Ok- I have always heard that if you leave potatoes in the sun they start to turn green. If they turn green they are poisonous. Here's the question(s): If you peel the skin (ot any other green parts) is it ok to eat? How green is too green? What will happen if you cook and eat a green potato? All Dr. Suess answers appreciated :)

Amy

-- Amy Richards (tiggerwife@aol.com), December 19, 2000

Answers

I have peeled them when I can they have never put me under land they're supposed to be a poisonous part I don't believe that in my heart I have sliced and fried them Never died having tried them I have mashed them I have smashed them The green peelings... Always trashed them either fried, O'brian mashed or stewed I'll always eat them unless their blue

My apologies to the good doctor

-- grant (organicgrange@yahoo.com), December 20, 2000.

Maybe it will read better this way.

I have peeled them when I can.

they have never put me under land.

they're supposed to be a poisonous part.

I don't believe that in my heart.

I have sliced and I have fried them.

Never died having tried them.

I have mashed them.

I have smashed them.

The green peelings...

Always trashed them.

either fried, O'brian.

mashed or stewed.

I'll always eat them.

unless their blue.

My apologies to the good doctor

-- grant (organicgrange@yahoo.com), December 20, 2000.

Green potatoes you have, you say?

Yes I've had then turn that way.

When I found them in the sun that day,

I thought they'd be thrown away,

But no, no I say,

I will not throw them away.

I will find my knife , my trusty knife,

and I will peel that green away, I say

I'll peal that green away.

I took my knife, that trusty knife,

and peeled that green away.

I cooked those spuds. And say hey bud,

I did not fall with a thud.

As those tater grew older.

And the weather got colder

Those green taters grew bitter

So I didn't bit him or her

Those silly taters got bitter.

The other older taters

were not sunbathers

And so I ate them that much later.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), December 20, 2000.

You two are good. You also seem to have either very quick, agile minds or a lot of time on your hands.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), December 20, 2000.

I'm not going to try to compete with the two poets above!! The green parts contain solanin, which is the poisonous substance found in tomato foliage, and in nightshade (which we all know better than to eat, right!?!). It does taste bitter, which prevents us from eating enough of it to cause harm. If you remove the green portions of the potatoes, the rest is safe to eat. I don't know what solanin does to you if you eat too much of it -- maybe someone else can enlighten us on that?

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), December 20, 2000.

My mother in law ate some green skinned potatoes and ended up at the hospital. I don't remember exactly what happened, but she did end up in the emergency room, where the doctors were amazed that she didn't know better than not to eat the green part( this is Idaho!). She recovered alright so I don't think it had any lasting effect on her.

I don't ever eat the peels anymore unless they are homegrown because I heard or read somewhere that they are sprayed with round-up to prevent them from sprouting in storage. If they are homegrown, I cut or peel away all the green part, including the flesh, til the potato is white. A slight green tinge is OK. If they are very green I just plant them or throw them in the compost.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), December 20, 2000.

How are you winding up with green-skinned potatoes? If you hill the plants, and don't store your harvested potatoes in the light (ie. store them in a dark or dimly lit area) you should not have a problem. HOWEVER, if you cut out any green the rest is fine. A slight green is OK too, but I suspect that is like most things - some people will be a lot more susceptible than others. Sorry - I didn't have time for a poem - maybe soon! GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), December 20, 2000.

Bravo, Grant and Cindy! The good Doctor would be proud!

-- Annie (mistletoe@earthlink.net), December 20, 2000.

Thank you, thank you, see what only 4 1/2 hours of sleep will do?

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), December 21, 2000.

Here in Maine they sayu not to eat green potatoes either. We had a lot of green ones this year even though I hoed up the rows real good, or so I thought. And Blue potatoes are just as god eating as the other colors! Great poems the kids got a kick out of them!!

-- michelle (tsjheath@ainop.com), December 26, 2000.

I have just eaten green skins and and potatoe anf deel ine f thinfk noww ii''m nut shur iff iii c c can finishhhh thhhhissss

-- james hurley (badgerhurley@hotmail.com), April 25, 2001.