Dietitian Gives Advice On Substitutes For Potatoes

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1942, Page 4

Dietitian Gives Advice On Substitutes For Potatoes

Wellington, Aug. 31. Many housewives have been at their wits' end, especially where they have children to consider, to meet the position arising from the shortage of potatoes, and there has been a good deal of discussion as to best substitutes, both from the point of view of diet and the palate. The following is a note specially prepared by the Wellington public hospital dietitian: — "Though the potato contains a fairly large supply of starch, its chief value lies in its mineral and vitamin supply — with the , quantities normally eaten it is a surprisingly vahiable source of Vitamin C. Therefore, from a dietetic point of view the foods which will best replace potato are all other vegetables, particularly the root vegetables, such as kumeras, parsnips, carrots and the common swede, which is an even better source of Vitamin C than the potato itself. Added fruits and more milk taken daily will also, from a dietary point of view, help to replace the potato. "There is still the problem of finding a food which will provide the satisfying element. The most common tendency is, perhaps, to turn to white bread. This is a very unsatisfactory substitute as it supplies the starch only and none of the important factors. Such foods as dried blue peas, wholemeal bread, wholemeal macaroni, barley to serve with curries and stews, wholemeal suet dumplings to serve with stews or boiled mutton, and Yorkshire pudding to serve with roast joints, are recommended. "The fact remains, however, that while these foods serve very well as 'fillers' in the diet, they are acid-formtng, whereas potatoes along with other vegetables, milk and all fruits (including oranges, lemons and grapefruit) are alkaliforming and therefore much to be preferred. Hence the need to stress that while the inner man must be satisfled with bulky substitutes for potatoes there is added need in these times to eat for health, and to realise that fruits, vegetables and milk, though expensive, give the best value for the money spent."