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GavUK t1_j4fvayb wrote

Prior to the introduction of potatoes into Europe, what were the dietary staples of the majority of the Irish population?

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jezreelite t1_j4ga1dr wrote

Bread, same as it was in the rest of Europe and also the Middle East and North Africa.

The advantage of potatoes is that they are less vulnerable to heat and cold than grains, don't spoil as easily, take less land to cultivate, can grow larger without killing the rest of the plant, and don't have to be milled before they can be eaten.

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