Potato

underground · staple food · nightshade family · Americas

Underground treasure. Potatoes grow as tubers, which are special bumpy stems that form underground and store energy so the plant can grow next year. You can actually plant a piece of potato and it will sprout into a whole new plant.

Originally from the Andes. Potatoes are native to the Andes Mountains in South America, where people have been growing them for thousands of years. When explorers traveled back to Europe and other continents, they brought potatoes with them, and now they're eaten almost everywhere on Earth.

Part of nightshade family. Potatoes belong to the same plant family as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants called Solanaceae. Even though they're related to these plants, the part we eat from a potato is a special underground stem, while we eat the fruits of tomatoes and peppers.

A super important food. Potatoes feed more people worldwide than almost any other crop because they grow in many climates and give you lots of energy from a small amount of land. They're packed with carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals that help your body stay strong.

Cooked so many ways. You can boil, bake, fry, mash, or roast potatoes, and each way tastes completely different. People all around the world have created their own favorite potato dishes, from french fries to curries to dumplings.