New potatoes have a thin and delicate skin that is edible and tasty. That's why gourmets simply leave them on the tuber when cooking. But is it really always he althy for us if the potatoes are only cleaned thoroughly?
Can you eat new potatoes with the skin on?
Eating new potatoes with their skins on is he althy if they are thoroughly washed and come from organic farming. The peel contains valuable nutrients. However, with conventional potatoes, the peel should be removed because of possible pesticide residues.
Thin and edible peel
Early potato varieties form tubers with a wafer-thin skin. This does not interfere with eating, quite the opposite. Gourmets even prefer to leave them on because they like the tuber better that way.
Preserve valuable ingredients
Immediately underneath the potato peel are most of the he althy ingredients, most of which are unfortunately removed during generous peeling. This is also a reason for leaving the peel on the tuber.
Bulbs from conventional cultivation
Conventionally grown tubers could contain invisible substances on the peel that are not good for our he alth. For example::
- Plant protection products
- Germ and mold treatment products
Even after washing thoroughly, there are still residues left. These tubers should be peeled before consumption. To ensure that as many nutrients as possible are retained, this should only be done after cooking. Then the peel can be peeled off thinner.
Own organic farming
When you have home-grown tubers, you know exactly how they grew. If you only used compost and didn't use any other chemicals, you don't have to worry. If you like the peel, then you can eat it too.
Brush thoroughly
Potatoes, as potatoes are also called in some regions, are more or less contaminated with soil residues after harvest. Before preparation, the skin of the tubers must be thoroughly cleaned under running water using a vegetable brush.
Poisonous Solanine
The potatoes could also contain the substance solanine, which is poisonous to us humans. If large amounts of it enter our body, nausea, vomiting and headaches are the consequences.
Green spots on the shell are usually a sign of a high concentration of this toxin. But even peels that do not have a clear green color could still contain solanine. However, if the skins of the new potatoes are very thin and not yet properly formed, this is hardly a concern.
