I love eating a raw potato like an apple, for whatever reason. Any time I'm cooking a dish with potatoes, I'll wash and peel one for me to eat. My boyfriend looked like I had grown a third arm the first time he saw me do it.

It's the perfect mix of crunchy and juicy, but not sweet.

[–] Riyria@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Raw potatoes are like semi toxic. Do you not get any GI upset from doing that?

[–] frostycakes@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

No, never. AFAIK they aren't toxic, just that the starch is poorly digested. Either way, I've never gotten sick from it, so 🤷

It's odd because I have had digestive issues off and on through the years, but the potatoes have never precipitated it. (It's mostly anything spicy, which sucks as I love spicy food-- it's a price I pay willingly sometimes)

[–] verall@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Solanine is a glycoalkaloid poison found in species of the nightshade family within the genus Solanum, such as the potato, the tomato, and the eggplant

Raw potatoes certainly are mildly toxic, it's not just undigestible starches.

[–] frostycakes@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Most home processing methods like boiling, cooking, and frying potatoes have been shown to have minimal effects on solanine levels. For example, boiling potatoes reduces the α-chaconine and α-solanine levels by only 3.5% and 1.2% respectively, but microwaving potatoes reduces the alkaloid content by 15%. Deep frying at 150 °C (302 °F) also does not result in any measurable change.

They're no more toxic than cooked potatoes, unless you only eat microwaved ones.