Can You Eat Sprouted Potatoes? 🥔
Sometimes, but you need to be careful. Sprouted potatoes can contain increased levels of natural toxins called glycoalkaloids, mainly solanine and chaconine. These compounds can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, headache, and, in severe cases, neurological symptoms. (fda.gov)
Small sprouts, potato still firm: You can generally cut away the sprouts and the surrounding area generously, then peel and cook the potato. However, cooking does not reliably eliminate glycoalkaloids. (fda.gov)
Green, heavily sprouted, shriveled, bitter, or damaged potatoes: Discard them. Green coloration can indicate elevated glycoalkaloid levels, and heavily sprouted potatoes are best avoided. (poison.org)
Don’t eat the sprouts themselves. Remove them completely rather than treating them as edible parts of the potato.
For storage, keep potatoes in a cool, dark, dry place to slow sprouting and reduce exposure to light.
Bottom line: A firm potato with a few small sprouts isn’t automatically dangerous, but if it’s very sprouted, green, shriveled, or tastes bitter, throw it away.
