Don’t Go Green…

photo credit: maesejose

…At least not when it comes to green potatoes. =)

This is one of those things I haven’t known for very long.  Maybe not even two years.  But you should also know that green potatoes are toxic and can make you sick.

Have you ever started peeling a potato and found that it was slightly green instead of white under the skin?  Or have you ever dipped your hand into a bag of potato chips and pulled out a green tinted one?  That green color indicates the presence of a glycoalkaloid poison called solanine.  Glycoalkaloid poisons are found in species of the nightshade family, the family to which potatoes belong.  The green you see is actually chlorophyll but its presence tells you that solanine is also present.  The potatoes become green from exposure to light, producing stronger concentrations of the solanine.  The solanine is found in the skin, sprouts and tubers of the potato.  The chlorophyll itself is not bad for humans, but the potato will produce the solanine at the same time.

This might sound confusing, but I’m trying to give you the correct terms while also trying to simplify it.  I don’t know about you, but big scientific words that are names for chemicals and such all run together for me and I forget what they are.

Solanine can cause gastrointestinal disturbances and neurological disorders.  If it’s ingested in large amounts it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and paralysis to the central nervous system.  Don’t freak out and throw away all your green potatoes because it’s not that uncommon to find green on a few potatoes in every bag.  Unless, of course, your potatoes have hardly been exposed to light since they were picked out of the ground.  It suffices to peel off all the green. Plus, it takes quite a bit to become sick.  Most sources say you would have to eat about 4 1/2 lbs of green potatoes to get sick.

The best thing you can do is keep your potatoes out of the light.  As soon as you bring them home from the grocery store, find a cool, dark place to store them, and don’t forget to peel away all the green before you cook and eat them.

Once you’ve made sure your potatoes are safe for eating make my delicious roasted potatoes and add some extra onion and bell peppers in there.  =)