Is it possible to eat green potatoes and what are the health risks of green potatoes?

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.

Using green potatoes for planting

When planted, green potato tubers begin to grow earlier and are more resistant to pests and diseases. During storage, such potatoes are practically not damaged by rats and mice. Therefore, seed potatoes are often specially greened. This can be done both in the fall, immediately after harvesting, and in the spring, immediately before planting.

For greening, potatoes selected for planting are laid out in one layer in a bright room for 10-15 days. If this is done in the fall, such potatoes are stored separately from food and feed potatoes.

In the spring, the time is calculated so that the planting tubers have time to turn green and germinate by the time of planting.

Random potatoes that turn green are best used for planting or thrown away. For food purposes, such tubers are used only in extreme cases and after special processing.

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.

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 a spoiled product

Whether it is possible to eat green potatoes is up to everyone to decide for themselves. If there are one or two of them, there is nothing terrible. You need to cut the peel thicker to completely remove the greenish flesh, add the potatoes to the rest of the tubers in the pan and cook - provided that healthy people eat them.

When there are a lot of substandard root vegetables, it is better to find another use for them. For example, use as planting material. Gardeners specially take the potatoes out into the light a month before planting so that the tubers turn green and sprout strong sprouts. Such potatoes are better able to resist diseases. For those who do not have a summer house or a personal plot, it is better to throw away the green root vegetables so as not to risk their health.

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%.

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.

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.

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Is it forbidden to eat greenish tubers?

There is no direct ban, since in order to get seriously poisoned, you need to eat a lot of potatoes that have begun to actively turn green. And such a product almost never exists in large quantities. It is unlikely that anyone will buy a completely substandard product in a store.

There is certainly harm from a vegetable that has changed color, but the degree of danger depends on the concentration of solanine in it.

Therefore, everyone should know the risks of eating green potatoes and whether they can be eaten. Then you will be able to avoid negative consequences for the body. Doctors recommend completely eliminating substandard tubers from the diet, but this is only a precaution.

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.

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.

First aid for poisoning

You can save yourself from the effects of solanine poison if you take measures at the first sign:

1. First of all, while the ambulance is on its way, the stomach is washed out. They are forced to drink up to 5-6 liters of warm water with potassium permanganate or sea salt added to it. For 5 liters of water take 2 tablespoons of salt. After the victim drinks water, press on the root of the tongue with a spoon, trying to induce vomiting. Washing is carried out two to three times.
2. Sorbents will help get rid of toxins: activated carbon, Polysorb, Smecta.
3. For symptoms of heart failure and increased heart rate, cardiac medications should be given.
4. If the victim has lost consciousness and has convulsions, then it is necessary to insert the handle of a spoon into the mouth, wrapping it in a bandage or handkerchief. This will help stop breathing problems due to spasms of the masticatory muscles.

By providing first aid, you can save a person with poisoning from death.

More information about solanine and its content in vegetables can be found in the video:

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.

What is the danger?

When answering the question why green potatoes are dangerous when eaten, you need to know about the toxicity of the main substance released - the glycoalkaloid solanine.

Harm from which can be expressed in the following symptoms:

• Excitation and further depression of the functions of the nervous system;
• Burning tongue and astringent taste in the mouth;
• Nausea, vomiting;
• Diarrhea;
• Headache;
• Heart arythmy;
• Difficulty breathing;
• Disorientation;
• Increased temperature, fever;
• Pupil dilation.

In the most severe cases, even seizures and coma are possible. In cases of poisoning, it is necessary to take agents that remove toxins from the body - activated carbon or other sorbents, and also consult a doctor.

READ ALSO: How to store whole and cut pumpkin for a long time

It is worth noting that recently new varieties have been developed with less content of this dangerous substance. As a result, green potato poisoning has become quite rare.

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.

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.

Which potatoes are harmful?

It's not just green potatoes that are bad for your health. In some other cases, this vegetable also poses a danger:

1. The potatoes have become soft . Sometimes even following all storage rules does not guarantee that the vegetable will remain edible for a long time. If the housewife notices that the root vegetable has become loose and is difficult to cut, then it is better to throw it away. This is also one of the signs that it has increased solanine content;
2. Closer to spring, you can observe the appearance of sprouts . On the one hand, this should please. These tubers may have been grown without the use of chemicals. But sprouted potatoes contain less nutrients. In addition, hakonin accumulates in it. This is a toxic component that is not only harmful, but also gives potatoes a bitter taste. However, if the root vegetables are hard enough, then they can be eaten. The main thing is to clean off all the sprouts well;
3. The presence of holes and worn areas on the potatoes indicates that pests have feasted on them. Such root vegetables are thrown away without mercy. After all, rodents could easily leave various infections on vegetables. Even complete removal of gnawed areas and heat treatment does not guarantee the safety of such vegetables.

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.

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