Pinkiered
The Rose Queen
Joined: 02 Jan 2006
Location: Lawton, Ok (Map)
Posts: 927
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:23 pm Post subject: Question about green potato skins |
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On another forum (that has nothing to do with gardening) someone said this...
| Quote: | Your sister was sort of right about potato skins. If you notice a potato skin greenish colored at all....don't eat it!!!!
Potato skins do have a toxin in them to protect them from bugs and it's usually not harmful to people. But, if exposed to too much light the toxin increases to harmful amounts. When this happens though, the skin turns green (ish) so it's not like you can accidentally ingest it or anything. |
Now Ive never heard of this and remember as a kid that some of the potatos we ate had some green on them. Is this true? Does someone know of a good site I can go to to read up on this?
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I do not have a green thumb
My plants just have the will to live.
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girlgoneorganic
Just Arrived
Joined: 03 Jul 2006
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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I thought my mother was the only one that ever said that! she told me years ago the same thing but I've eaten green potatoes before and not been sick so where do you draw the line and can you skin and eat them or not at all?? very good question and I'm anxious to hear what everyone thinks.
GGO
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dooley
Official Garden Turtle
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Location: Arizona, U.S.A (Map)
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:30 pm Post subject: |
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It's very true. Green potato skins are poisonous. That's why you have to hill up potatoes so they don't get the sun. We used them at home when I was a kid, but we peeled thick slices off of them to get rid of the green which extends into the flesh of the potato. Dooley
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Pinkiered
The Rose Queen
Joined: 02 Jan 2006
Location: Lawton, Ok (Map)
Posts: 927
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:44 pm Post subject: |
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I was researching it and found this...
| Quote: | The greenish hue is actually chlorophyll, but it is also an indicator that an alkaloid, called solanine, may be present under the skin of the potato. Solanine develops in potatoes when they are stored in the presence of light (which also encourages chlorophyll formation) and either at very cold or quite warm temperatures. It is toxic, however it would take a very large number of green potatoes to make you ill. This apllies to the green sprouts and skin.
Since solanine collects just under the skin, it is safe to peel away the skin and a thin layer of white flesh before you cook the potato. Cooking at high temperatures (over 170 °C or 340 °F) partly destroys these.Believe it or not, potatoes are part of the deadly nightshade family. While it can make someone ill, its also poisonious to dogs .
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Hank
On The Way Up
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Location: Wisconsin (Map)
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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Solanine is bad. Read here.
It's not worth it. Toss em, go plant (or buy) more.
Speaking of Nightshade, here's a trivia question:
Deadly Nightshade is also commonly known as Belladonna. Why?
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bethie
Highly Skillful
Joined: 08 Jun 2006
Location: WestTennessee (Map)
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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Because Italian ladies used it as a cosmetic. 
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Hank
On The Way Up
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Location: Wisconsin (Map)
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, but there's more to it.
Of course, Belladonna means "beautiful lady" in Italian, and women used it as a cosmetic.
But to what effect, you may say.....Way back when, women (and ladies of the evening) would use the sap from the plant as an eydrop, thus dialating their pupils in an effort to make them more beautiful, hence the name.
Unfortunatley, the arrhythmia, dizziness and nausea where generally a turnoff for the fellas!
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glendann
Official Garden Angel
Joined: 19 May 2006
Location: Texas (Map)
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| Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2006 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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This is why we never ate the peelings of a potato when I was growing up.I still peel my potatoes when evryone around me eats the peeling .My mom always said it would kill dogs so it couldn't be good for humans to eat either.
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toni
Mistress of Garden Junque
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Joined: 07 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 4:25 am Post subject: |
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If the potato is green, do not eat it, it is not ripe. But if only the peeling is green it means it was exposed to too much light after being dug up. Peel the green off and it is safe to eat.
I never peel potatoes before cooking. Sometimes we eat the peelings on bakers and I always leave the peeling on when making mashed potatoes. Like with a lot of fruit, most of the vitamins and minerals are in the skin.
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CritterPainter
Knows Their Stuff
Joined: 27 Aug 2006
Location: Washington State
Posts: 1212
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| Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 12:45 am Post subject: |
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Well I don't know if this applies to any of you, but if you know anyone with a pig, NEVER let them have green peelings or potatoes. Very bad for pigs.
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Mary
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Gizmo
Animal Magnet
Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Location: Fl. (Map)
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| Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 4:26 am Post subject: |
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I have never heard of this. I'm not going to eat the green part of one anymore and I've passed the word on. Thanks to all and a large one to Hank for the site.
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G!zMo
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deadlyart
Just Arrived
Joined: 05 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 7:49 pm Post subject: green skins |
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wow its amazing what you pick up on this sight, I also always knew never to eat green potato skins, good old Mums where would we be without them. Something else she always told me was never to eat the little green potatoes that grow above ground on the plant and look a little like tomatoes......and another thing along similar lines she told me never to eat yellow snow!!! lol i recommend that one to everyone.
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deadlyart
www.llamaseven.com
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Gizmo
Animal Magnet
Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Location: Fl. (Map)
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| Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 2:55 pm Post subject: Re: green skins |
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| deadlyart wrote: | | ......and another thing along similar lines she told me never to eat yellow snow!!! lol i recommend that one to everyone. |
Good one to know Deadlyart
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G!zMo
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lchanson
Just Arrived
Joined: 26 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 2:47 am Post subject: GREEN POTATO SKINS ARE POISONOUS |
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We grew red potatos, did not cover them (hill them) as they grew, so some got exposed to the sun and got a greenish tint. They weren't really green-but they weren't red either-the green is harder to see on fed potatos.
I ate a big bowl of boiled potatoes, certainly not all greenish, but some portion was.....and about 6 or 7 hours later was in the bathroom throwing up with diarrhea. Sorry to be graphic...but for a short time I felt lousy. I had detected a slight bitter taste but ignored it.
So-it does not take a whole lot. I bet I had 1 cup max....probably more like half cup, unpeeled non-red potatoes
Look up "eating green potatoes" and you will find more info
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