Thanksgiving is Coming – Watch out for Green Spuds!
I know I pulled a fast-one kind of challenge on you guys for Halloween, but don’t worry, I’m not going to try to take Thanksgiving away. Just remember that this is a feast DAY, not a feast WEEK. Let’s focus this week on being grateful, healthy, eating light/whole foods, getting exercise, and drinking lots of water, so that we’ll be able to enjoy the holiday, not have it devastate us, and then move right back into a healthy lifestyle when it’s over.
I love potatoes on Thanksgiving. Love them! So if you’re like me, I want to throw some info out there…
Potatoes aren’t meant to be green.
Green isn’t new or cute when you’re talking potatoes, they are actually dangerous.
The green is a result of over exposure to sun and heat. Though the green is technically chlorophyll, and not dangerous, it is a marker of increased levels of solanine (a chemical naturally produced by potatoes in small amounts to ward off bugs). According to the NY Times, solanine “can cause nausea, headaches, and neurological problems.”
Tips for healthy spuds:
- Open the bag! Over the past month I’ve bought 2 bags of green spuds. Don’t trust how they look through brown or red tinted bags – open them up, take a good look, then buy them.
- Keep your potatoes cool and dark.
- The green is mainly in the skin, so cut and peel it away before eating.
- If it’s bitter, don’t eat it.
