Questions about the safety of consuming sprouted potatoes

Can we eat sprouted potatoes without worries? A question that a very few people have the answer for, but do not worry the answer is yes. Of course, we shall examine the pros and cans in the following lines and hope that you will get a satisfactory answer to be able to make the right decision for you. We shall take a look, among other things, at the origin of potatoes and the compounds they contain. And lastly, we shall focus on potato storage.

Golden treasure of the Incas

Where did potatoes actually come from?Of course from the Americas but we should probably thanks the Incas. They cultivated potatoes in the past. Later, the Spaniards brought them to Europe. But potatoes were initially grown as an exotic flower only. Only later people discovered that they are quite nourishing and even benefitial to for our health.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Potatoes contain many substances that our body needs

Yes indeed, potatoes contain a plethora of beneficial substances. These mainly include:

• magnesium,
• potassium,
• zinc,
• phosphorus,
• iron,
• fluorine,
• sodium,
• calcium,
• chrome
• and more.

However, how much vitamin C and other nutrients you can actually get from potatoes depends mainly how you prepare them. Surprisingly, frying is not bad in terms of preservation of the good stuff, but you also get the unnecessary fat…Cooking for example, destroys vitamin C. In general, the smaller potatoes you cook, the more vitamin C they will lose.

Lots of potato myths

Potatoes are often seen as a fattening food. Nonsense. They contain almost no fat and one serving of potatoes has about 130 calories. We mainly gain weight thanks to the fat used during the preparation. So, do not overdo it, but you can enjoy fried potatoes from time to time.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

What about green sprouted potatoes?

Well, avoid using green sprouted potatoes because they contain a larger amount of solanine and chaconine.A large amount of these alkaloids is poisonous to humans, but if you use potatoes with the “proper” color even though they have already sprouted, there is nothing to worry about. Simply cut the sprouts out, peel the skin and you can use them safely. The taste and the good stuff will still be there.

Photo: Pixabay

Correct storage of potatoes

Potatoes should be stored in a cellar in permeable bags or crates at a temperature not exceeding 5 °C. Potatoes become sweet when stored at sub-zero temperatures and germinate excessively at higher temperatures. It is also a good idea to store potatoes 80 cm above the ground to prevent rotting. And if you want to reduce humidity, use salt.

Preview photo: Radek Štěpán