Growing Potato

05 Mar 17 Nixiwaka (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate): I stayed in Sweden for a few months and was surprised that they ate raw potato in the salads. So potatoes can be eaten raw.
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06 Mar 17 John (Australia - temperate climate): Hello Nixiwaka, yours is a good question! Potatoes can be eaten raw but are safer cooked. Potatoes produce alkaloids which can be toxic. As with other members of the solanum family (tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant, nightshade, etc) most of this is in the stems and leaves. When green patches occur on potatoes it is an indicator that photosynthesis is occuring and these alkaloids are being produced in the tuber. That is why it is important to remove any green part of the potato before cooking and eating them. Raw potato is not easily digested in our gastrointestinal tract and may still be undigested when it gets to the large intestine causing colic cramps or diaorrhea as it ferments. I'll let you decide!
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