Solanine
Once, by accident, I found out that eating old potatoes can lead to poisoning or weakening the body. I started reading about it and found it to be true. So I would like to draw the attention of the readers of "Recipe for the Garden" to the problem of old, sprouted potatoes.Vegetables and fruits contain various chemical compounds. Not all of them are valuable to our body. Some of them show toxic properties. One of such dangerous substances is solanine. It occurs, inter alia, in potatoes and unripe green tomatoes.
When does solanine threaten us?
In potatoes, it is concentrated under the skin and in the so-called"Eyes". He althy, fresh tubers contain a negligible amount of solanine and pose no threat to us. It is different when vegetables start to sprout in spring …
At this stage they contain more solanine than in summer and autumn, and consuming them in larger amounts may lead to poisoning. Symptoms may include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, apathy, headache, dizziness, hallucinations and fever.
In some cases, there is also a rash on the legs or conjunctivitis. Children and the elderly are more sensitive to the effects of this toxin.
Potatoes affected by plague and damaged or exposed to light contain greater amounts of solanine. Its presence in these vegetables is evidenced by the greening of tubers. So we must not eat such greenish potatoes.
How to get rid of solanine?
Scientists have proven that we can significantly reduce solanine levels by peeling potatoes and deep-frying them in the form of French fries. However, we will not gain much in ordinary cooking.Only a small amount of the toxin is washed out in the water. But still cooked potatoes contain less solanine than some beloved crisps.
I don't want to discourage anyone from using potatoes. I cannot imagine a good dinner without them. Just since I found out about the dangerous effects of solanine, I pay attention to what I eat. Our meals should be as varied as possible anyway. My advice is: in the spring, instead of potatoes, let's eat more groats, pasta and rice.
The old rule is that every toxin is a medicine, and every medicine is a toxin. Action depends on the quantity. I read that in the 19th century solanine was used as a medicine for multiple sclerosis and neuralgia.In plants, it has a defensive function, protecting them from being eaten by animals and attacked by pests. So in nature it is needed and we should not panic.
Izabela Cyranowska
