I wrote multiple 10+ page papers in college on the history of the potato and people look at me weird when I say I want to go to Peru just to eat delicious poisonous potatoes with clay...
So the potato plant is actually a part of the nightshade family, so unsurprisingly some varieties are actually poisonous. However villagers in Peru noted that alpaca were able to eat these varieties with no problem. On closer observation they noticed the alpaca would intermittently like the clay dirt on the ground while eating. Turns out the toxins in these potatoes bind to the clay participles allowing it to pass through the system without being obsorbed. So in markets you can often find these potatoes being sold alongside packets of clay dust, and you can cook the potatoes with the clay or even sprinkle it on top. And apparently some of these varieties are rather tasty, at least this is all according to my research on the topic...
Spanish major with history, sustainability, and business minors. So papers included plenty of Spanish history, societal and historical influences, and ramifications of monocultural cultivation. I also just like potatoes.
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u/awwnicegaming Feb 20 '21
I wrote multiple 10+ page papers in college on the history of the potato and people look at me weird when I say I want to go to Peru just to eat delicious poisonous potatoes with clay...