Is it safe to eat sprouted potatoes?

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Potatoes left too long or not stored properly will lead to sprouting. Ingesting sprouted potatoes can lead to the risk of poisoning or food poisoning. How should we handle sprouted potatoes and store non-sprouting potatoes until use?

1. Why is it dangerous to eat sprouted potatoes?

According to research, potatoes contain 2 glycoalkaloid compounds found in eggplant or tomato. Provided in small amounts to the body, this compound can provide many health benefits. They have antibiotic-like properties that help regulate blood sugar and cholesterol. However, if this compound is in excess, it becomes toxic.
When potatoes sprout, the glycoalkaloid content will increase. Therefore, that is the reason for the appearance of toxins that are harmful to health. Usually a few hours after eating you will show symptoms, but some cases are detected after 24 hours.
If you only have too much glycoalkaloid at low levels you will have nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain. When the amount of glycoalkaloid the body receives is too high, it can lead to low blood pressure, pulse disturbances, fever, headache, confusion. Some severe and severe cases can lead to death.
Another note that should be taken care of is with pregnant women. Eating sprouted potatoes will increase the risk of birth defects for the fetus. So you need to pay attention and avoid using sprouted potatoes to protect your health.

2. Can remove toxins in sprouted potatoes

Glycoalkaloid is a substance concentrated in the leaves, flowers and sprouts of potatoes. In addition to sprouting, you may have problems such as green spots, black spots ..... or when eating has a different taste. All of these unusual problems with its use are responsible for the high levels of glycoalkaloids in potatoes.
Some notions for teeth to remove damaged or sprouted positions will reduce the risk of poisoning for users. Moreover, if you eat potatoes with the skin on, you will reduce the amount of glycoalkaloid loaded into the body. This substance is almost unaffected when you use the microwave or cook at high temperatures.
However, based on research, there is not really an optimal solution to the problem of eliminating toxins in sprouted potatoes. So you should still pay attention to limit the use of sprouted potatoes to be safe for health. That's why health organizations always recommend that you discard potatoes that have sprouted or turned green to ensure safety.

3. How to store to prevent potatoes from sprouting

We are often not careful when preserving, so it easily leads to potato sprouting. A large part of the reason is due to the habit of storing too much for a long time. If you put potatoes in an environmental climate, the possibility of sprouting will increase.
In addition, when detecting damaged potatoes, you should keep them separate from the unaffected part. The potatoes that are still intact need to be kept in a cool, dry place. Make sure the location is not wet or too hot, which will limit the sprouting of the potatoes.
There are some tips that show that onions should not be mixed with potatoes. Because they all have the same ability to germinate, if they are placed close together, they will interact and lead to faster germination. This is an unproven trick, but you can apply it to limit the risk of potatoes sprouting.
Eating sprouted potatoes will cause the body to tolerate too much glycoalkaloids. This is a substance that seriously affects your own health and can cause problems with the nervous system. Although glycoalkaloids can be reduced by removing the skin from potatoes, it is not known exactly how dangerously reduced after peeling.
Above are some notes when using sprouted potatoes. Although it is possible to partially overcome and limit the toxicity, you still should not eat sprouted potatoes. Especially pregnant women and young children should stay away. If you accidentally eat sprouted potatoes, monitor your body and go to the nearest medical facility when you have symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.

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Reference source: healthline.com