What Happens if You Eat Raw Potatoes?

Raw potatoes are typically bitter with hard consistency and are not a popular option for many. If you eat raw potatoes you may experience digestive issues and be exposed to lectins and solanine.

While cooked potatoes are a welcome addition to hundreds of dishes, eating raw potatoes isn’t very common. This article tells you whether you can eat raw potatoes, their benefits, and possible risks.

Raw potatoes are typically bitter with hard consistency and are not a popular option for many. This is one of the main reasons potatoes are baked, boiled, fried, steamed, or roasted. Cooking potatoes gives them a unique flavor and color. This is due to the effect of the various stages of the Maillard reaction, which involves changes in the sugars and amino acids in the potato to produce standout flavor.

When cooked, potatoes produce a specific group of molecules called umami compounds. The unique taste of potatoes is also attributed to this ingredient. 

Most people prefer their potatoes cooked, enjoying the textures and flavors developed in the cooking process and the way these marry with other foods. But if you enjoy eating raw potatoes, you should know the basic nutritional facts and be aware of their side effects.

Raw potatoes are rich in several essential nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. 100 grams of raw potatoes contain:

Energy: 77 calories

Total lipid (fat): 0.09 grams

Protein: 1.05 grams

Carbohydrates: 17.5 grams

Starch: 15.3 grams

Fiber: 2.1 grams

Calcium: 12 milligrams

Iron: 0.81 milligrams

Magnesium: 23 milligrams

Phosphorus: 57 milligrams

Potassium: 425 milligrams

Sodium: 6 milligrams

Zinc: 0.3 milligrams

Copper: 0.11 milligrams

Manganese: 0.153 milligrams

Selenium: 0.4 micrograms

Vitamin C: 19.7 milligrams

Thiamin: 0.081 milligrams
Riboflavin: 0.032 milligrams

Niacin: 1.06 milligrams

Pantothenic acid: 0.295 milligrams

Vitamin B6: 0.298 milligrams

Folate: 15 micrograms

Choline: 12.1 milligrams

Lutein and Zeaxanthin: 9 micrograms

Vitamin E: 0.1 milligrams

Vitamin K: 2 micrograms

Raw potatoes contain essential amino acids such as histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Your body depends on food sources to get these amino acids, which are the building blocks for proteins.

Your body needs roughly 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily, and raw potatoes are a great plant source of fiber. Fiber lowers the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. This keeps your cholesterol levels in check and also improves heart health. Fiber enhances your gut health and has anti-inflammatory effects that could lower chronic inflammation caused by diabetes, constipation, and heart diseases.

The muscles in your intestines regulate the flow of food in your gastrointestinal tract from the time it enters your mouth up to its elimination from your system. Dietary fiber is not as easily digested as other nutrients and aids this movement along the digestive tract. It also adds bulk to your feces.

Raw potatoes are an abundant source of starch; 70% to 80% of the total starch content in raw potatoes is made up of amylopectin, a resistant starch very similar to fiber.

Resistant starch is a carbohydrate that is not as easily digested as regular starch and acts as a prebiotic in your gut. As this starch ferments in your large intestine, it serves as a source of nutrition for the good bacteria in your gut. Your system breaks down most starch into glucose. However, resistant starch is not easily digested and prevents a spike in your blood glucose levels.

Resistant starch increases satiety levels, which means you feel full sooner as you eat and thus aids weight loss efforts. It’s also linked to a lower risk of colon cancer.

What’s interesting to note is that when potatoes are cooked, they lose their resistant starch content. This is true for several varieties of potatoes. According to research, the temperature and duration for which potatoes are cooked impact the rate at which they lose their resistant starch. Baking is a better way to retain the resistant starch content.

Potatoes are also rich in vitamins, especially B6 and C. Vitamin C is vital for immune system functions and enhances wound healing. Your body needs vitamin B6 to carry out many critical physiological functions. These include brain communication, hemoglobin formation, and immune functions.

While raw potatoes contain several essential nutrients, you should be mindful of ingredients with a few potential downsides.

Lectins

Raw potatoes, like other plant sources, contain lectins. Lectins are proteins that attach to carbohydrates and, when taken in large amounts, could lead to nausea, stomach upset, and diarrhea. It could also impact the absorption of other essential nutrients into your system. More research is needed to understand these effects of lectins. But you should know that they are water-soluble proteins, and boiling plants and vegetables that contain lectins is enough to remove them.

Solanine

Potatoes that are kept in storage for a long time turn green. This is due to the formation of a compound called solanine which gives it a bitter flavor. It’s usually produced when potatoes are in the sun for a long time or are kept in extremely cold or warm temperatures. The potato produces solanine to prevent insect infestation.

Solanine in small amounts can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In severe cases, it could lead to paralysis of the central nervous system. There have been reports of large amounts of solanine causing fatalities. When using potatoes, it’s a good idea to cut off and discard the green portions before you eat them.

Could cause digestive issues

Fiber and resistant starch have similar functions in your gut. Very high amounts of these nutrients may have adverse effects. Research shows fermentation due to prebiotics could lead to bloating and gaseousness. Sometimes, it could also cause diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Raw potatoes contain vital nutrients like vitamin C, B6, and resistant starch, while cooking them removes potentially harmful compounds like lectins. While both have their benefits, the best way is to choose a path of moderation and have a diet that includes both raw and cooked potatoes. Make sure you wash the potatoes and store them properly before you eat them. You should also eat a wholesome meal that includes other fruits and vegetables.