In this short article, we will answer the question “Can you eat raw potatoes?” and discuss the risks of doing so.
Can you eat raw potatoes?
Yes, you can eat raw potatoes, but only before the 24-hour harvesting period is over, as doing so would result in the body producing a hazardous chemical.
Several investigations have confirmed that raw potatoes contain solanine and chaconine, particularly in the skin. These drugs, especially chaconine, have the potential to be hazardous when eaten in extremely high doses.
Gastrointestinal issues, notable diarrhoea, are the predominant symptoms. The compounds are heat resistant and continue to be somewhat inactive, thus the cooking temperature does not affect them.
We can obtain a component called resistant starch when we heat or cook it, and it has benefits for the food’s digestibility, satiety, and glycidic management in addition to other characteristics of taste and palatability.
Does the type of raw potato affect the concentration of hazardous substances?
There is little difference in the kind of potato.
The four main species that were examined were the Bintje, Monalisa, Asterix, and ball types, and all of them displayed concentrations that were less than 200 mg/kg, which was determined to be the upper limit to prevent a harmful effect.
Even though this upper limit was set a long time ago, 200 grammes of food are similar in household measures. When the food is in good condition, some studies have found that bigger serving sizes of 600 to 800 grammes of food are equally safe.
Are potatoes good raw?
Not as much as cooking. A lot of people dislike the harsh flavour and starchy texture of raw potatoes. The majority of people prefer to bake, fry, grill, or bake their potatoes before eating them for this reason.
As a result, there are a number of discernible flavours, texture, and colour variations. The Maillard reaction, which occurs when heat is applied when amino acids and a reducing sugar interact chemically, is what happens to raw potatoes during cooking.
The distinctive flavour, distinctive colour, and characteristic crispness of the baked potato are all due to this browning phenomenon.