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The French were genuinely very afraid of potatoes at one time, and their consumption was even legally prohibited.

Behind this fear and prejudice were several fundamental reasons, both logical (for their time) and superstition-based:

Fear of Leprosy

1. The potato, due to its tuberous structure emerging from underground and its shapeless appearance, was likened to leprosy, a disease known in Europe at that time. People believed that those who ate potatoes would contract leprosy and their skin would fall off.

Not Mentioned in the Bible

1. The influence of the church in Europe during that period was immense. The potato not being mentioned in the Bible led to a belief that this plant was “demonic” or “cursed“. Its growth underground also reinforced this perception of an “underworld/hell“.

Poisoning Cases

1. The potato belongs to the nightshade (Solanaceae) family. The green parts, leaves, and sprouted tubers of the plant contain a poisonous substance called solanine. The French, initially unaware of how to consume the plant, tried eating its leaves and were poisoned. This solidified the perception that the potato was a “deadly poison“.

Seen as Animal Feed

1. The potato was not accepted as human food. It was regarded as a worthless root given only to pigs and animals, not necessary for human consumption.

Official Ban (1748)

These fears grew so much that, in 1748, the French Parliament officially banned the cultivation and consumption of potatoes. This ban came into effect on the grounds that potatoes caused leprosy and other diseases.

How Was This Fear Overcome?

The person who broke this fear among the French was the military pharmacist and agronomist Antoine-Augustin Parmentier. Captured by the Prussians during the Seven Years’ War, Parmentier survived in prison by eating only potatoes and realized he was extremely healthy.

Upon his return to France, he developed an ingenious strategy to make potatoes popular with the public:

• He convinced King Louis XVI to establish potato fields.
• He placed armed guards around these fields. People started to think, “If it’s guarded so strictly, it must be something very valuable.”
• The guards were instructed, “Loosen your watch at night and turn a blind eye to thieves.” People began stealing potatoes from the fields at night, and thus, potatoes became popular in France.

As a result, in 1772, the potato was officially accepted in France as a legal and healthy food and became the savior of the French people during periods of great famine.