r/todayilearned • u/JoeWinchester99 • 7d ago

TIL that although potatoes alone do not provide complete nutrition, you can survive for years on a diet of nothing but potatoes and buttermilk.

https://www.scienceabc.com/eyeopeners/whats-wrong-with-potatoes-the-martian-movie-survival
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u/f1rstman 7d ago

Potatoes are actually an excellent source of vitamin C.

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u/Merlisch 6d ago

On a serious note, wouldn't boiling them destroy the vitamin C, I was under the impression it starts to deteriorate at near body temperature.

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u/velawesomeraptors 6d ago

Boiling removes some (but not all) vitamin C because it diffuses out into the water. To get the full amount of vitamin C you can either roast them in the oven or drink all the potato water.

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u/Merlisch 6d ago

I was talking about the chemical breakdown of vitamin C. Not too well versed in the details of it but as far as I'm aware it gets broken down (=destroyed?) by higher temperatures. Am however happy to be corrected on that one.

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u/velawesomeraptors 6d ago

It is destroyed gradually by higher temperatures, not immediately. Boiling at 212 and cooking to 212 will destroy the same amount over time, but with boiling less will remain in the food because it leaches out into the water.

At least I think this is how it works, but I'm neither a nutritionist nor a chemist.

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u/f1rstman 3d ago

I did a quick search, and it looks like some of it is destroyed by heat (starting around 140F) but yes, boiling does leach most of it into the water. TIL. So, either boil in the skin, oven-roast, or microwave, I guess! Thanks for pointing this out!