Is It OK To Eat Green Potatoes?

Fry them, saute them, or turn them into wedges; potato is the most loved vegetable of all time. But is it ok to eat green potatoes? Well, the answer is not as simple as one might think. 

Nutritionists generally recommend not consuming green potatoes as they have negative health impacts. Of course, there are some considerations if someone is willing to proceed with their decision. 

If you want to delve deeper into the topic and know the potential side effects of eating green potatoes, check out this guide. It answers most of your questions and also provides valuable suggestions. 

So, without further ado, let’s quickly get started!

What Are The Reasons Behind A Potatoe Turning Green?

As many might not know, the greening of potatoes is quite natural. When these vegetables remain exposed to light, the skin cells in potatoes produce chlorophyll. 

Furthermore, this chlorophyll leads the potato peel to turn gurn and ready to sprout. Continuous light exposure activates the skin cells and produces a glycoalkaloid toxin called solanine, which tastes bitter. 

In this process, chaconine, another toxin, is also found. Poison.org highlights how two toxins in a fruit or vegetable can not only cause abdominal pain but also have other symptoms. 

It’s easy to say if a dark-colored potato is turning green by peeling off its skin and finding green patches inside. But what if someone consumes a potato with a green tinge?

Would that be equally toxic?

Not necessarily because potatoes having a green tinge are easily removable by peeling off their skin. It’s when the vegetable starts tasting bitter that you need to rethink things. 

Potatoes that taste sour or bitter contain higher levels of toxins and shouldn’t be consumed at all! Hence, it’s better to discard them altogether. 

Should You Throw All Green Potatoes At Home?

Well, it somehow got easy to answer, “is it ok to eat green potatoes?” because we know it’s not. According to the USDA, you need not dump all your potatoes at once, provided you know how to cook them efficiently. 

Now, that might be a challenge for some!

All you have to do is peel the shoots, skins, and anything that looks green. That’s exactly where the solanine concentration takes place. Don’t mind peeling off the skin aggressively and removing every small trace of it. 

Unline bacteria such as salmonella and E.coli, chaconine, and solanine cannot be destroyed by cooking. You might lose some alkaloids while boiling toxic potatoes, but who can take a chance?

Well, solanine is more bitter than others and is quite easy to build up in the vegetable. Potatoes might be a bit alkaloid in flavor, but they cannot be too bitter when consumed. 

Side Effects Of Consuming Green Potatoes

Solanine, the greening element in potatoes, usually doesn’t hurt humans if the quantity remains considerable. However, if someone consumes 20 pounds of green potatoes at regular intervals, they are likely to fall sick. 

Some of the most common symptoms of solanine poisoning are:

• Bloating
• Chest pain
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Pain in the abdomen or stomach
• Body temperature falling beyond normal
• Vomiting
• Slow breathing
• Slow pulse rate

If a person finds him/her in a difficult situation after consuming green potatoes, they must immediately seek medical attention. 

While a few individuals might not stop eating this bitter-tasting potato, some of them avoid it. From the green-colored skin to sprouted potatoes, they try to keep gastrointestinal issues at bay. 

So, is it ok to eat green potatoes under certain conditions?

It actually depends on a person’s immunity, but the general suggestion is always a no! In some people, the symptoms might start showing up within a few hours, whereas others might not feel anything at all. 

What Amounts Of Solanine Is Acceptable?

A lot of countries have already banned the sale of potatoes having excessive levels of solanine in them, along with other glycoalkaloids. The FDA restricts the intake of 200-250 mg of glycoalkaloids per kg of raw green potato. 

On the other hand, 91 to 113 mg per pound of the vegetable isn’t acceptable either. Canada exercises a similar 200mg/kg limit, but that’s not the case in most European countries. 

Some places might store potatoes in great conditions, yet they still get ruined or “green.” Make sure you are limiting consumption in dire circumstances. 

The Toxic Dose Of Solanine

How can we decide what’s a toxic dose of solanine? Well, the FDA has shared something important for consumers to decide what quantity of solanine they should ingest. 

As per the Missouri Poison Center, there is a low risk if the quantity remains between 0.5 to 1 mg per lb. People can easily recover at home if they have developed some side effects of solanine.

On the flip side, extreme solanine poisoning cases have caused severe symptoms and, eventually, death. However, these cases might be incredibly rare, so proper care is required. 

Does Boiling Or Peeling Green Potatoes Make Any Difference? 

Solanine is the highest in the peel of potatoes. Some studies also suggest that peeling might reduce the poisonous content by 25-75%. Make sure to also remove sprouts or green flesh areas to make a difference. 

Trimmed and peeled potatoes still contain ample toxins that can make a person sick. Hence, if the green hues look darker than before, it might represent that the solanine concentration is doubled. 

Cooking the vegetable in any form- baking, frying, or microwaving- might reduce the toxin level to some extent. Since the flavor is very unusual, one might feel a burning sensation in the mouth and even throat. 

If the potato you just brought home has a few green spots, simply peel the portion. It’s best if you throw the potatoes that keep tasting bitter even after boiling or cooking. 

Ways To Avoid Potatoes From Becoming Green

So, is it ok to eat green potatoes? If not, how do you store them efficiently? I know this is a major concern for most of my readers. Well, don’t worry, as we have got you covered. 

The U.S. Agriculture Department has pointed out how to store potatoes to avoid getting them green: 

• Keep them in a basement or cellar where it’s a bit dark and cooler than other places.
• Temperature must remain between 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Store them away from appliances that do not dispense heat, like a refrigerator. 

If you’re someone growing potatoes at home, try hilling or storing soil around the potato plant. This will keep its tubers away from direct heat and sunlight. Consequently, this will allow potatoes to grow very close to the soil’s surface, and they will not turn green. 

Storing potatoes directly into the freezer isn’t too wise because the temperature becomes too cold. A few studies have suggested how solanine levels are impacted by the temperature at which potatoes are stored. 

Those who do not have a cool place to store potatoes must buy only the necessary quantity. Restock them once they go out of stock. 

What To Do With A Green Potato?

It is usually wise to tackle green potatoes carefully. We all know how rotten fruit or vegetables can spread contaminants to the rest of them. As I mentioned before, if there are small portions of greening in the potatoes, simply peel or chop them off. 

But what if things don’t end there?

The next smart thing to do is throw away the tuber. Dieticians suggest never consuming tubers that have turned green as they can impact health severely. So stick to the skin, always!

You can easily consume the rest of the vegetables in the most delectable way possible. After all, potatoes are everybody’s favorite. From baking them to frying, not a single person hates these delectable buddies. 

As a gardener, you can plant seed tubers 4-6 inches deep into the ground to avoid any sort of greening. Some also work on eliminating exposure to artificial light right after storing or harvesting. 

Concluding Words

To end up, it might be safe to say that the decision depends entirely on your hands. Is it ok to eat green potatoes or not- this question, or rather a debate, is a never-ending one. 

But yes, fruits and vegetables are better to consume with safe considerations. And that’s exactly the case with green or solanine-rich potatoes. Make sure to keep this potentially toxic vegetable away from your dining table. 

If you are not into wasting food and stuff, plant these potatoes in your garden and grow new potato plants. That’s a topic of discussion for some other day!

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