Based on some more reading in this subreddit we might have gotten overexcited and we might have been able to get larger potatoes if we'd waited… but I have zero regrets, we already ate all the red ones and they were SO GOOD.
So, a question. Can we eat the greens like other greens? Can we dehydrate them like spinach? Should we just chop and drop compost?
I'm seeing conflicting information about the potato tops/greens from different regions.
by bpvanhorn
24 Comments
No, you cannot eat the greens. Compost them instead, potato leaves contain solanine.
No, don’t eat tomato or potato greens please
Do not eat potato tops!
… and don’t eat green potatoes. It’s toxic as is the greens. Solanine and chakonine are both glycoalkaloid poisons that can cause paralysis and death(among other serious issues) — and there’s no antidote for detoxification.
Potatoes are a nightshade. Do NOT eat any part of it other than the potato
*Sweet* potatoes are a morning glory (or close enough to. The leaves can be cooked like spinach.
No no no no nope! You can eat the sweet potato leaves, I had one that sprouted in my fridge that I just tossed in a box with some soil, and had salad for months from it. But potato-potato greens are dangerous.
Just FYI for future seasons, if you let the greens die off and go yellow, the potato gets a harder skin and stores better long term. Just stop watering them when the greens die so you don’t rot them out.
Edit: if you’re growing new potatoes this isn’t true obviously, talking about the main crop
almost certain they are poisonous to some extent , next time you do potatoes i would recommend leaving them in until the leafs start going yellow before harvesting !!
NO NO NO!!! And keep potatoes in a dark place, or they might go green and become not edible.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanine)
Hell no. Dangerous levels of solanine. Similarly, don’t eat the fruit that grows from them nor any green potatoes.
You cannot eat any green part of the potatoes, they are nightshades and solanine accumulates in the green parts, which is toxic, which is why it is recommended to store the potatoes in the shade, so that no part turns green and then you have to throw that portion away.
[A study measured the toxins in potato leaves and tried feeding them to rodents, and concluded that it’s safe to eat a moderate amount.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8655092/)
[Here’s an example recipe](https://youtu.be/R8Efsfz7HtQ)
You can eat anything ONCE, but this is NOT recommended.
You can eat anything once…
I’d just like to pose the thought that we all know green potatoes are toxic, so why would whoever is writing these blogs even consider eating the greens? Reminds me of Sam Thayer’s book, I can’t remember which plant he was referring to but he was reading a field guide which called the root of something potato like, and he was confused because the root is not good to eat, but between the root and where the green of the plant started was where it could taste like potatoes, Sam’s theory was someone quickly read and rewrote that part of “stalking the wild asparagus”
A lot of people barely read and paraphrase it, I’m most certain that’s what happened here with the sources OP read, and those people definitely upset me.
All green parts of regular potatoes are toxic. Russet, Yukon, red skinned, etc. are all toxic. All those shown the photo have toxic greens.
*Sweet potatoes* are unrelated species despite sharing the “potato” common name and the greens can be eaten.
You CAN, but your loved ones will deeply regret that you did.
🤢😵💀
Don’t eat nightshade leaves
wow thats nice
No don’t eat the greens nor any green skinned potatoes. Save those for compost and replanting.
No! Potato tops are toxic enough to send you to the ER. Do not eat.
Others have answered you but some clarification: solanine is the toxic compound in the leaves/stems/fruit of potatoes.
The same compound can be produced in potatoes (the root/tuber) if they are exposed to light for long periods.
In healthy adults, low doses of solanine will mostly cause upset stomach but higher doses can be dangerous.
DONT EAT! Every part of the potato aside from the tuber is POISON.