Get the answer, then watch for 2 signs that you’ve cooked your potatoes to a safe temperature.

Many items in the produce aisle can be eaten raw; some are even better as cooked. Concrete example: almost all types of pre-washed green vegetablescrispy and clean cucumbersand in most cases, watermelon. (Although we appreciate the smoky quality that results after wedges of this juicy ruby-red melon take a short stint on the grill!).

Most fruits and vegetables can be enjoyed either way, raw or cooked, while a few must be cooked to be safe to eat. Naturally, it is difficult to know and remember where each fresh produce falls on this spectrum.

A few readers wrote to us to ask, “Can you eat raw potatoes?” » Let’s get to it with the help of our Test Kitchen.

Meet our expert

Sarah Brekke, MS, Better homes and gardens Brand Chef Cuisine Test

The benefits of eating raw potatoes

In the amount an average human could consume, raw potatoes are safe to eat, according to Idaho Potatoes.

“Raw potatoes are considerably richer in vitamin C than their cooked counterparts,” Sarah Brekke, MS, Better homes and gardens Responsible for the Test Kitchen brand. “Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that helps stimulate immune system.”

Brekke adds that in their raw state, raw potatoes are also richer in resistant starcha type of starch that cannot be broken down in the small intestine. This type of starch enters the large intestine, where it feeds good gut bacteria. As a result, “resistant starch has been linked to better digestive health, improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced blood sugar levels,” says Brekke.

These last two details are particularly beneficial for people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Other sources of resistant starch include lentils, white beans, green bananas, oats, barley, and cooked and cooled rice.

The disadvantages of eating raw potatoes

On the other hand, there are serious reasons why you wouldn’t want to eat raw potatoes.

“Certain compounds found in raw potatoes, like lectins and glycoalkaloids, may actually interfere with nutrient absorption. These compounds generally don’t have much impact on someone eating a well-balanced diet, but for people who already have a high-starch diet, it can have an effect on overall nutrition,” says Brekke.

Let’s break them down:

• Lectins: It is a type of protein found in legumes, grains and nightshades (a family of plants that includes potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc.). Lectins are part of a plant’s natural defense system. If humans consume large amounts of lectins, they can trigger digestive upset and lead to stomach upset, vomiting, or diarrhea. However, cooking essentially “deactivates” these lectinsand the benefits of eating these healthy foods in cooked form (fiber, vitamins, minerals) far outweigh the risks.

• Glycoalkaloids (Solanine And Chaconine): “Potatoes, especially those with a greenish hue, contain compounds called glycoalkaloids,” says Brekke. This toxic compound is also part of the plant’s built-in “armor” and is found in some nightshades, including the green parts of peppers, tomatoes, and raw potatoes. (By the way, “we recommend throwing out really green potatoes if peeling and cutting them doesn’t remove the green areas,” says Brekke.) When potatoes are subjected to extreme heat, temperature changes or lots of sun, they produce much more. of these compounds. In moderate amounts, solanine and chaconine can cause itching, drowsiness, headaches, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, says Brekke. In very large quantities, solanine and chaconine poisoning can lead to hallucinations, paralysis, jaundice, loss of sensationAnd even death. An individual should eat a plot of raw potatoes – more than a dozen pounds – so that they are toxic. Again, cooking potatoes significantly reduces the amount of glycoalkaloids in potatoes.

One final downside to eating raw potatoes: Since potatoes grow in the ground, they will be covered in dirt, grime, and potentially bacteria. Wash the potatoes usually removes all of the above, but cook to a safe temperature provides an extra layer of security that bacteria has been eliminated.

Related: Can you eat potatoes with sprouts? Experts share if it’s safe

Can you eat raw potatoes?

Poison control confirms that a bite or two shouldn’t cause you any problems, but as a general rule, it’s wise to avoid eating raw potatoes.

Not only could they be dangerous, but they also won’t be very pleasant, says Brekke: “Raw potatoes are firm, starchy and quite bitter for most people. We do not recommend serving raw potatoes. In fact, we don’t have any examples of recipes using raw potatoes in our database of tens of thousands of recipes.

In addition to being safer, more tender and less bitter, “cooked potatoes go through a scientific food process called “Maillard reaction.“In this reaction, small sugar molecules found in the carbohydrate-rich potato react with amino acids in the presence of heat, causing them to undergo a browning reaction resulting in desirable changes in color, flavor and texture,” explains Brekke.

Can you eat raw sweet potatoes?

Potatoes and sweet potatoes may look like siblings, but they are I’m not really part of the same family. So you may be wondering, “can you eat raw sweet potatoes?”

Sweet potatoes and yams are not nightshades and therefore glycalkaloids are not a problem. Raw sweet potatoes may be more difficult to digest than their cooked counterparts. They are safe to eat – and many people do so in areas like salads and spiralized salads. However, we prefer them cooked via one of these 6 foolproof methods.

Potato Recipes to Try Now That You Know They’re Best Cooked

When you shop or pick potatoes from your gardenlook for tubers that are “firm, have relatively smooth skin with few bruises or imperfections and should smell earthy.” If the skin appears green, it is best to leave these potatoes aside,” says Brekke.

Once you’ve brought your potatoes inside and cleaned them under running water, you’re ready to put them to good use in a potato casserole, potato soupOr baked potato bar. You also can’t go wrong with potatoes as a side dish; try them fried, mashed, boiledor our new favorite way, Australian Potato Scallopswhich fans deem “restaurant quality” and “delicious and surprisingly easy to prepare.”

Related: The Million Dollar Tater Tot Casserole is the Easy Dinner You’ll Make Again and Again

How to know if your potatoes are cooked enough

No matter how you cook your potatoes, we recommend watching for any of these cooking signs that can alert you that they’ve crossed the line from raw to ready-to-eat:

• The center reaches at least 210° F when tested with a food thermometer.

• A fork or knife glides with little or no resistance.