Lockdown does strange things to the mind..... and so I wasn't sure whether I was just imagining things when harvesting some potatoes this week. But no those purple potatoes that were being unearthed clearly were meant to be .....purple..... (or Salad Blue to be exact)! But would it be a case of looks being only 'skin deep' .....?
Salad Blue was a new variety to me and it actually isn't a salad variety at all but an early main crop variety, suitable for boiling, baking, mashing etc... And yes, the tubers retain their colour throughout, even after boiling, making for an interesting talking point over lunch or dinner, and an eye-catching mash. The purple colour is due to their high level of polyphenol antioxidants, anthocyanins. As such, purple potatoes are a great way to get nutrient dense food into your diet and its been proposed that the antioxidants may help reduce blood pressure, help lower cholesterol levels, help with eye health to name a few benefits. However, as with all things fresh, any health benefit will likely depend on the cooking method used, trying to retain valuable antioxidants and phytochemicals where possible by not overcooking. The quantity and frequency of consumption will also have an impact on long terms health benefits. Still, who doesn't like a 'novelty vegetable' once in a while...... and guess what, they still taste great too!
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