Sprouted Potatoes: Are they good enough for consumption?

Sprouted potatoes are a common sight when they are left in storage for too long. They are a debatable topic and some claim that once you get rid of those sprouts you are good to go, while others believe that sprouted potatoes can be toxic and even potentially harmful.

So even potatoes can take a turn on us when they form sprouts and are kept for a long time. In this article, we will take a closer look at sprouted potatoes and their safety.

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Why Sprouted Potatoes can be dangerous?

Sprouted potatoes can be toxic (Image by Freepik)

Potatoes are a natural source of solanine and chaconine. These are glycoalkaloid compounds that can also be found in various foods like tomatoes or eggplants.

When these glycoalkaloids are consumed in small amounts it can offer various health benefits which include antibiotic properties and can lower the blood sugar and cholesterol levels in the body. On the downside when consumed in excess it is no longer beneficial, rather it becomes toxic for the body.

The glycoalkaloid levels tend to rise with the formation of potato sprouts, thus consuming sprouted potatoes may affect your health. The symptoms may include abdominal pain and vomiting, and even lead to diarrhea.

Additionally, when consumed in excess these potatoes can cause low blood pressure and headaches. In extreme cases, it may cause death, and in a more shocking revelation, consumption of these potatoes during pregnancy can cause birth defects.

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Is it possible to remove these toxins in Sprouted Potatoes?

Potatoes should be stored in dry, cool, and dark places to avoid sprouts in it (Image by 8photo on Freepik)

Glycoalkaloids are mainly concentrated in the green skin, leaves and sprouts. Getting rid of these parts of the potato may help in lowering the glycoalkaloid levels and contribute to reducing the toxicity.

Peeling and frying them can also be a crucial contributor in lowering the toxin levels, even though the extent of lowering is not that great.

There is no research based on this that can support that getting rid of the sprouts or removing the green skin can actually reduce glycoalkaloid levels. Thus it is better to discard them once they have started to form sprouts.

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How to prevent sprout formation?

It is advisable that potatoes with sprouts should be discarded (Image by Racool_studio on Freepik)

Prevention is better than cure. Here are a few tricks using which one can avoid the sprout formation.

The first step to it is to avoid stockpiling and buy only when you need them. Further, if you find any sprouting potatoes make sure to discard them in order to avoid its spreading.

Moreover, one can store the potatoes in a cool, dry and dark environment to avoid sprouting.

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Thus, sprouted potato can elevate the levels of glycoalkaloids which can be toxic when consumed in excess. This can cause problems in digestion and may also cause severe cardiac and nervous system troubles.

In order to take all the fun of the potatoes along with it nutritional benefits and get rid of the potential risks that may include in it, storage and sprouts should be avoided. Being preventive can help you enjoy potatoes without worrying about its potential harms.