The potato was first domesticated by the Inca Indians in the Andes Mountains of Peru and Bolivia. When Spanish explorers brought the potato to Europe in the 16th century, it was initially met with suspicion because it was not mentioned in the Bible and was part of the nightshade family (which includes poisonous plants). It eventually became a vital everyday crop because it produces more food per acre than grain and is easier to grow in poor soil. The potato's high Vitamin C content helped end scurvy in Europe. However, heavy reliance on a single variety led to the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s when a blight struck. Today, there are over 4,000 varieties of native potatoes, mostly found in the Andes.