Can you eat raw potatoes? Yes, but take one bite of raw potatoes, and you’ll likely experience a rude awakening.
It’s not much healthier than a meal of fresh fruits and vegetables. But is that the case for all fruit and vegetable? Certain raw food items aren’t safe (or appealing) to consume. Many of us aren’t able to finish enough starchy potato dishes. However, what is the best option if you’re on a tight schedule? Do we need to cut up raw potatoes to make an appetizer or salad? Let’s get back to this question.
Can You Eat Uncooked Potatoes?
Yes, even though you would not wish to. Raw potatoes are generally acidic and bitter. Therefore, they aren’t the most pleasant taste. It is why potatoes are consumed in the form of fried, baked, or boiled, as well as roasted.
Alongside the unpleasant taste, raw potatoes come with various health hazards unique to raw potatoes.
Risks of Eating Raw Potatoes
Raw potatoes contain certain substances that can cause health issues. Knowing that you’ll likely have to consume a substantial amount of raw potatoes to detect any problems is vital.
Glycoalkaloids
Potatoes are a source of chemical compounds known as glycoalkaloids. These compounds are thought to be harmful when consumed in large quantities. Green potatoes are exceptionally high in two glycoalkaloids, solanine, and chaconine. These chemicals are significantly higher in fresh potatoes than in cooked potatoes and are known to cause digestive issues such as nausea and diarrhea. Avoiding cooked potatoes with sprouts is also recommended for the same reason.MORE From the Taste of Home The article continues below.
The way you keep potatoes will affect the process. Keep them out of direct sunlight, not store them inside the refrigerator.
Lectins
Raw potatoes also have lectins, an amino acid that is considered to be an antinutrient. Antinutrients have their name due to their impact on the ability of our bodies to digest healthy nutrients. The cooking of potatoes can reduce the amount of lectin by between 50 and 60%.
Resistant Starch
Raw potatoes are high in resistant starch. It is a kind of starch that is unable to digest or absorb. Resistant starch is prebiotic in the gut and can cause more gas inside the colon. That’s what it means: more gas, bloating, and stomach discomfort.
Contaminants
In addition, since raw potatoes haven’t been cooked, they might contain various contaminants and bacteria that can cause food-borne disease and infection. If you are eating raw food items, it’s essential to wash them thoroughly to get rid of as many contaminants as you can.
Potential Benefits of Eating Raw Potatoes
In fairness to the raw potatoes, they can provide specific health benefits that are worthy of taking note of. Do you remember that they have resistant starch is what they are made of? If you can overcome that gas problem, resistance starch does have some advantages. It’s known to supply an energy source to beneficial bacteria that reside within the gut. Incorporating resistant starch into the diet could reduce blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity and increase weight loss.
What’s the bottom conclusion? The health risks will likely exceed any potential benefits of raw potatoes.
