Is it possible to cook sprouted potatoes. Is it possible to eat sprouted potatoes

Toxic substances contained in sprouted potatoes can cause intestinal and stomach cramps, nausea and dizziness. A gardening expert from Nottingham Trent University (UK) explains why green potatoes are bad for our health.

As a child, we were taught that you can't eat green potatoes - you'll get poisoned. But does a pair of sprouted "eyes" really make potatoes poisonous? Experts say that children's horror stories are not far from the truth, and the fault is the glycoalkaloid solanine.

Potato eyes are adventitious buds. If the potatoes are not dug up, they will sprout and develop into new leaves. But if the potatoes sit in the closet or basement for too long, shoots will form from the buds. Especially quickly "eyes" germinate if the tubers are exposed to light and heat.

Sunlight triggers physiological reactions in potatoes. The potato turns green because of chlorophyll, which is not harmful in itself, and even contains a large amount of useful minerals. Chlorophyll is abundant in all edible green leafy vegetables.

But light and heat also trigger the production of solanine, a chemical that can cause poisoning, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, burning throat, headaches, and dizziness. Severe intoxication can be accompanied by seizures, disorientation, fever and even coma, but this will require eating several kilograms of raw sprouted potatoes.

After peeling, only 5-10% of the original solanine remains in the tuber. In addition to sprouted potatoes, this substance is found in unripe tomatoes.

Is it possible to eat sprouted potatoes

Eating sprouted potatoes, even in small quantities, is not worth it. Hello. Please tell us if you can eat sprouted potatoes? In the years of famine, people ate and felt good. If such potatoes cannot be eaten, how can the remaining seeds be used?

Modern research has established that sprouted and greened tubers contain a dangerous substance called corned beef, a type of glycoalkaloids. Corned beef destroys red blood cells, negatively affects the human nervous and immune systems.

Most of all it is contained in the peel and around the eyes. Before planting potatoes, many warm them up in the sun, which also contributes to the accumulation of corned beef in the tubers.

Sprouted and greened tubers contain the dangerous substance corned beef, a type of glycoalkaloids

Signs of corned beef poisoning - heart palpitations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. With severe poisoning, convulsions and loss of consciousness are possible. In such cases, medical attention is needed.

Therefore, eating sprouted potatoes, even in small quantities, is not worth it.

When peeling potatoes in spring, you need to remove a thick layer of peel from it, and pick out the eyes. Sprouted peeled potatoes can be fed in small quantities to pets and poultry.

Peeling potatoes in the spring, you need to remove a thick layer of peel from it, and pick out the eyes

Small tubers left after sowing, eyes and sprouts can be spread along the borders of the plot. Overwintered Colorado beetles feel their smell, crawl towards them from all over the site. It remains to collect and destroy them.

Potato sprouts have long been used in folk medicine and homeopathy. Infusions, decoctions from them are used for pain relief, wound healing, as anti-inflammatory drugs. They help to strengthen blood vessels.

The eyes and shoots remaining after sowing can be spread out along the boundaries of the site to attract the Colorado potato beetle

On the basis of sprouts, preparations are made for the treatment of skin, joint diseases, and ailments of the oral cavity.

Sprouts, rotten tubers should not be placed in compost pits. The compost will contain bacteria that are harmful to potatoes and tomatoes.

Potatoes: benefits and harms (video)

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Can sprouted potatoes be eaten

Housewives usually ask the question of whether old potatoes are good for food at the end of spring, when young tubers appear on the market, but there are still old potatoes in the pantry.

Scientists, nutritionists and culinary specialists have broken hundreds of copies in controversy over the edibility of old potatoes. One conclusion can be made: you can eat, but carefully.

The main danger of this root crop is that over time, the poisonous substance glycoalkaloid solanine accumulates in it. There is a lot of it in the green fruits of potatoes, in the tops, as well as in the tubers that turned green from exposure to the sun, sprouted strongly, froze / thawed several times, and rotted. From a biological point of view, in this way, potatoes are protected from pests, trying to save the tubers so that they germinate in the spring and give a new crop.

Corned beef is a very dangerous poison, so you shouldn't risk it. However, there is no need for panic. During cooking, solanine dissolves in water and passes from root vegetables into a decoction. Therefore, it is better to peel the old potatoes, cut them into small pieces and boil them. After that, drain the water and eat the potatoes.

You need to peel the potatoes thickly, cutting off all damaged areas. It is categorically not recommended to cook such tubers in the "uniform", as well as to bake or fry without peeling.

Also, to remove corned beef, it is advised to use salt: roll in coarse salt, fry in oil, and then wipe off the salt well. They say this will help get rid of the poison, but to be honest, I don't understand how you can eat such salty fries.

It is known that more corned beef is in green tubers, so they must be thoroughly cleaned of green spots or not eaten at all. Naturally, potato tubers must be stored in the dark.

Sometimes old potatoes look and taste like they should be thrown away. Please note that you cannot feed spoiled tubers to pets either - you will simply poison them!

Young potatoes are another matter. in which there are a lot of amino acids, plant proteins, sugars, vitamins necessary for people. But young potatoes also need to be treated with caution. The main danger: nitrates, chemicals with which it was treated against pests, fungal spores on tubers. Therefore, it needs to be washed very well. There is a tip - soak well-washed tubers of young potatoes for an hour or two in clean water so that it completely covers them.

Treat your friends!

What is the harm of potatoes

Continuation.

For hypertensive patients, potatoes are useful in that they lower the cholesterol content, which naturally keeps the pressure normal. With an excess of glucose in the blood, it is not advisable to abuse potatoes, but in case of hypoglycemia, it is just useful - there are a lot of carbohydrates, and I will continue the topic

potatoes, benefits and harms!

It is also useful for people engaged in hard physical labor, thanks to carbohydrates and starch, which potatoes contain in excess.

Very quickly restores lost strength. Most useful of all, potatoes are cooked "in their skins", that is, not peeled. Thanks to the skin, the potato retains all the usefulness it contains.

By the way, during a cold, inhalation over potato steam is very useful - do not forget about it! And as baked potatoes are healthy and tasty, it is clear that in the skin, these potatoes are useful especially for heart problems.

However, for all its usefulness and nutritional value, it is worth remembering that shriveled old vegetable tubers, as well as green ones, are dangerous to humans and their health! The fact is that a poisonous substance called solanine accumulates under the skin of such a potato, which is dangerous - potatoes, benefits and harms!

Solanin causes severe poisoning, and it appears under the skin of a potato when it is stored in the light, under the influence of the sun, and during very long storage of potatoes. Sprouted potatoes with sprouts are also dangerous to health.

Here it is only for planting and is suitable, but by no means for food, because there is a lot of solanine in such a potato, and its sprouts contain even more than tubers.

Having eaten sprouted, green, or shriveled potatoes, a person may feel severe dizziness, seizures and other disorders of the nervous system, nausea until vomiting, shortness of breath and tachycardia appear, and diarrhea may begin.

So tell yourself if it's worth the risk. By the way, this kind of poisoning is terrible for expectant mothers because it causes congenital defects in the fetus!

Therefore, do not eat such potatoes. Well, if need compels, then at least peel the peel thicker and carefully remove the traces of potato tubers from sprouts - take care of yourself by reading the article potatoes, benefits and harms!

of course, you can't eat green potatoes, and nobody will give up potatoes now. it is the main product that is used in many dishes and New Years too. And I wish you a Happy New Year, I wish you health and longevity, happiness and well-being, and it will not be applicable this year to horses, workaholics will achieve well-being.

Larissa: December 30, 2013 at 23:04

So after all, no one refuses! The main thing is not to eat an unsuitable product, otherwise it won't do much harm! I also congratulate you, Alevtina, on the Coming holiday, let everything that was conceived come true!

and we have sprouted more often and sell, mothers

Larissa: December 30, 2013 at 23:05

You need to cut off a thicker skin, in the spring it is completely like that - be careful, and that's it!

Well, wow, Larissa, scared everyone! I remember earlier, they bought a lot of potatoes for the winter, and in the spring it became like this: wrinkled and sprouted. They broke off the sprouts and ate anyway, do not throw them away? Now I don't buy a lot of potatoes.

Larissa: December 30, 2013 at 23:07

Ira did not even think to frighten, she simply warned, after all, everything happens!

In the spring we eat this, if there is no other, we simply cleanse it thicker - away from sin1

I thought the potatoes were full of usefulness: delicious in their uniform, cure a cold and cough, and she also cured my stomach!

Larissa: December 30, 2013 at 23:08

She's useful! and I know about its medicinal effects, but it is better not to eat green, or thoroughly clean all the greens.

Can sprouted potatoes be eaten?

Alexey Profi (812) 4 years ago

Solanine accumulates in green potatoes, which can cause poisoning. It accumulates mainly in the peel and next to it. So you run the risk of poisoning only if you cook potatoes in their uniforms.

But sprouted potatoes will be more dangerous than green ones. Although they say that if you cut more, then nothing terrible will happen. But I do not advise at all to use such potatoes for food. And so we consume enough of various nasty things in the form of dyes and preservatives.

Elena Kulakova Student (8) 4 years ago

no, the sprouts contain poison

Vladimir Ptokhov Artificial Intelligence (406847) 4 years ago

Even necessary! There are tons of vitamins and antioxidants. No wonder that sprouted grains are respected by vegans. Unfortunately there is solanine in there.

Solanine is produced in potatoes when exposed to light. From this she turns green. Therefore, potatoes should only be stored in the dark. Do not buy potatoes in the markets that were in the light or in transparent bags.

Solanine is toxic to humans and animals in small doses. The lethal dose for rabbits is 0.1 g / kg of body weight, for dogs - slightly more than 0.6 g / kg. However, the deaths of poisoning are unknown - diarrhea torment, that is, diarrhea.

Natalya Ermakova Profi (803) 4 years ago

Irinka Artificial Intelligence (153035) 4 years ago

You can, just cut the rind and pulp into a finger thick.

Bunny Sage (18326) 4 years ago

Can. Just don't cook green.

Sprouted - you can, if there is nothing more. GREEN - IN NO EVENT - poison yourself.

Anastasia Palagina Pupil (113) 4 years ago

yes, but only the sprouts need to be removed.

only without overgrowth!

Valery Yanovich Oracle (89435) 4 years ago

It is possible, provided that he is not green. Break off the sprouts before cleaning.

Cornelius Schnapps Master (1317) 4 years ago

A friend who works in the North, from the inner circle of a local shaman. It is difficult to judge unambiguously about the sprouted potatoes, but on the other hand, both the friend and the entire circle of the shaman officially and responsibly declare that the effect of fly agarics is brighter and stronger.

No comments yet!

Sprouted potatoes: harm to your health

There is no need to eat sprouted potatoes, even in small quantities. Toxic substances contained in sprouted potatoes can cause intestinal and stomach cramps, nausea and dizziness, Chronicle.info reports with reference to Likar.info. A horticultural expert from Nottingham Trent University (UK) explains why green potatoes are bad for our health. As a child, we were taught that you shouldn't eat green potatoes - you will get poisoned. But does a pair of sprouted "eyes" really make potatoes poisonous? Experts assure that children's horror stories are not far from the truth, and the glycoalkaloid solanine is to blame. Potato “eyes” are adventitious buds. If the potatoes are not dug up, they will sprout and develop into new leaves. But if the potatoes sit in the closet or basement for too long, shoots will form from the buds. Especially quickly "eyes" germinate if the tubers are exposed to light and heat. Sunlight triggers physiological reactions in potatoes. The potato turns green because of chlorophyll, which is not harmful in itself, and even contains a large amount of useful minerals. Chlorophyll is abundant in all edible green leafy vegetables, but light and heat also trigger the production of solanine, a chemical that can cause poisoning, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, burning throat, headaches, and dizziness. Severe intoxication can be accompanied by convulsions, disorientation, fever and even coma, but for this you have to eat several kilograms of raw sprouted potatoes. After peeling, only 5-10% of the original solanine remains in the tuber. In addition to sprouted potatoes, this substance is found in unripe tomatoes.

See also: Frozen fruits: benefit or harm

Solanine tends to accumulate under the skin of the potato and in new, developing shoots. This is why eating sprouted potatoes is not the healthiest solution. Moreover, these potatoes become less nutritious as carbohydrates and vitamins are used during the growth process.

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More often than potatoes, we eat only bread. We use it in any form and use it in various dishes. But have we ever thought about the fact that potatoes, like other plants of the nightshade family, are poisonous. Yes, only the fruits are poisonous, the tubers themselves are suitable for eating. But there are exceptions. There is a lot of debate about whether you can eat green fries.

Green potato

Everyone has come across a slightly modified potato that has an unusual green color. In most cases, the greenish skin is cut off and the potatoes are still eaten. These potatoes cannot be eaten. The fact is that it contains an increased proportion of the toxin - solanine.

This substance is harmful to the body even in small quantities. Regular potatoes contain a small concentration of this poisonous substance. Green potatoes, on the other hand, are toxic. You can often see how potatoes are sold in the markets. No one even thinks of sheltering it from the sun's rays, namely, when exposed to them, the concentration of solanine increases. The main indicator indicating changes in the potato is a change in the color of the skin. It turns green. But this is optional. In some cases, potatoes can be saturated with solanine without discoloration.

Solanine poisoning

Solanine is a dangerous toxin that negatively affects the human body. Eating large amounts of foods containing it can lead to dizziness, nausea, and diarrhea. With severe poisoning, patients may experience abdominal pain, convulsions, fainting. If the concentration of solanine in the human body is more than 400 mg, then in such cases a lethal result is possible. Children, the elderly and pregnant women are especially severely poisoning with solanine.

In case of poisoning with this toxin, measures must be taken to remove it from the body. It is urgent to flush the stomach. You can do this with a solution of potassium permanganate or activated carbon.

Outcome

The potato is a plant in the nightshade family. Like many of them, potatoes are poisonous. But not all. Only the upper part is poisonous. The tubers are quite edible. But when exposed to external factors (usually sunlight), there is an increase in the amount of a toxic substance - solanine, which negatively affects the body. Excessive use of it can lead to acute poisoning. Therefore, those who are not sure whether green potatoes can be eaten - leave all doubts. Green potatoes are poisonous and are strictly prohibited. If you come across such a potato, you do not need to cut it, it is better to throw it away. It will be safer this way.

3 signs that this particular potato should not be eaten!

Otherwise, poison yourself!

In potatoes stored for a long time, the level of a toxic substance may increase - solanine,reported by CureJoy.

In this case, you can easily get poisoned with your favorite side dish!

When the potato starts to become lethargic, it means you need to throw it away.

Why you can't eat sprouted potatoes

When it sprouts, you should cut off the sprouts and cook the potatoes as quickly as possible. Exposure to the sun leads to greening of those areas of the root crop on which the light fell. They should be cut before use.

Usually people stock up on potatoes for future use, buy them in bulk. This makes life easier for at least a few days.

Potatoes Is a traditional product on the table. It is easy to prepare and goes well with almost all dishes as a side dish. Unfortunately, eating stored potatoes for future use can damage your health.

Potatoes are a root vegetable that grows in the ground. When it is dug up, under the influence of air and sunlight, toxic compounds begin to form in the potato - glycoalkaloids... In order not to get poisoned by potatoes, you should know a few rules.

Signs by which you know that potatoes need to be thrown away:

1. Potatoes become sluggish.

When potatoes are stored for a long time in the kitchen and not consumed, they begin to dry out, become wrinkled and soft. This means that it cannot be consumed, since the level of solanine in the potato has increased, the root crop has become more toxic.

2. Potatoes sprout.

If potatoes are not consumed for more than two days, they begin to start

sprouts, which contain two toxic substances - solanine and hakonin. Organic potatoes germinate faster than chemically treated ones.

Sprouted potatoes are of two types - hard and soft. The first one can still be consumed, but only after you cut the sprouts. Throw away the soft one.

3. There are green areas on the potatoes.

The longer the potato is exposed to sunlight, the more solanine is produced in it, which in large quantities is a poison for the body.

After being in the sun, some areas of the potato may turn green, which means that solanine has accumulated in them. In this case, you do not need to throw away all the potatoes, it is enough to cut off the green areas before cooking.

If you are poisoned by potatoes.

Potato poisoning primarily affects the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. You will feel the first symptoms 8-10 hours after eating. If the level of accumulation of poisons in the potato was very high, then the central nervous system will also suffer.

Some of the symptoms of potato poisoning include:

• vomiting;
• abdominal pain;
• diarrhea;
• fever;
• delirium;
• dilated pupils;
• hallucinations;
• headache;
• loss of sensitivity;
• low body temperature (hypothermia);
• paralysis;
• slow pulse;
• slow breathing;
• vision problems.

Be careful when buying potatoes. Try not to store it for a long time. If you are buying potatoes for future use, monitor their condition so as not to get poisoned.

Have you had any cases of potato poisoning? Share your experience in the comments.

Many novice gardeners are wondering how to keep potatoes longer. People have their own biases about sprouting potatoes. For some, these potatoes are toxic, while others are not at all afraid to eat them. But there are ways by which you can easily avoid the formation of this overgrowth on the potatoes you store.

Winter will come very soon, which means it is not far from the first snowdrifts. For an inhabited country house, it is very important that the entrance and the yard area are always free of snow drifts and drifts. As a reliable assistant, you can recommend an excellent snow blower that you can buy in Moscow. You will not find a better solution for snow removal in the Moscow region!

Remember to process your potato planting material well before planting it.

Store potatoes in a dark place.

Is it possible to boil potatoes if they have sprouted

If potatoes are not stored in the dark, potato degradation increases, leading to degradation of starch and formation of sprouts from the eyes. This also happens when potatoes are stored in a very warm place.

Sprouts on potatoes are not useful for health and you need to try to protect potatoes from their appearance. If the potatoes already have growth and have become soft and wrinkled, then such potatoes should not be used in cooking. But if the potatoes are hard enough, this means that the nutrients from the potatoes have not gone into the shoots and, therefore, these potatoes can be eaten after peeling. Although potato sprouts are not very harmful, they can cause stomach upset.

In the best way avoid sprouting on potatoes is its conservation in a cool dry cellar. Check the humidity of the cellar, as a rule, sprouts appear earlier in damp rooms. 4-10 degrees Celsius is the ideal temperature for storing potatoes and preventing early sprouting.

Store potatoes away from onion and garlic stocks. These vegetables also induce increased shoot growth on potatoes.

When stored in a paper bag, potatoes stay fresh and healthy During a long time. You can put some apples in a bag of potatoes to keep the potatoes from sprouting. Lemon in a bag of potatoes has the same effect on potatoes.

Potatoes are one of the most commonly used vegetables in any kitchen, and since you now know how to store them properly, you can make potato dishes any day, anytime.

1. Ifit was kept in the refrigerator

The British Food Standards Agency warns that you cannot eat potatoes that have been stored in the refrigerator! Reason: in the refrigerator, the starch contained in potatoes is transformed into sugar. If potatoes are baked or fried, they contain acrylamide. It is the most dangerous carcinogen and mutagen that appears in most often, in foods rich in carbohydrates, during heat treatment. 7 years ago, acrylamide was proven to increase the risk of cancer. The results obtained over the past few years by researchers have proved that acrylamide causes both oncological diseases and a number of other equally serious diseases! Therefore, no matter how tasty it was, frying potatoes is not worth it. Ideally, we should store it in a dark, dry, cool (preferably 4-6 degrees) place.

Tip: It is best to keep the potatoes in mesh bags. Since in plastic bags, they begin to rot very quickly.

2. If the potatoes have long shoots or green spots

Sprouted potatoes do not taste good and lack many of their beneficial properties. Greens on potatoes, even after peeling, are a sign of a high content of solanine, a toxic chemical that can cause, among other things, nausea and dizziness, arrhythmias (by the way, lethal dose: 400 mg).

Tip: if the length of the sprout on the potato is about one centimeter, this means that the solanine has only slightly changed the tuber and it still has a chance of being eaten. And if it is about 10 centimeters long, the tubers are not suitable for human consumption.

3. If the potatoes are unpeeled

The Federal Institute for Potato Research does not recommend the use of potato skins because the skins are high in solanine and are often sprayed with pesticides to keep pests away. Pesticides build up in the skin.

Tip: If you do not want to give up potato skins, you should make sure that the potatoes on your table are grown without additives.

4. If the potatoes give off an unappetizing smell

Spoiled potatoes have a sweetish, pungent smell with mold.

5. Ifthere are wet spots on the tubers

If the potatoes look like they are raw, this is a sign that they are infected with fungi and bacteria. Throw it away without fail.

7. If raw onions are added to cooked potatoes

Mix raw onions with potatoes right before eating.

Can sprouted potatoes be eaten?

Onions are never sterile. Imagine that it can contain lactic acid bacteria, yeast or mold on its surface, which will multiply. Especially if your salad is kept below 7 degrees.

Tip: If you don't want to go without the raw onions in your potatoes, mix just before eating and add lemon juice or vinegar! This provides an acidic pH that inhibits microbial growth.

Do not rely on chance or the experience of your ancestors, health is more expensive, take care of it.

Especially for cooks.kz

Sprouted potatoes are considered harmful by many - The harvest of potatoes was dug up and stored. If suddenly potatoes with green barrels come across among the tubers, we throw them away, because we know that they are harmful and hazardous to health. Sprouted potatoes many also consider it harmful. But how big is the threat? And why could it be harmful at all?

Who did not happen to: bought, removed to the kitchen cabinet and forgotten. And after a while, opening the closet, they found that the tubers had sprouted and now resemble some strange creature. What are you doing in a similar situation? Cutting the sprouts and boiling potatoes, or throwing them in the trash can, considering them inedible?

You may have heard the horror stories of people poisoned by potato sprouts - but how much truth is there in those stories? To answer this question, we need to first figure out what constitutes potatoes from the point of view of botany.

What are potatoes?

Many people consider potatoes a root vegetable because they grow underground - like carrots, parsnips, and others. In fact, it is a type of "modified stem" known as a tuber. Such a thickened and compacted stem forms underground and remains there after the parent plant (which gave the crop of the current year) dies off. This allows the plants to survive in the cold winter, because the tubers are deep below the soil surface, where they are protected from frost.

A potato is a modified stem called a tuber

Most of us know that potato tubers are high in carbohydrates. This is because they need enough food to survive the winter. Food in the form of sugars comes from photosynthesis - you probably remember from your school biology course that this is the process by which plants use the energy of sunlight to make sugar (glucose) from carbon dioxide and water.

Plants use up some of this energy, but perennial crops - those that live for more than two seasons - store the energy to start growing next spring. They need food for the sprouts to reach the surface of the soil, get out of the ground and form leaves in which photosynthesis will begin. In other words, potato tubers contain a "packed lunch" that should help them survive the winter and start growing in the spring.

Are the sprouts toxic?

Looking carefully at the potato, you will see "eyes" - small specks visible on the skin of the tuber. They are actually stem nodes. And on an ordinary stem - above the ground - they give new branches and leaves. It is here that shoots begin to grow, if you forget the potatoes in the closet for a long time. They wake up and start growing thanks to the warmth of your home, and if the potatoes are in the light, the process will accelerate. Therefore, it is recommended to store the tubers in a cool, dark place - this prolongs the dormant period.

Well, what about greening? Most of us know we shouldn't eat green potatoes - but why?

Under the influence of light, certain physiological reactions are triggered in tubers. The green color is due to the formation of chlorophyll - and this is not harmful at all, such tissues, in fact, contain a large amount of useful mineral salts (for example, iron). Through similar processes, edible leafy vegetables acquire a rich green color.
Under the influence of heat and light, natural biological processes are triggered in the tubers

But light and heat also stimulate the production of solanine, a chemical that can cause toxic symptoms in humans when ingested in large quantities. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, burning throat, headaches, and dizziness. As a rule, this substance is concentrated under the skin of the potato (along with chlorophyll), as well as in the sprouts that form. So you really shouldn't eat green and sprouted potatoes.

Grow your own potatoes!

Of course, you can cut off the green rind and the sprouts that appear. This will reduce the likelihood of poisoning, but sprouted potatoes will often taste bitter. In addition, sprouting starts the process of processing the sugars and vitamins contained in the tuber, which means that the potatoes become less nutritious.

I must say, I have many times had the opportunity to cut green pieces from potato tubers to cook food. I just don't eat dark green or vigorous sprouting tubers - but they can be planted to grow new potatoes.
These potatoes are not worth eating, but they can be planted.

Yes, these potatoes will not be guaranteed virus-free like purchased seed tubers, but despite this, after a while, they will thank you with a generous harvest. Well, if you have nowhere to grow potatoes, but you do not want to throw them away, then remove the green peel and sprouts, boil the tubers, cut them and give them to the birds - they will be grateful to you.

Since February, sprouting potatoes can be found in every kitchen or cellar. This process is quite natural and often does not depend on the storage conditions of the product. But can such potatoes be eaten, and is it safe for health? In recent years, many people have been interested in the issues of proper nutrition, so nutritionists give a detailed answer.

A bit of botany: why potatoes sprout

From a biological point of view, potato tubers, like seeds or bulbs of any other plant, are a nutrient medium. From it, under suitable conditions, in sufficient warmth and moisture, young shoots break through and stretch towards the light. That is why useful substances accumulate in potato tubers: minerals, vitamins and starch. When the shoots gain strength, they draw out all the valuable elements from the nutrient base. Therefore, heavily sprouted potatoes become soft and wrinkled. In addition, in the presence of sunlight, a protective substance is produced in it - solanine... It is usually found in all parts of potatoes in small quantities, but during the growing season, under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, its concentration reaches a fairly high level.

It is this substance that is toxic to humans and animals. Its presence in food should encourage the consumer to be more careful with portions and processing of food to avoid food poisoning.

Can sprouted potatoes be eaten

Many people know that potatoes that have turned green by spring begin to taste bitter and should not be eaten. As for "growing" potatoes, opinions differ. Someone is afraid of poisoning, while others, in the old fashioned way, simply cut off the sprouts and cook potatoes in the usual way.

Of course, it’s a pity to throw away the valuable part of last year’s harvest, especially when the next one is still quite far away. In addition, there is no guarantee that the potatoes offered on store shelves in the winter-spring period have not sprouted. Let's figure out how to be and whether it is possible to eat potatoes in the spring.

Botanists and nutritionists argue that there is no categorical prohibition on the use of the product. But before you introduce it into the diet, you need to carefully assess its condition:

• Potatoes should not be softwhile it is juicy - it still contains useful substances.
• Shoots should not be more than 1 cm in length, and their number should not exceed 3-4 primordia. While these are small bumps, there will be no harm from the product, but there is no point in eating heavily sprouted potatoes.
• There should be no rotten spots on the tubers or green islets. Experts say that in such cases toxins are spread throughout the potato, and trimming the spoiled piece will not fix the situation. These potatoes must be discarded. You shouldn't be upset about the “spoiled” product either - many sprouted tubers can be used as seedlings for a new harvest.

How to store and cook sprouted potatoes without harm to your health

In addition to choosing relatively whole and still edible tubers, it is important to process them correctly. Here are some tips on how to avoid product spoilage and solanine toxicity.

• Do not store potatoes in the light, allowing it to turn green - this is how solanine deposits form under the skin, and potatoes sprout faster. To keep the product “dormant” longer, you need to keep it in a cool, dry, dark place.
• As the poisons accumulate under the skin and in the “eyes”, you need to mercilessly cut off all the processes and remove about 2-3 mm of pulp along with the trimmings - only the core of the “awakened” potato is still edible.
• The processing method also matters. Cannot be baked, boiled or fried sprouted and old "jacket" potatoes. Optimally, boil such potatoes in cubes or stew in a liquid, then drain the broth - some of the toxins will evaporate with this method of processing.
• Companion products will also help. So that old potatoes do not harm your health, it is advisable to choose products with antioxidant action for her "in the company" - cabbage, herbs, garlic, sour cream.
• Ideally closer to February put stocks of potatoes on the balcony or in the refrigeratorto prevent early germination.

Important! Some owners decide to start up sprouted potatoes for pet food. You need to understand that the body of a small animal is no less susceptible to poisons, so the product requires the same careful processing before serving. At the same time, it is not advisable to feed the pets with potatoes more often than once a week, and add them only in small quantities.

Be careful and then your food supplies will remain tasty and healthy until the next harvest.

In the spring, all last year's potatoes sprout - this is a normal process that occurs from March, even if the tubers are stored in a properly equipped cellar. If you keep your crops on the balcony or in the back room, you will face this problem at the end of February.

Old tubers dry out and shrivel, sprouts appear on them. Until a few decades ago, no one even thought about whether it was possible to eat sprouted potatoes. In the spring, the sprouts were broken off, a thicker layer of the peel was removed during cleaning and the last year's harvest was eaten. No one was afraid of the potential harm, there was no information about mass poisoning with sprouted potatoes.

Now, in the wake of interest in healthy eating and changing storage conditions, the question arises: is it possible to eat sprouted potatoes? Read on to learn how to use it correctly and when you have to throw away the remnants of the old crop.

Potatoes with green sides are definitely harmful.... It turns green from contact with air and sunlight due to the formation of chlorophyll. By itself, it is harmless, but under the influence of heat and light in such tubers, chemicals are actively produced for its further growth and development.

This natural biological process has not the most pleasant consequences for humans - solanine is released, which is poisonous in large quantities.

Why you can't eat sprouted potatoes

Closer to spring, harmful substances accumulate in the tubers, and the beneficial properties are lost... Store potatoes begin to sprout quickly at home, but many do not throw them away, regretting the money spent or not knowing about the harm.

Whether it can be eaten depends on the number and length of the processes... Smooth-skinned potatoes with 5-7 sprouts up to 1 cm in length can be eaten after heat treatment, inside they are not poisonous.

Which part is the most harmful

Poisonous substances are unevenly distributed in the tubers. The highest concentration - under the green areas of the peel, around the eyes and in the sprouts.

Shriveled, soft, sprouted potatoes with long sprouts should not be eaten... Since the solanine has already penetrated deep inside, removing the sprouts and cutting the peel will not change anything. The remaining harmful substance is sufficient for poisoning.

Why is solanine dangerous?

All parts of potatoes, from tops to roots, contain this substance, especially in flowers and berries.... It accumulates in tubers during storage. In autumn, there is very little solanine, by February its content doubles, and in spring it reaches its highest concentration. Therefore, eating last year's potatoes in October is a direct path to poisoning.

Solanin has a protective function for plants... It has fungicidal and insecticidal properties, increases resistance to pests and diseases. But for animals and humans, it is toxic.

Solanine destroys erythrocytes in the blood, it is detrimental to the human nervous and immune systems.

Reference.In modern potato varieties, the content of this substance is reduced, it is not enough for serious poisoning.

Signs of solanine poisoning

When poisoning with solanine, a person experiences the following symptoms:

• lethargy;
• nausea;
• burning sensation in the throat;
• headache;
• abdominal pain and bowel upset;
• tremor;
• loss of orientation in space;
• increased body temperature.

A dangerous dose of solanine for humans starts at 300 mg.

The benefits and harms of sprouted potatoes

Potatoes that have sprouted will not harm if cooked correctly... To get poisoned, you need to eat it in large quantities raw, along with sprouts and green skin.

Cooked old potatoes are not dangerous if you peel them beforehand, remove the eyes and sprouts, cut off the green areas. But the benefit from such food will be small. Since the process of processing the nutrients contained in the tubers starts in the spring, the sugars, carbohydrates and vitamins that a person needs are destroyed.

Potatoes remain useful until the size of the hatched sprouts has not exceeded 1 cm... Trace elements, carbohydrates and vitamins in such a product are available for assimilation by the human body. But as soon as the size of the seedlings exceeds 2-4 cm, no nutrients remain in such a tuber, only starch.

Sprouted potatoes are used in folk medicine... In small doses, toxic solanine can be a medicine. An alcoholic tincture is prepared from the sprouts. This means rubbing the sore spot and making compresses. To prepare the tincture, take sprouts 5-10 cm long, wash, dry, grind and mix with alcohol or vodka.

Because solanine has an antibacterial effect, tincture is used to treat scratches, cuts, skin rashes. And also for diseases of the oral cavity, arthritis, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Attention! Talk to your doctor before using sprout alcohol. Self-medication can be harmful to health.

Treatment with potato seedlings is contraindicated children under 14 years old, pregnant women, nursing mothers and patients with diabetes.

How to properly cook old sprouted potatoes

Boiled tubers are harmless to health, you can stew them... All other cooking methods are not recommended. Such potatoes cannot be boiled in their uniforms, fried or baked.

Since more than 90% of toxins are concentrated in the peel and pulp under it, only 5-10% of harmful substances remain in the peeled tuber. Moreover, most of them are washed out with water. therefore boil the potatoes until cooked or half cooked, drain the water in which it was cooked... After that, you can bake it, add it to soup, make mashed potatoes, use it as a filling for pies and dumplings.

Important! Children under 3 years old should not be given dishes from sprouted potatoes.

Another way to use old sprouted potatoes - as a raw material for the production of moonshine.

Sprouted potatoes as pet food

Cats and dogs can be mixed with potatoes in porridge or their other usual food., but not more than once a week. It is advisable to exclude this product from the pet's diet altogether.

Important! The lethal dose of solanine for animals is from 0.6 mg per 1 kg of body weight.

Slaughterhouse pigs and rabbits are added potatoes to feed... It is prepared in the same way as for human food - peel off the peel in a thick layer and boil it.

Conclusion

Sprouted potatoes do not have to be thrown away, although the content of harmful substances in them is increased. If you store your potatoes properly and cook them with their biological characteristics in mind, you don't have to worry about poisoning.

If you did not dare to cook a dish of sprouted potatoes, but it’s a pity to throw it away, you can benefit from it in another way - prepare a medicine or plant it in your garden plot.

Potatoes - one of the most frequently consumed and favorite foods in almost every family. The benefits of potatoes are undeniable, since they contain ascorbic acid, which is vital for humans. Also, this vegetable is rich in a balanced set of amino acids and almost all useful minerals. We do not do without it either on weekdays or on holidays. Special lovers do not mind eating a couple of potatoes raw. A big plus of this vegetable is the possibility of long storage in dark and cool places. For when exposed to the sun or heat, the potatoes begin to grow green, and sometimes germinate. Especially in the spring, it is practically impossible to find potatoes without sprouts.

Why is that?

Sunlight triggers physiological reactions in potatoes. Thanks to chlorophyll, which is not harmful in itself, and even contains a large amount of useful minerals, the potatoes begin to turn green, contributing to an increase in the solanine content. As you know, this is a poisonous substance that accumulates under the skin, in new sprouts and around them.

Solanine poisoning can cause;

• nausea;
• vomiting;
• loose stools;
• cramping abdominal pain;
• a feeling of bitterness in the mouth;
• sore throat.

On average, 2 hours after the nightshade eaten, solanine begins to enter the bloodstream. Due to this, there are signs of toxic effects on the cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory, urinary system. There is difficulty in breathing, general weakness, lethargy, headaches, dizziness, decreased urination.

With severe intoxication with solanine, convulsions, disorientation, fever and even coma are possible, although this will require eating several kilograms of raw sprouted or green potatoes. Ripe potatoes contain only 0.05% solanine. But in old, green, sprouted potatoes, its concentration increases markedly.

So you know the answer to the question is it possible to eat sprouted potatoes? - it is absolutely impossible to eat green potatoes! And the sprouted is not advised to use even in small quantities.