I read somewhere that eating sprouting potatoes was not safe. Apparently there are toxins produced at the sprouts. I've never thrown away sprouting potatoes. I just snapped off the sprouts.
Sheesh!
Why Is It Not Safe to Eat Sprouted Potatoes?
Sprouting means that the toxin levels are too high and the potato is no longer safe for consumption. According to Diana M. Pei, Pharm. D., a certified specialist in poison information, on Poison.org, solanine and chaconine can cause symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, irregular bowel movements, diarrhea, headache, brain fog, redness or a flushed complexion, confusion or fever.
There have been a few cases of death after eating toxic potatoes, but generally you can treat symptoms at home. The onset of symptoms is typically within a few hours, but it can take up to a day, in some cases.
"Unfortunately, cooking does not destroy these compounds, so it's not advisable to prepare or eat potatoes with the sprouts or green parts," says Harris-Pincus. "However, it is probably OK to eat potatoes that have sprouted if you can cut away the entire sprout and any green-tinged parts of the potato, and if they are not wrinkly and shriveled," she adds.
You definitely want to be more careful if you plan on eating potatoes with the skin on in general, as that's where toxins reside. Harris-Pincus says, "I use a paring knife to dig out the eyes once I have snapped off the sprout and if there is more than a small area that looks green, I throw away the potato."
OK... Yay! I do remove the skins of potatoes! However, I guess I'll also dig out a bit more of the sprouted areas... just to be safe.
I will do the same as you Kay - Christine at https://cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteMaddening about your comments issue
As a boy on the farm we dug potatoes in the fall and stored them in our basement. One of my chores was to go down several times over the winter into spring and de-sprout the potatoes to make them last longer. By the time we ate the last one before the new potato harvest, we were eating a potato that had produced four crops of sprouts. I’m still alive and never had any of those symptoms. We were a much hardier version of human back then I guess.
ReplyDeleteThat was me Ed again.
DeleteThank you for commenting despite this crazy Anonymous issue. I find that when I’m on my iPhone or iPad, I get this Anonymous thing. If I’m on my desktop, it’s normal. I just don’t understand it.
DeleteOh nuts! I forgot to say this is me, Kay.
DeleteI once had a farmer friend who raised pigs. She would not put green or sprouted potato peels in the pig slop because it would poison them. I don't eat a lot of potato so I only buy them one or two at a time, otherwise I am throwing away a nearly full bag.
ReplyDeleteWho knew. Sue loves to bake potatoes with the skins, and I sometimes eat the skins. Got some reason you sire doesn’t recognize me. AC/John
ReplyDeleteIt doesn’t recognize me when I’m on my iPad or iPhone either. I don’t know how to correct this.
DeleteI try to keep an eye on the food inventory, and if I see the potatoes are starting to sprout I make sure to use them up quickly (after removing the sprout area).
ReplyDeleteI think 9 out of 10 potatoes I eat I have to cut off a bunch of sprouts--and I always eat the skins! (I do throw them away if they're wrinkled or soft though) Well, ya learn something new every day--thanks Hawaiian Kay, I plan to be a lot more careful! PS. When I first saw the title, I wondered if Hawaii had wild potatoes growing everywhere like your wild chickens :-)
ReplyDeleteI like Hawaiian bread we get in the store as well as Hawaiian pizza so if I ever saw a bag of Hawaiian potatoes, I would definitely try it.
DeleteI've always removed the sprout and then cooked.... and we are alive!!!
ReplyDeleteIf this is the case, I'm already a goner! I do always peel potatoes and dig out the sprouty bits, but is that enough?
ReplyDeleteSame here. I usually dig out any sprouts and any green around them... and still cook them. If too much area looks green, I throw it out.
ReplyDeleteI snap off sprouts too and unless it's really soft cook the potato skin and all. Can't recall every having any side effects like those described.
ReplyDeleteBy the time they sprout they're kind of green anyway and they don't taste good to me
ReplyDeleteGood to know, I guess. We eat mostly thin skinned Yukon Gold potatoes, with he skins on, but not green or sprouted. We do eat the skins of baked Russet potatoes, though not often. I don't think I'll worry about potatoes. There are plenty of other things to worry about.
ReplyDeleteI often have sprouted potatoes because I don't use them up. I would de-sprout them and skin them and usually use them in stews. We grow Okinawan sweet potatoes and plant to use the plant sprouts in Korean Natural Farming when and if the current crop starts growing again.
ReplyDeleteMy parents always peeled the potatoes.
ReplyDeletemy potatoes are always sprouted because there are only two of us eating...so far so good. lol!
ReplyDeleteLin Floyd above
ReplyDeleteI snap off the sprout and, since the green bit warning, cut out all of the green. I cook them skin on, though, and mash the skins, too.
ReplyDeleteI have eaten potatoes for 82 and a half years and I have never heard of this. thanks for looking it up and telling about it. On the farm we didn't have much else to eat in the spring except potatoes that had sprouted. Mom peeled them so that's probably why we didn't get sick.
ReplyDeleteThis is Linda in Kansas. I'm still alive. The few times I've let potatoes sprout, I just snapped them off. I may or may not peel them. The true facts that you're finding, that we didn't know, are starting to scare me! Interesting how the pig farmers knew about this. Life is darn dangerous! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteI remove the sprouts as my mother, who grew up on a farm where they grew their potatoes kept through the long winters, taught me. Also, generally have eaten the skins though usually not if baked. I've never experienced a problem or known anyone else who has from doing the same. Oh well, live and learn I guess.
ReplyDeleteWow who knew? Thanks Kay
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, I remember my dear Mum would always cut off any sprouting bits! As do I.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
I've heard that before. But then, my mom was Irish and knew her potatoes.
ReplyDeleteWe've been getting a lot of green potatoes. Nothing is in season here!
ReplyDelete