Exotic purple potatoes – why are they that color?

We've become accustomed to purple cabbage, peppers, onions, and eggplants. Purple carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes, and peas with purple pods are also common. But purple potatoes still seem exotic, foreign. Most Russian gardeners typically grow varieties with white, yellow, or pink skin.

Three years ago, our neighbor at the dacha gave us some tubers. We don't know the variety. Now we plant these potatoes every year. This year, we got three rows.

In 2022, we planted potatoes in dry soil. It was like sand, so we had to water the holes and lay out the tubers. Fortunately, we filled the irrigation tank with snow over the winter, and we used that water to water the potato holes.

There was no rain all May, and the dacha community had problems with watering. So, we went without water until mid-May. We brought in life-giving moisture from home for the greenhouses. We thought our potatoes wouldn't sprout. But nature took its course – the seedlings emerged, but in early June, frost struck, and the potato leaves froze.

What do purple potatoes look like?

The tops of purple potatoes are not particularly different from the usual ones - the leaves are the same, the upper leaflets are slightly purple, the stems are also purple.

The potato blooms like a regular potato: the flowers are dark lilac.

This is what the tubers look like.

These are 16 potatoes from one plant. I dug it up in early August. We'll be digging up the potatoes in late August or early September, which means the tubers will grow some more.

The skin and flesh of the potato are dark purple.

When I boiled new potatoes, the water turned blue. I added some butter to the cooked potatoes and sprinkled them with dill and finely chopped garlic. Delicious, especially with lightly salted cucumbers! The boiled potatoes are no different from regular potatoes, only the color. I like them.

Why is it this color?

Purple tubers contain anthocyanins, plant pigments that give vegetables, fruits, and plants their color. Anthocyanins contain large amounts of magnesium and calcium ions, which is what causes their color.

Purple potato varieties have been developed by Russian and international breeders. They are beneficial for health.

Anthocyanins are antioxidants. Eating purple potatoes provides our body with beneficial substances that protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and reduce blood pressure and the risk of blood clots.

Potatoes are rich in vitamins and fiber and have a beneficial effect on the digestive system, liver, and vision. Unlike regular potatoes, purple potatoes don't cause weight gain and are safe for diabetics.

So, it should be grown and eaten, boiled, fried, or baked. But I don't think it's a good idea to make soups, as the broth will turn blue (except perhaps borscht).

I wonder if purple potato pancakes will be tasty? I'll definitely make them.

While I was writing this note, chicken with purple potatoes was cooking in the oven for dinner.