Provita

First polish potato variety with purple flesh.

Variety characteristic:

Provita is first polish variety in the National Register with purple flesh. Among the varieties with a purple color of the flesh available on the market, it is regionalized for cultivation in Poland. Yield potentail of the Provita variety is lower than those of conventional varieties. It contains polyphenolic compounds that make it much healthier than varieties with yellow or cream flesh. To obtain a satisfactory trade fraction, a certain water supply is needed. During longer periods of drought, many undersizes (about 13 tubers under the mother tuber in a potato ridge) will develop. Provita contains anthocyanins. According to the study of Kita et al. (2012), Provita possessed 10 times higher content of polyphenolic compounds compared to the varieties with yellow flesh. This study also showed that purple-fleshed potato varieties have 2 times higher oxidizing activity compared to light-fleshed varieties. Anthocyanins have been shown to be beneficial to health because they serve to ward off free radicals and protect against DNA damage. They protect against tumor diseases. They have a positive effect on the lipid profile and can increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin. They counteract the fragility of blood vessels, especially capillaries, and stimulate the production of rhodopsin – a substance necessary in the process of seeing.