With potatoes, we often have eyes bigger than the stomach.
We always buy them in large quantities, but we never manage to eat them all.
Result:Germs appear on our potatoes some time later!
A question then arises.
What should we do with these sprouted potatoes? To throw them ? Cook them?
Well after years of doubt, a gardener finally explained everything to me and gave me the answer.
Find out if you can eat sprouted potatoes without risk to your health.
Come on, let's immediately stop the suspense around this question.
Yes, you can eat sprouted potatoes, but under certain conditions.
If the potato is very firm with just a few small budding bulbs, no problem.
They are still good.
You just have to remove the small germs with a knife and cook your potatoes as usual.
The tricky part is when the potato becomes soft and the sprouts look like roots.
You should know that sprouted potatoes contain a toxin called solanine.
This substance is present at the base of the germs and on the slightly green parts of the potato.
Ingested in too much quantity , it can cause diarrhoea, stomach aches and vomiting.
Did you notice what I said? "Too much".
So if you don't eat 2 kg of potatoes with germs all at once, there is no danger to your health.
Sprouted potatoes consumed in low doses have no impact on our body.
We have seen that it is possible to eat potatoes, even in the presence of germs.
Nevertheless, it's still better if you can keep them as long as possible without bulbs.
This requires storing them in the best conditions.
A dark, dry and cool place (around 10 degrees) is ideal for the potato.
The garage or the cellar are perfect places for example.
And above all, we put the potatoes in a basket or a crate.
Never in a plastic bag or airtight box; if the air does not circulate, it accelerates germination!
In any case, do not put them in the sun or in the fridge.
Potatoes hate heat or cold; it also speeds up their germination.
Finally, know that there are grandmother's methods to better preserve them.
For example, do you know the apple technique? No?
Well, check out this trick. She works miracles.
There is also the technique with newspaper; it was my market gardener who gave me the trick.
It works great; I see a real difference when I store my potatoes.
A potato that has sprouted too much is not necessarily a potato to be thrown away.
As long as it is not too soft and not rotten, it can still be used.
There are indeed many other ways to use potatoes.
For example, did you know that potatoes cure certain health problems?
I'm thinking gout attacks or wart problems.
They can also be used to perfectly clean a mirror.
Even potato peelings and cooking water can be used!
You see, even inedible, potatoes can still be used for many other things.
And then a potato full of germs is also an opportunity to use it to grow others.
All you have to do is apply this gardener's method.
If a 4-sprout potato, cut it into 4 large pieces, each with a sprout.
Turn the soil over and plant the pieces, spacing them about 20 cm apart.
Watch this video; she explains very well how to do it.
You then get a harvest of organic potatoes.
You eat better and it costs you less; not beautiful!
