Potato Facts for Kids

A Picture of Potatoes
  • Name: Potato
  • Type of Food: Root Vegetable
  • Produced From: Solanum tuberosum
  • Total Calories: 147 (213g serving)
  • Total Fat: 0 grams (213g serving)
  • Total Protein: 4 grams (213g serving)
  • Total Carbohydrates: 34 grams (213g serving)

30 Potato Facts for Kids

  1. A potato is a vegetable obtain from the roots of a plant (Solanum genus).
  2. A potato is also called a spud.
  3. Potatoes come in a wide variety of colors, including but not limited to brown, yellow, red and pink.
  4. Potatoes are considered a domesticated crop plant.
  5. Potatoes are believed to have been domesticated between 7,000 and 10,000 years ago.
  6. The growth of a potato plant is divided into five phases.
  7. There are over 4,000 different types of potatoes produced around the world.
  8. According to FAOSTAT, the world produced over 415 million tons of potatoes in 2016.
  9. According to FAOSTAT, the largest producer of potatoes in 2016 was China with over 109 million tons.
  10. According to FAOSTAT, over 100 countries worldwide individually produced more than 100,000 tons of potatoes in 2016.
  11. One medium potato (213 grams) contains 147 calories.
  12. One medium potato (213 grams) contains no fat.
  13. One medium potato (213 grams) contains no cholesterol.
  14. One medium potato (213 grams) contains 34 milligrams of sodium.
  15. One medium potato (213 grams) contains 34 grams of carbohydrates.
  16. One medium potato (213 grams) contains 5 grams of dietary fiber.
  17. One medium potato (213 grams) contains 3 grams of sugar.
  18. One medium potato (213 grams) contains 4 grams of protein.
  19. One medium potato (213 grams) contains 20 milligrams of calcium.
  20. One medium potato (213 grams) contains 1 milligram of iron.
  21. One medium potato (213 grams) contains 865 milligrams of potassium.
  22. Potatoes can be eaten peeled or with the skin on, cut up into pieces or whole and with or without seasoning.
  23. Common ways potatoes are cooked and served are baked, boiled, mashed or as hash browns or French fries.
  24. Potatoes are used to create different types of alcoholic drinks, like vodka.
  25. Potatoes are used as feed for livestock.
  26. Potatoes can be used as a binder and thickener for soups, sauces and other food products.
  27. Potatoes can be used as an adhesive in the textile industry.
  28. A mold known as late blight (Phytophthora infestans) has plagued potato growth in the USA and Europe.
  29. The potato was the first vegetable grown in space aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in October 1995.
  30. According to the Guinness World Records the heaviest potato ever grown weighed 10 pounds and 14 ounces. It was grown in the United Kingdom by Peter Glazebrook.

Additional Resources about Potatoes

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