McNeill has argued, the potato led to empire: “By feeding rapidly growing populations, [it] permitted a handful of European nations to assert dominion over most of the world between 1750 and 1950.” The potato, in other words, fueled the rise of the West.
How did potatoes impact history?
Highly nutritious potatoes also helped mitigate the effects of such diseases as scurvy, tuberculosis, measles and dysentery. The higher birth rates and lower mortality rates potatoes encouraged led to a tremendous population explosion wherever the potato traveled, particularly in Europe, the US and the British Empire.
Why are potatoes so important?
The potato produces more food on less land faster than any other major food crop and, as a result, potato crops are an excellent alternative for farmers who need to feed growing populations with limited areas of crop land. ... Potatoes also yield twice the protein per hectare of wheat.
How have potatoes been a helpful crop in history?
Throughout Europe, the most important new food in the 19th century was the potato, which had three major advantages over other foods for the consumer: its lower rate of spoilage, its bulk (which easily satisfied hunger) and its cheapness.
How did the potato affect the environment?
“Potatoes were shown to have the lowest levels of greenhouse gas emissions when compared to both pasta and rice. Potatoes were also shown to have significantly lower levels of overall water usage than rice.”
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