Varietal variations of potatoes are characterized by different taste properties, however, among them there are those instances that can not be eaten under any pretext. We are talking about green tubers, which carry a certain danger for both humans and animals. What exactly it consists of, why the potato fruits under the peel turn green and how they can be used without fear for health - read more about this.

What is the reason for the appearance of greens on potatoes

Potato refers to plants that are able to independently reproduce new fruits. An important role in this process is played by sunlight, under the influence of which all green parts of the culture trigger the process of photosynthesis. It is he who contributes to a change in the color of the tuber, saturation of the color of the leaves and the stem zone. Why this happens with the aboveground parts is understandable without any unnecessary explanations, but the greening of potatoes in the ground is not always explainable.

In the latter case, we are talking mainly about tubers planted too close to the surface of the soil, or those that were stored for some time under direct sunlight.

Is it possible to plant green potatoes

The appearance of green areas on potato tubers is not a contraindication to the use of such planting material. On the contrary, many gardeners advise to specially lay out the fruits in the sun at least 2-3 weeks before the expected date of planting.

For the formation of chlorophyll, potato tubers only need 36 hours, after which they become much stronger and are highly preserved, which positively affects the development of young plants. Simply put, green potatoes are not only possible, but also need to be planted in the ground.

Did you know? Potato was the first vegetable planted in space, and it happened back in 1995.

Why you can’t eat green potatoes

There is still debate about the possibility of eating green potatoes: some people talk about the absence of any harmful effects, while others do not recommend eating such a vegetable. However, before making a final decision, it is still worthwhile to find out about the possible risks associated with the use of such fruits for culinary purposes.

The harm of green potatoes

There is much more harmful solanine in green potato fruits than in standard tubers, and the main warnings regarding its use are associated with this. Only 300-400 g of this substance can lead to serious poisoning with severe pain in the stomach and vomiting, and 2 kg of green potatoes eaten are fatal, both for humans and animals.

It is noteworthy that when boiled, such a tuber is less dangerous, however, with regular use, the amount of toxic substance will only accumulate, ultimately causing a critical content of solanine in the blood and the associated consequences.

Important! If potato fruits are not completely green, but have changed color only in certain places, then they can still be eaten, but do not forget to cut off all suspicious areas. The middle of the tubers always stores less solanine than the subcutaneous space, so cut the peel without sparing it.

Children, pregnant women and people with problems in the cardiovascular system suffer most from the effects of the poison, and for a completely healthy person, a single use of cooked green potatoes is likely to end in a banal indigestion, of course, if we are talking about a standard serving.

Therefore, it is up to you to decide how poisonous the green potato is and whether it will be harmful to you specifically based on your initial state of health and health.

Signs of Poisoning

In order to find out what will happen if you eat a large amount of green potatoes, it is enough to study the list of possible symptoms of vegetable poisoning.

• First of all, it includes the following features:
• paroxysmal feeling of nausea and vomiting;
• intestinal pain;
• severe diarrhea (about 7-10 times a day, sometimes more);
• impaired activity of the heart muscles;
• decrease in blood pressure (often to critical values);
• uncontrolled muscle twitching;
• the appearance of a bitter taste in the oral cavity;
• a feeling of sore throat;
• fever (in rare cases).

If we consider the effect of solanine inside the human body, then appropriate analyzes will help to notice a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood, and without them a full supply of oxygen to the cells will be impossible.

It is the lack of oxygen that causes muscle paralysis and even death of a person, if help did not arrive on time. Therefore, even deciding to cut the greens, it is important to correctly assess whether you can eat the vegetable without harm to your own health or you should still choose other fruits for cooking.

Important! When washing the stomach, all manipulations should be performed only in compliance with the rules of personal hygiene, since any ingress of harmful microorganisms inside will only aggravate the situation and even more harm the victim.

If you still couldn’t avoid poisoning, you should know about the rules of first aid for the victim of the action of solanine. Before the ambulance arrives (you need to call it anyway), a person needs to rinse his stomach with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (a three-liter jar is enough for an adult), induce vomiting and give activated charcoal.

In the future, doctors will carry out intravenous rehydration of the body using a sterile solution of sodium chloride. This process will prevent dehydration after washing the stomach.

What to do with potatoes

So, is it possible to cook green potatoes - each person decides independently, based on their own health and methods of heat treatment of the product. At the same time, it is not forbidden to leave tubers for seeds, and sometimes it is even recommended that the fruits sprout better and give a good harvest next year.

Green potatoes are much better stored and less spoiled, therefore, perfectly retains their germination until spring. It is interesting that even rodents pay less attention to it, apparently knowing about its negative properties.

Did you know? To get 170 kg of peeled starch, you will have to process about 1 ton of potatoes. In addition, at least 80 kg of glucose, often used not only in cooking, but also in medicine, should be obtained from the same amount.

Sometimes starch can be obtained from sprouted green fruits, which, after preliminary cleaning, is used for culinary purposes. True, some housewives still doubt whether it is possible to eat dishes cooked on its basis, because theoretically there is still solanine in it. To protect yourself as much as possible, always clean the tubers well and choose only the middle part of the fruit as a raw material - with a minimum content of toxic substance.

Precautionary measures

If the whole dug out crop will be used only for culinary purposes, then it is worthwhile to make every effort to prevent the greening of potatoes and the accumulation of solanine in it. To do this, all collected tubers should be packed in dense bags that do not allow sunlight. Wire mesh and plastic bags in this case will not work.When storing potatoes on the balcony, take care of creating a dark niche or additionally cover the fruits with lightproof material, otherwise you still have to eat a greened crop. A small amount of tubers can also be stored in the refrigerator, after placing the potatoes in a tight, but leaky plastic bag: it will help prevent natural wilting.

Before preparing a vegetable, always carefully peel it, and it is necessary to cut it off with a thick layer, capturing a few millimeters of subcutaneous space. Completely green fruits are recommended to be thrown right away to exclude probability of accidental poisoning.

Having correctly assessed all the possible risks associated with the use of solanine, you can prevent the undesirable consequences of cooking green potatoes, which will certainly be useful for the whole family.