I heard that potatos were the only food that if their was nothing else to eat you could survive on it . is that true?
2007-02-05 14:47:34 · 14 answers · asked by James B 1 in Food & Drink ➔ Vegetarian & Vegan
Yes, they are more balanced in vitamins than say rice or beans. Low in fat but filling.
2007-02-05 15:48:11 · answer #1 · answered by Celtic Tejas 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I heard the same about bananas.
Unfortunately you'd be lacking in calcium and iron and b vitamins, which in the short term is okay but not good for long term health. No one food has everything you need in the right amounts, which is why a varied diet is the best way to go. Potatoes do have more nutrients than most, but not everything.
2007-02-05 23:08:26 · answer #2 · answered by KC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it's not a complete food. You could survive a while on it but not indefinitely. I think raw potatoes even contain vitamin C. The protein content percentage of calories is good. I don't think it has enough of the fat soluble vitamins (E,D, and A), but if you sit in the sun you can make your own D.
2007-02-07 14:35:18 · answer #3 · answered by Joyce T 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
History of Potato: Irish parents ate skin and gave potato to children during famine. They survived while the children died.
The Potato skin has all the nutrients....shocking!
2007-02-06 15:39:22 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you might have heard that about bananas.
Potatoes are nutritionally quite weak. The skins are OK for some things, but not great.
You would not stay healthy for long on potatoes alone.
2007-02-06 09:56:40 · answer #5 · answered by fucose_man 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you were stranded somewhere then that would be your only choice.... BUT, to do that for no reason is very bad, carbohydrates gets converted into fat if you eat too much so that one problem, second is that you will have deficiencies in other nutrients & minerals that you can get from other food like fruits & veg, you would be very ill just living on potato and prob dehydrated!!! oh dear.
2007-02-05 23:03:28 · answer #6 · answered by teresa b 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think you could. They're lacking in fat, protein, and lots of vitamins and minerals.
To the person below me: potatoes and sweet potatoes aren't the same. Also, we don't know how long they'll last on just sweet potatoes and tapioca...
2007-02-05 22:56:02 · answer #7 · answered by PsychoCola 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You probably couldn't live off just potatoes, at least you wouldn't be very healthy if you did.
2007-02-05 23:10:31 · answer #8 · answered by Will 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, the only thing that you could live off of by-itself is quinoa. its the only non-meat item that is a complete protien, meaning it provides all 9 essential protiens that the body needs to survive. that and the potato provides very little by way of nutrients outside or fiber and starch esspecialy if you boil them.
2007-02-06 00:01:21 · answer #9 · answered by ricardo suave 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I've heard that it was *milk* and potatoes that could sustain you.
2007-02-06 00:46:35 · answer #10 · answered by nyqil_99 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋