Potatoes are one of the world’s most harvested crops ever since their introduction to people outside the Andes about four centuries ago – a fact especially true for the 11 countries that consume the most potatoes in the world. Together with wheat, rice and maize, potatoes for the four largest crops in the world and simultaneously – four staple foods in any part of the world together with meat, which we wrote about in our list of the 10 countries that eat the most meat.
Potatoes are thought to have originated from the area around Peru and following their discovery and hundreds of years of selective breeding, today you can find more than a thousand different potato sorts. Naturally they are common throughout the Americas and were first discovered and domesticated there. After the Spanish first set foot on the continent, the potatoes were brought back on their ships and became an easy to raise, highly nutritious food which is said to be responsible for a big part of the Old World’s growth throughout the 18th and 19th century.
With close to five thousand different types of the plant all around the world, potatoes continue to change due to selective growing. However, a Canadian study shows that modern potatoes do not hold the same nutritional value as the ones from decades ago, having lost all or huge portions of certain contained vitamins and minerals. Other than that, the plant contains an abundance of different substances, albeit not in great quantities. Being rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus and vitamin C, a well-grown, natural potato can be a healthy part of any meal. However, only the fruits of the plant are edible. Other parts such as the stem, leaves and tubers (the thin root-like things growing out of the potato) are non-consumable due to their toxicity. Don’t be afraid, though – you can’t get severe poisoning from them. At worst you can give yourself some inconvenient stomach problems. Let’s take a look at the countries that are far from afraid of that.
11. China
China is the biggest producer of potatoes in the world and takes the 11th place on our list because it’s such a big country that the per capita consumption can’t rise because of the sheer number of people.
10. United Kingdom
The UK is notorious for its affinity to potatoes in all sorts of foods from snacks to full course meals. After all, their favorite type of fast food – fish and chips – is one of the examples
9. Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is one of the countries that are located in a region where raising crops such as beans and potatoes is the easiest and most yielding, thus being the most widespread.
8. Latvia
Just like its forerunner, Latvia is a big grower and consumer of potatoes because of its location. The favoring of potatoes as a crop is also reflected in their national cuisine.
7. Lithuania
Lithuania, just like Latvia and Kazakhstan, is a place where growing potatoes has been held responsible for the survival of numerous communities during harsh time.
6. Rwanda
Rwanda makes the 6th spot on our list of the 11 countries that consume the most potatoes with their affinity towards the plant. Potatoes are said to be their second most abundant source of food.
5. Poland
Poland’s potato consumption has become the punchline of many jokes but on the other hand, it has also become the key in some of the most delicious ways to prepare and garnish potatoes.
4. Russia
Russia, known for its harsh climate and people, has been dependent on potatoes through some of their most difficult times. There are several national dishes which have potatoes as the key ingredient too.
3. Ukraine
Ukraine, having stopped being a part of Russia not so long ago in the historical aspect, takes the third place for a combination of the reasons of all of its forerunners.
2. Kyrgyzstan
Most of the more popular dishes in Kyrgyzstan will often contain two things at least – meat and potatoes. The vegetable has been a staple food in the lives of people from the country ever since their introduction.
1. Belarus
The number one potato muncher in our list of the 11 countries that consume the most potatoes is Belarus, where it is the core of their national cuisine. It is estimated that there are over three hundred dishes that contain it in one form or another.
