Are green potatoes toxic????
The potato is an edible tuber belonging to the Solanaceae family originating in South America. The tubers are actually modified stems that grow underground in order to protect the plant from the low temperatures of winter. They have the ability to produce through photosynthesis a large number of nutrients that serve as food for the plant itself and remain inside the tuber once harvested.
When I go to buy them, I always remember my mother insisting on carefully checking each tuber before placing them in the shopping bag... the premise was simple: no green spots and no shoots. I have continued to do that careful inspection and I want to share with you the reasons that justify such attention.
Potato storage conditions are key to preventing potatoes from turning green or starting to grow sprouts. The ideal is to store them in a cool place (not in the refrigerator) and protected from light, because when they are exposed to natural light (also happens with the artificial) this stem-tubercle begins to produce chlorophyll, a green pigment that allows photosynthesis.
The chlorophyll is not toxic and in fact, it has certain properties very beneficial for health, but its increase inside the potato does not arrive only, but it is accompanied by another substance, called solanine, which can harm us if consumed in large quantities.
Solanine is a toxic and bitter gly-alkaloid derived from potato shoots that has fungicide and pesticide properties, that is, it is a natural defense of the plant against insects, diseases and predators. The lethal dose of solanine for adult humans is 420 grams however, it is really difficult for a person to consume such an amount without first rejecting the food for the intensity of the bitter taste.
In those cases where a person may eat green potatoes, symptoms may appear as soon as 30 minutes after consuming foods with a high solanine content, other people may manifest symptoms between 8 and 12 hours after ingestion.
Symptoms may include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, sore throat, headache, and dizziness. In some cases cases of hallucinations, loss of sensation, paralysis, fever, jaundice, dilated pupils and hypothermia have been reported.
Fortunately, a large part of the alkaloid is located in the skin of the potato, so peeling them can eliminate between 30 and 85%. Also, some cooking processes such as frying potatoes also eliminate it, even more than if it is boiled.
In addition to green spots, it is important that you pay special attention to the sprouts of the potatoes... although it is true that this does not make them dangerous it makes them less nutritious, because all the reserve of energy is invested in the growth of these roots. To prevent this from happening, store them in a cool and dark environment to prevent the activation of chlorophyll.