Why do potatoes turn green and can they be eaten?

Potatoes are the most popular product found in our diet. Despite its versatility and beneficial qualities, in some cases the root vegetable poses a serious danger to human health. We are talking about green potatoes, which, if ingested, can cause very severe poisoning. Why do potatoes turn green, how dangerous is the skin of the product for humans, is it possible to eat such a vegetable - read about all this further in our article.

Why do potatoes turn green?

In addition to the microelements that are beneficial for the human body, potatoes also contain solanine. It is a toxic glycoside that can be contained in absolutely any part of the product. For potatoes, solanine is a kind of protection against bacteria and insects. Its highest concentration is found in unripe fruits, which can cause young potatoes to acquire a green tint.

Interestingly, in some cases, potatoes can turn green even if they are underground and not exposed to sunlight. This is facilitated by precipitation, as a result of which the ground begins to sag, thereby exposing a certain part of the fruit. Over time, dust covers the potatoes again, and when harvesting, the owner receives green root vegetables and wonders how this could happen. In order to prevent this, hilling is used. In the southern regions, where it is not recommended to make earthworks because the air temperature remains high there, potatoes are planted deeper. Otherwise, after planting the potatoes, a layer of fertile soil is poured onto the bed - about 2-4 centimeters in thickness.

Raw potatoes have turned green, what to do with them

If a person notices that his potatoes have turned green, then, of course, you can immediately throw them away and forget about the problem. After all, poisonous potatoes, theoretically, can kill - who would want to take that risk?!

If possible, it is better to refrain from using it altogether. A large amount of this substance (corned beef) can kill a person.

Situations are different, if after the tubers have turned green, a person is in no hurry to throw them away, then you can:

• remove the green peel with a knife and boil the potatoes;
• leave for seeds.

If the second option is chosen, then it can be called reasonable: for humans, corned beef is a poison, the appearance of which was influenced by the sun's rays, but if you use such potatoes for seeds, then there will be nothing terrible for humans.

How dangerous is solanine?

An organic compound such as solanine can be found in all plants of the nightshade family. In potatoes, it is found in the highest concentration in the sprouts and peel. The level of solanine in regular potatoes is extremely low - about 0.005%. In greened fruits the indicator is several times higher. The older the potato gets, the more it acquires the desired shade, depending on the variety - white, red or yellow. The level of solanine gradually decreases. Thus, ripened potatoes after heat treatment are completely suitable for consumption and do not pose a danger to human health.

Important!

Even a small amount of solanine is extremely dangerous to human health. It provokes depression of the nervous system, as well as the destruction of red blood cells. All this can lead to severe dehydration and very high fever. For a weakened body, this can have disastrous consequences, including death.

Can solanine be removed by peeling or boiling green potatoes?

The largest amount of solanine is found in potato skins. But can you eat green potatoes if you cut them? In fact, peeling green potatoes will help reduce levels significantly.

Researchers estimate that peeling potatoes removes at least 30% of their toxic plant compounds. However, this still leaves up to 70% of the compounds in the potato pulp. This means that peeled potatoes with very high concentrations of solanine may contain enough of this toxin to cause the above symptoms.

Is it possible to boil green potatoes and will this remove the toxin present in them? Unfortunately, boiling and other cooking methods, including baking, microwaving, or frying, do not significantly reduce solanine levels. Therefore, they will not make green potatoes safer to eat.

If the potato only has a few small green spots, you can cut them out. Since solanine is also produced in higher concentrations around potato eyes or sprouts, these should also be removed.

However, if the potatoes are very green or taste bitter (a sign of solanine), it is best to throw them away altogether.

Let's summarize:

Peeling green potatoes significantly reduces the level of solanine in them, but cooking does not reduce the level of this toxin. If the potatoes are very green or have a bitter taste, you may also want to throw them away.

Does heat treatment destroy solanine?

Heat treatment can indeed reduce the amount of solanine in green potatoes, but there is no need to talk about its complete removal. When frying or boiling, a substance harmful to humans passes into oil or water, respectively. That is why such potatoes must be immediately removed from the water or oil in which they were fried, so that the product does not absorb solanine again. However, it is better not to risk your health and send green root vegetables for disposal, while focusing on healthy ones.

For those who decide to eat green potatoes, experts recommend carefully cutting off the green peel and pulp from the product with a reserve. If from a large amount of potatoes only one fruit turns out to be green, then a healthy human body can easily cope with a small amount of a harmful substance without experiencing any unpleasant symptoms. However, for a certain category of people, even the smallest amount of solanine can be very dangerous. This applies to:

• persons with chronic diseases;
• pensioners, children and adults with weakened immune systems;
• pregnant women.

What to do with green tubers

When the potatoes are green, can livestock eat them? Only sensible owners ask this question. Other livestock farmers, in order to save money, feed the fruits to pigs, chickens and other livestock. Don't be surprised when the livestock starts to die. Solanine is equally dangerous to the human body and animals.

If there are a lot of green potatoes in the cellar, it is a pity to throw them away. Here we need to remember the ability of solanine to be destroyed by heat treatment. The fruits must be thoroughly boiled before feeding to animals or poultry. They should not be given half-baked. The poison can linger inside the undercooked pulp.

Why do potatoes turn green in the light?

Fully ripe potatoes have minimal levels of solanine. However, if the product is stored for a long time, this toxic component will accumulate. This is most facilitated by sunlight and high temperature.

Most often, potatoes begin to turn green when they are exposed to sunlight for a long time. What is the reason for this process? Chlorophyll is present in all parts of the potato. It is a pigment that is responsible not only for the green tint of the entire plant, but also for the process of photosynthesis, as a result of which certain organic substances are synthesized from water and carbon dioxide in the product.

Since the above-ground part of the plant is directly exposed to sunlight, it has a green light. Tubers that are underground do not initially have this shade, since sunlight simply does not reach them. Tubers also cannot turn green under artificial light, because the process of photosynthesis is possible only under natural light, but this cannot be guaranteed 100%.

Poison in the pan or why green potatoes are life-threatening

Surely everyone knows that potatoes are a plant from the nightshade family. All nightshades contain the strongest poison - solanine. Photosynthesis promotes the production of poison in potatoes.

This substance is also found in fruit capsules and foliage. They contain much more solanine than tubers.

Green potatoes contain a large amount of solanine. Why is this poison dangerous? Firstly, it depresses the brain or central nervous system, and, secondly, it promotes the destruction of red blood cells in the blood. Solanine leads to fever, dehydration and seizures. The body, weakened by disease, may not be able to cope with the poison and die.

According to studies conducted in Austria, potatoes that contain up to 40 milligrams of solanine per 100 g are considered life-threatening. When dug out of the ground, potatoes usually contain up to 10 milligrams of this substance, but by spring its amount can triple if stored improperly.

According to the FBI, many terrorist textbooks that were seized in Afghanistan describe the spectrum of solanine as a means of mass destruction. Those books describe ways to obtain poison. So, you can kill a person using ordinary potatoes.

How to determine poisoning

There are several signs indicating solanine poisoning:

• Nausea.
• Irritation of the mucous membrane.
• Heaviness in the stomach.
• Vomit.
• Arrhythmic, uneven pulse.

To help the victim, the first step is to rinse his stomach, give him a laxative, give him an enema, drip Cordiamine and give him strong cold coffee or tea to drink.

How to prevent potatoes from turning green

To control the amount of solanine and sugar in potatoes, you will need to protect the tubers from exposure to sunlight, as well as provide them with the desired temperature and humidity. Here's what professional agronomists recommend regarding proper storage of potatoes:

1. Storage temperature – from +2 to +5 degrees Celsius.
2. Air humidity is about 85–90%.
3. If the storage temperature is above +5 degrees, this will promote the germination of axillary buds.
4. If the temperature is below zero, starch begins to convert into sugar, and an increased accumulation of maltose in potatoes is observed.

To ensure proper storage at home, it is advisable to take care of the presence of a cellar or special vegetable storage. Such rooms should be dark. Good ventilation is needed for a regular supply of fresh air, as well as a lower temperature.

It is important to ensure proper storage of potatoes immediately after harvesting. Tubers can be cut as early as late August and early September. If root vegetables are stored in the ground for a long time, they will begin to strongly absorb moisture, which will negatively affect not only the taste, but also the duration of its storage.

There is no need to wash potatoes before storing them in the cellar. It is enough to peel the fruits from the piles of soil with your hands, and then place them in a well-ventilated area, which will allow the potatoes to dry well. Next, you need to separate the damaged fruits from the whole ones. It is best to store potatoes in wooden boxes or special pallets.

It is not recommended to keep the crop on the balcony, because in this case it will be quite difficult to protect the product from sunlight. If you do not grow potatoes yourself, and there are no suitable conditions for storing them in large quantities, it is best to buy the product in small quantities and store it in a dark and cool place.

What is solanine

Corned beef is a glycoalkaloid produced by plants in the nightshade family. Potatoes are one of these. Corned beef is classified as a nitrite.

Potato poison is called a dangerous substance because it:

• inhibits digestive processes;
• negatively affects the central nervous system;
• thickens the blood, leading to the formation of plaques.

Scientifically proven: very large amounts of solanine lead to death. But to do this, you need to eat about 2 kilograms of raw potatoes, without peeling them or treating them with anything.

In general, microdoses of corned beef are usually present in any tubers, even those that have not yet turned green. After all, it is unrealistic to stop the process of photosynthesis - the sun's rays will somehow fall on the tubers: during the process of digging, storage, transportation.

And in general, it is impossible to imagine growing vegetables without direct solar exposure.

To protect potatoes, store them out of direct sunlight:

• in the basement without windows;
• in wooden boxes;
• in dense fabric bags.

If the tubers lay on the site for a long time, uncovered, then corned beef inside was formed in large quantities.

Green potatoes should be left until “better” times and put into seeds - this is the most intelligent decision of all possible.

Is it possible to eat green potatoes?

Regarding whether green potatoes can be eaten? Here the answer is simple - tubers that have turned green are unsuitable for food. Heat treatment will not help in this case; solanine will remain in the product in large quantities. Even after boiling or frying potatoes, the solanine level in such tubers will be about 0.1%. In addition, such a product will have a very bitter and unpleasant taste.

Experts strongly do not recommend consuming green potatoes, as this is fraught with serious consequences. At the same time, they note: if you remove the peel from potatoes to a depth of 1 centimeter or more, the product can be used for food. There are certain restrictions here: if the green part affects less than a quarter of the fruit, then such potatoes are allowed to be eaten. If the indicator is higher, then it is better to refuse its use. It is better to throw away such potatoes or use them as planting material.

Since solanine is great at fighting harmful microorganisms, green potatoes are great for planting. In addition, such root vegetables can give quite good results - about 20% more than regular potatoes. Many agronomists agree that it is better to keep the tubers in the sun for several days so that they acquire the desired green tint, and only then plant.

Video:

what happens if you eat green potatoes Expand

Potatoes have a green tint: what does it mean?

If the potato turned green, then it was exposed to sunlight for a long time. The process of photosynthesis inside the tubers has started, which leads to the formation of chlorophyll. The substance itself is harmless to humans - it is found in all green parts of plants - in carrot tops, in tree leaves.

But with potatoes things are different. When the tubers turn green, the substance solanine accumulates inside. It is the solanine in potatoes that is considered dangerous to humans.

To the question: is it possible to eat green potatoes, there are several possible answers:

• yes, if green potatoes are peeled, boiled or stewed;
• no, if the tubers are eaten raw: do not be surprised, for some, raw potatoes are a worthwhile delicacy.

When the potatoes turn green in the light, the damaged part should be cut off and thrown away, and the rest should be used at your discretion.

It is worth clearly understanding why the potatoes turned green:

• after it was dug up, it dried in the open air under the sun in dachas and vegetable gardens;
• storage conditions are violated - for example, potatoes are exposed to electric lighting.

So, what to do if the potatoes turn green under the influence of ultraviolet radiation:

• throw away;
• cut off the green part;
• Consume as is - at your own risk.

Experienced nutritionists and cooks assure you: if a potato has turned green, you can eat it by pre-heating it, then there will be practically no corned beef left in it. During heat treatment, the amount of this substance is reduced by almost 100 times - it goes into water, oil, and some of it is destroyed.

What happens if you eat green potatoes

It cannot be said that even a tiny amount of unripe potatoes is deadly to humans. If such fruits have undergone proper heat treatment, then you may not feel any unpleasant symptoms at all that arise after solanine enters the body.

Poisoning can only occur if you eat several large green potatoes with their skins on. It is in the upper shell of the unripe fruit that the most solanine is contained. Experts note that potatoes containing 40 g of solanine per 100 g of product are dangerous to human health and life.

Can green potatoes be eaten?

What happens if you eat boiled, green tubers? Poisoning will occur. Potatoes that have turned green are unsuitable for food. The content of the poisonous alkaloid in green potatoes reaches 0.1%, and during cooking it is practically not destroyed. Green potato tubers lose their taste, acquiring bitterness.

Can I eat cut green potatoes?

In potatoes, the toxic compound is concentrated under the skin. And if you cut off the top layer more deeply (up to 1 cm), removing the green part, then the potato tubers become safe for humans. From 30 to 80% of the poisonous alkaloid is in the upper layer.

By removing the peel in a thick layer, the housewife resolves the issue of product safety. Sometimes there are greens that need to be cut out. Is it possible to eat green potatoes when the greens have spread through the flesh? If ¼ of the root vegetable is saturated with green color, then it is better to throw it away or leave it for planting. It should not be eaten.

Boiling, stewing, baking also does not solve the problem of removing toxic substances. It is only partially destroyed and remains toxic. It is “killed” by temperatures above +200C, but usually potato dishes are cooked at lower temperatures.

Harm of green potatoes

The safe content of solanine in potatoes is 2-10 mg/100g of product. Another unpleasant feature is its ability to accumulate in the body. Getting into the intestines with food, it affects:

• on cell membranes, damaging them;
• on the permeability of the intestinal walls;
• on neurotransmitters that transmit signals from cell to cell;
• on the central nervous system, depressing it;
• on the skin, causing dermatitis;
• on red blood cells, which are gradually destroyed.

This effect of the alkaloid is not in vain. At a dose of more than 50 mg per 100 g of product, poisoning begins. Its outcome depends on the concentration of the toxic substance. Severe poisoning leads to fever, convulsions, and even death.

Signs of poisoning

Green potato poisoning causes:

• spasms and sharp pains in the gastrointestinal tract;
• drooling and gag reflex;
• fever as a result of rising temperature;
• tachycardia, arrhythmia, shortness of breath;
• severe migraine;
• diarrhea.

The alkaloid causes dilation of the eye pupils, from which one can judge the cause of the developing symptoms of poisoning. Usually the first signs appear 3-4 hours after eating boiled green potatoes or unripe tomatoes.

In Rus', the initiator of growing potatoes was Peter 1. Instead of tubers, peasants ate fruits and berries, which were saturated with solanine. Mass poisonings began and peasants rebelled, conducting “potato riots.”

What to do in case of poisoning

If the poisoning is mild and the symptoms are vague and poorly expressed, it is enough to rinse the stomach with water with activated carbon or potassium permanganate. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to flush out the poison. If the poisoning is severe and is accompanied by nausea, diarrhea, sharp pain in the stomach, then you cannot do without an ambulance. Measures taken:

Call an ambulance or a doctor. The faster help is provided, the greater the chance that the poisoning will pass without consequences. This is especially important for children and the elderly.

1. Rinse the stomach thoroughly with water (up to 5 liters) or sea salt solution (2 tablespoons of salt per 5 liters of water).
2. Give a cleansing enema.
3. Take a course of sorbents, choosing one of the suggested ones: Enterosgel, Smecta, Polysorb, activated carbon.
4. In case of severe poisoning, when pulmonary or heart failure occurs, resuscitation measures are carried out.

Only doctors can correctly carry out such treatment and prescribe medications. Why can’t you hold such events yourself? Alkaloid poisoning is not the simplest case of poisoning, even in medical practice. A person who is far from medicine is not able to predict the harm caused to the body and carry out all the necessary procedures efficiently.

Common symptoms of green potato poisoning

It is not difficult to understand that a person was poisoned by green potatoes. The clinical picture appears quickly and is very indicative. When intoxicated with solanine, a person may experience the following symptoms:

• increase in body temperature;
• dilated pupils;
• rapid pulse;
• low blood pressure;
• muscle contraction;
• labored breathing;
• gagging, severe nausea;
• bowel dysfunction;
• pain in the abdomen.

At the same time, depression of the nervous system may occur. In some cases, the contraction of the heart muscle is disrupted. If a large amount of solanine enters the body, a person may fall into a coma. Without providing the necessary assistance and losing precious time, everything can end quite disastrously.

What diseases can green potatoes cause?

If potatoes are grown on your own plot or purchased in a store, in order to preserve their beneficial qualities and appearance for a long time, the maintenance conditions must be met. The main thing is not to place the product in direct sunlight and protect it from exposure to fluorescent lamps. Green potatoes are poisonous.

Failure to follow storage recommendations results in poisonous green potatoes.

Green potatoes are hazardous to health if consumed raw in significant quantities. If you first clean all the greens from the edible part, then boil or stew well, then all the toxic substances will evaporate.

Therefore, potatoes that have been pre-processed and cooked are not dangerous. Eating a completely green product provokes serious disorders in the human body:

1. Changes in the normal functioning of hematopoiesis;
2. Manifestation of limb spasms;
3. Development of blood and heart diseases;
4. Neurological disorders;
5. Problems with the digestive organs;
6. Impaired functioning of the respiratory system.

If completely green potatoes get into the mass of food suitable for cooking, it is better to throw them away than to try to cut the greens.

Signs of green potato poisoning in humans

Intoxication can only occur if a person’s body has ingested a lot of solanine from green potatoes or the immune system has been severely weakened. When taking a small dose of solanine, a latent period of intoxication is more often observed, during which a person may not feel any unpleasant symptoms at all. This can continue for several hours. In case of mild solanine intoxication, a person experiences dizziness and headache, nausea, digestive system disorders, and diarrhea. The frequency of stools per day can reach up to 10 times.

If the intoxication is of moderate severity, then the clinical picture is expressed more clearly:

• muscle pain;
• general malaise;
• decreased performance;
• dehydration of the body;
• deterioration of the skin condition.

The symptoms are most pronounced in cases of severe solanine poisoning:

1. Damage to the nervous system and, as a consequence, visual and speech disorders, hallucinations.
2. Disruption of the cardiovascular system. Decreased blood pressure, arrhythmia and tachycardia.
3. Coma and death.

How much solanine can be harmful?

It's difficult to say exactly what dose of solanine derived from eating potatoes will make you feel sick, as it would be unethical to test it on people. It also depends on the individual's tolerance and body size.

However, case reports of solanine poisoning and one human toxicology study may provide a good idea.

It appears that consumption of 2 mg/kg body weight is enough to cause symptoms, although 1.25 mg/kg may be enough to make some people feel unwell.

This means that eating 450 grams of potatoes that exceeded the acceptable level of 20 mg of solanine per 100 grams would be enough to make a 50 kg person feel unwell.

If potatoes accumulate very high amounts of solanine, or if the adult is of low body weight or is a child, consuming even less may be enough to make them feel unwell.

Distinctive signs of solanine poisoning are:

• nausea
• vomit
• diarrhea
• sweating
• headache
• abdominal pain

If these symptoms are mild, they should go away in about 24 hours.

In extreme cases, serious consequences have been reported, such as:

• paralysis
• convulsions
• breathing problems
• coma
• and even death

Let's summarize:

Potatoes, which contain very high levels of solanine, can cause nausea, vomiting and headaches. In extreme cases, paralysis, coma or even death can occur.

What to do in case of poisoning

Even if there is the slightest suspicion of solanine poisoning, you should act immediately. First of all, the patient is prescribed gastric lavage, as well as an enema to cleanse the body of toxic substances. At the same time, enterosorbents are prescribed, which restore the functioning of the digestive system and help cleanse the body of harmful organic compounds.

If such measures do not help, and the clinical picture has become more severe and more vivid, you need to urgently call an ambulance or yourself and take the victim to the hospital as quickly as possible.

To prevent dehydration of the body, it is necessary to take care of fluid replenishment. To do this, use saline solutions, tea or still mineral water. In case of moderate intoxication, the water-salt balance in the victim’s body is restored directly - solutions are injected into a vein through a dropper.

What happens if you eat green potatoes and is it harmful?

If you prepare a dish from green potato tubers and eat it, then the worst thing that can happen is gastrointestinal upset .

Green potatoes are not suitable for cooking

If this substance enters the human or animal body in an amount of 300 - 400 mg , the most tragic outcome can occur.

In order to be poisoned by solanine, you need to eat at least two kilograms of fresh, green, unpeeled potatoes . Constant consumption of such potatoes also negatively affects the body, accumulating the concentration of solanine in the blood.

If there are green parts in the potatoes, they can be cut off. When cooked, the effect of solanine is reduced due to the fact that part of the poison goes into the water. But if possible, then it is better not to risk your health and the health of your loved ones, and why not use potatoes of dubious quality for food.

Solanine is more dangerous for children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases.

Always discard green tubers

The first symptoms of poisoning from green potatoes may be:

• irritation of the gastric mucosa , which leads to either nausea and vomiting, or abdominal pain and diarrhea,
• the functioning of the heart muscle is disrupted, which is accompanied by heavy breathing, decreased blood pressure and an arrhythmic pulse,
• there is depression of the nervous system , disorientation,
• pupil dilation,
• increased temperature and decomposition of red blood cells,
• in some cases, convulsions and even coma.

Precautionary measures

To prevent potato poisoning, it is best to grow it in ideal conditions, while neglecting the use of toxic substances and nitrates. When buying potatoes, it is important to pay attention to their appearance, and also ask the seller about the storage conditions of the product. Don't rush out for new potatoes as soon as they appear on store shelves. There is a high probability that these fruits will simply be oversaturated with nitrates.

Particular attention should be paid to the potato skin. In a good fruit it will be dense and difficult to damage with a fingernail. Also, the potatoes should not have black spots or signs of damage by rodents and insects.

It is best to avoid eating green potatoes. However, if you deeply remove the peel of the fruit, and also boil the product well or subject it to other heat treatment, then it will not cause harm to health. The main thing is to know moderation in everything. Large portions of such potatoes can still cause unpleasant symptoms, in particular allergic manifestations, stool disorders, and exacerbation of type 2 and 3 diabetes mellitus.

Damage to potato peels

The maximum concentration of corned beef is found in the skin. After all, it is the skin that is characterized by the primary appearance of a green tint.

If a person decides to eat a green tuber for food, the peel must be removed without fail. The larger the layer that is cut, the lower the likelihood of poisoning. Are potatoes with green skins harmful? Yes.

Where can you use green potatoes?

It is quite difficult to give a definite answer to the question of whether you should eat green potatoes or not. Here everyone makes their own decision. There are no special prohibitions here, but you should not forget about careful preparation of such a product before consumption. If the fear of being poisoned by such a product is higher than the desire to eat it, you can find alternative solutions to using green potatoes. An excellent choice is to leave such root crops for seeding.

Green potatoes, unlike regular ones, are stored much longer and perfectly protect themselves from insects and various pests. This is what allows it to maintain its high sowing qualities until planting. Even rodents avoid such potatoes, as they understand that they are deadly to them.

Interestingly, it is much easier to obtain starch from green potatoes, which, after the required cleaning, can be used for culinary purposes. However, many housewives neglect this possibility, citing the fact that, in theory, solanine can be preserved in white powder.

Video:

what to do with green potatoes Expand

Application

Greened tubers are better preserved in the underground until spring, are less susceptible to spoilage, and have much better germination in the spring than ordinary ones. Even rats are less likely to touch potatoes that have turned green.

Despite the fact that such potatoes are poisonous, they have their own purpose. Gardeners specially lay it out in a thin layer in a warm and well-lit room so that it acquires a greenish color and good, thick sprouts appear .

Green potatoes are sprouted and used for planting

Some even take it out to the balcony or loggia during the day so that the tubers receive ultraviolet light, harden , and the process of photosynthesis begins. To make the process more uniform, the tubers, as they turn green, turn their “non-green” side towards the sun.

Thanks to these simple manipulations, the potato harvest can be obtained 15 - 20 days earlier than the usual ripening period, and the yield per bush will increase by an order of magnitude.

When buying food in a store, pay special attention to the color of potato tubers and the presence of sprouts on them. The green color and the presence of sprouts indicate that the process of photosynthesis has started , and the amount of solanine has increased several times.

And, on the contrary, when choosing potatoes for planting, give preference to green tubers with large and thick sprouts. It will bring you a harvest much earlier than regular potatoes.

Don't forget about hilling. It not only makes the soil loose and stimulates the growth of plant tubers, but also protects them from the process of photosynthesis. Hill up the lower part of the plant at least twice a season.

If you see green sprouts on potatoes, do not buy them for cooking.

Drawing conclusions

Even a small dose (from 20-40 mg) can lead to mild food poisoning with solanine, and values ​​above 200-300 mg are considered dangerous. Possible death. Let's crunch the numbers to see if eating potatoes with green sides is dangerous.

Mashed potatoes, 1 serving

3 potatoes, 100 grams each, with green skin contain up to 150 mg of toxin. After thorough cleaning, 50% will remain, that is, 75 mg. Another part of the solanine will end up in the cooking water, which you will drain at the end. Thus, about 35-40 mg will remain in the finished puree.

The value borders on the extremely safe concentration. You need to reduce the serving size by 2 times.

Fried potato side dish, 300 grams

Again, we get about 75 mg of solanine after peeling potatoes with green spots. When frying, the remaining toxin does not disappear anywhere. As a result, a person exceeds the safe value when consuming a ready-made dish.

In addition, there are other nuances that need to be taken into account:

1. If the tubers began to turn green 5-6 months ago, then the concentration of solanine in them may exceed 50 mg.
2. Regular consumption of potatoes with green spots in large quantities leads to the accumulation of toxin in the internal organs, since it is not eliminated immediately. And this is fraught with chronic diseases of the heart and blood vessels, liver, kidneys, thyroid gland, and gastrointestinal tract.

So can you eat green potatoes? Theoretically, yes, if you carefully cut off the green peel and consume the product in small quantities. It is advisable to boil potatoes that have been previously cut into pieces. This way most of the solanine will end up in the water.

Potatoes with green spots are strictly contraindicated in the diet of young children, the elderly and people with chronic diseases.

Still, we recommend not to risk your health. Potatoes are an inexpensive and accessible product. It’s better to feel sorry for yourself, your family, friends and throw away the green tubers. Do not buy potatoes six months in advance. Take no more than 1-2 kg from the store and cook within a week.

Video

In this video you will learn more about what will happen if you eat green potatoes.

Any vegetables containing solanine, which is exceeded, should not be eaten. This product is especially forbidden to be given to children, the elderly, nursing mothers and pregnant women. If the immune system is weakened, then the body will also not be able to cope with even a small amount of this poison.

If you still decide to eat green potatoes, be sure to remove the peel. The thicker the layer, the less risk of poisoning. It is best to cook the root vegetable, because when cooked at 250 degrees, solanine breaks down, but is not neutralized. A significant amount will be reduced.

To protect your harvest, you need to store it properly. Well, green potatoes are great for seeds, but not for food.

Symptoms of intoxication and first aid

Solanine poisoning is possible when consuming large amounts of fried (baked, especially in their jacket) potatoes with green skins or raw potato juice.

A person may be bothered by the following symptoms:

• nausea, vomiting;
• intestinal colic;
• diarrhea;
• dilated pupils;
• migraine type headache;
• fever;
• convulsions;
• hallucinations;
• rapid heartbeat (then slowing down);
• sore throat.

The patient needs to rinse the stomach, give enterosorbent and astringent liquids (for example, a decoction of oak bark). If you have the last four symptoms above, call an ambulance without delay.

Although there are no documented cases of green potato poisoning, this does not mean that none have occurred. People often do not seek medical help and simply do not understand the reasons for their poor health. Many negative health effects do not appear immediately, but over time. If you doubt the safety of a product, discard it. You shouldn't risk a valuable resource to save money.

• Author: Maria Sukhorukikh
• Print

Rate this article:

1. 5
2. 4
3. 3
4. 2
5. 1

(0 votes, average: 0 out of 5)

Share with your friends!

Potato storage

To preserve your harvest, it must be stored properly.

A few tips to save your work.

1. Before storing, sort out the root vegetables. Separate green, diseased and spoiled tubers from healthy tubers.
2. There must be ventilation.
3. Store in small quantities (10-12 kg) on ​​pallets or shelves, covered with a protective cover.
4. Place beets on top of potatoes. It will absorb all excess moisture.
5. Apples slow down the germination of tubers. Therefore, a couple of apples can be put in a box with potatoes.
6. When storing, you need to sort through the potatoes 2-3 times. Separate the bad from the healthy.
7. Early varieties of root vegetables should be used immediately for food. They cannot be stored.
8. The temperature should be +2 - +4 degrees.
9. Air humidity - no more than 85%.
10. Keep potatoes in complete darkness.
11. You can store it in metal barrels, because small rodents like to gnaw on the sides of tubers);