Potatoes are the second most popular product in the kitchen after bread. He is like a lifesaver when you need to quickly and nourish a family. You must admit that potatoes are eaten with appetite both in the form of fried slices and in the form of mashed air. Potato dishes simply can not be counted. But are you always sure about the quality of the raw materials? What to do if in the total mass of root crops when peeling green potatoes? Is it safe to eat such tubers? Consider what to do in this case. Is it possible to eat green potatoes and dishes from it?
Peter's culinary innovations
It turns out that potatoes were introduced into the diet of a simple layman by a special decree of the king. In the middle of the XVII century, Peter I brought in a new product from Holland. But an unfamiliar vegetable did not immediately appeal to the people. There were numerous riots in connection with the mass poisoning. What happened, since people simply ate completely unfit for this part of the plant - berries and sprouts. In addition, they did not know whether it is possible to eat green potatoes and how much it can be hazardous to health. As a result of non-observance of storage rules, fruit damage occurred. Only with time were all the secrets unraveled, and people learned to put them into practice. And already in the XVIII century, potatoes became the "second bread". Nowadays, it is simply impossible to do without this vegetable in the kitchen.
Why is green potato dangerous?
Finding the fruit for a long time in open sunlight, and even at room temperature, leads to irreversible consequences. Why is green potato? The peel (the surface of the tubers) begins to change color, the vegetable becomes lethargic. In this form, potatoes are completely unsuitable for consumption. The point is to increase the concentration of solanine (melongen). This compound is found in all vegetables of the nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, bell pepper, etc.). And the higher the degree of maturity of the fetus, the lower the concentration of the hazardous substance. The safe level is no more than 20 mg of solanine per 100 g of product. Typically, its potato contains no more than 2-10 g. But under the influence of scattered or direct sunlight, a multiple increase in its level occurs.
Symptoms of poisoning with tubers with green
What symptoms can signal the presence of a hazardous substance? How to understand that green potatoes are poisonous? First of all, it is the presence of a bitter taste. In addition, a sore throat, discomfort when swallowing, lethargy, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea may appear. In severe cases (in the presence of 200-400 mg of corned beef per 100 g of product - this is a one-time consumption of more than a kilogram of green potatoes with unpeeled peels), there are fainting, convulsions, impaired renal function and cardiovascular abnormalities. If the concentration exceeds 500 mg, death is possible. Particularly dangerous is the use of poor-quality raw materials for children and the elderly. Weak immunity, gastrointestinal tract diseases can become concomitant risk factors and provoke serious poisoning. What measures should be taken in emergency situations? First steps: gastric lavage with potassium permanganate or activated carbon solution. Therefore, in the case of the presence in the total mass of root crops with a greenish color, they must either be carefully trimmed, or (which is most safe) discarded.
Can I eat green potatoes?
But it turns out that not only the fruits with the green are dangerous when consumed. Long-term storage provokes an increase in the concentration of corned beef in potatoes. In late spring, old tubers tend to be covered with “eyes”. Such raw materials cannot be used categorically for cooking. If the potato still has a slightly different peel in color, then it must be discarded. After all, the concentration of a hazardous substance in it will reach 200-250 mg per 100 g of product. Such a vegetable is especially dangerous for:
- pregnant women;
- children;
- elderly people;
- people with various diseases.
Heat treatment (cooking) can slightly “extinguish” the danger, reducing the concentration of corned beef. This effect is explained by the transition to the solution. Potatoes that are too young are also not completely harmless . That is why the first crop often has a bitter taste. Already closer to autumn, you can stock up on high-quality, ripened vegetables, the content of substances in which is fully consistent with the norm. So, we figured out whether it is possible to eat green potatoes. But, oddly enough, in small doses, solanine can have a very favorable effect. Let us consider this question in more detail.
The healing effect of solanine
Everything should be in moderation. Raw potato juice can even be used as a medicine, but only if the concentration of solanine in it is minimal. This condition is only feasible when selecting high-quality raw materials. Green potatoes are definitely rejected. Take the tubers without damage, the usual color and wash thoroughly. Then grate on a fine grater and squeeze juice through several layers of gauze. You cannot store such a drink. Use only freshly squeezed potato juice for treatment. It is useful for gastritis, ulcers (including the duodenum), colds, hypertension, joint diseases. Drink 1/3 cup juice half an hour before meals 3 times a day. As a raw material, it is best to take root crops grown at home without the use of fertilizers.
Unsuitable fruits - ideal planting material
So why is green potato, despite its dangerous properties, especially loved by gardeners? It turns out that while the tubers are in the room for some time at a moderately warm temperature, along with a change in the color of the peel, laying of strong sprouts occurs. “Hatching” potatoes, falling into the ground, instantly gaining strength and quickly grows, forming a plant abundantly bearing (with proper care). This is how the cycle happens, when one small starchy ball yields a crop of several fresh bunches of “second bread”.
Follow the rules for storing vegetables and be healthy!