latin.

Think of the ways we eat potatoes: baked, fried, as hash browns, as salads hot and cold, scalloped, au gratin, oven roasted, even raw with dips. At home, we most often eat them baked or mashed. When dining out, we prefer french fries.

Americans of all ages love potatoes. It's our most popular vegetable. In addition to their great taste, potatoes are one of the most versatile foods, says Julie Wood, an instructor at Kitchen Classics in Phoenix.

"You can change them out to be anything you want," she says.

Potatoes readily absorb the flavors they are prepared with, Wood says, including herbs, spices and other vegetables, including cabbage, an Irish staple.

All these assets make the potato a sure bet for a comeback. The Potato Board is launching promotional campaigns that tout the tuber's nutrition and ease of preparation, says vice president of public relations Linda McCashion. Potatoes now come in smaller packages, seasoned and even pre-cut. The packages also contain recipes for one-pot dishes, which consumers love for their convenience.

Potato growers are also relying on America's chefs to invent new ways to eat potatoes - such as mashed with garlic, basil or wasabi. But you don't need to be exotic to love a potato. Mashed, baked, fried or in potato salad, spuds are the studs of the American palate.

Says Wood, "They're comfort food."