Potatoes contain nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. Composting potato peelings adds these nutrients to the pile and benefits the plants that will eventually be grown using that compost. So why the controversy?
Are potato peels good for You?
Potatoes are an excellent source of nutrients. As they break down, they donate their nutrients to the finished compost. Potatoes are a great source of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and more. HOWEVER, there are some situations in which you might choose to omit potato peels.
My favorite answer was potatoes tend to get notorious because of their carbohydrate content, but they’re actually very healthy. They’re rich in vitamin C, some of the B vitamins, fiber, and the minerals phosphorus and potassium. Consuming raw potatoes helps you meet your daily requirements for these nutrients.
Another answer was this article examines the benefits and risks associated with raw potatoes, determining whether they’re healthy or harmful. Raw potatoes typically have a bitter taste and starchy texture that’s unappealing to many. For this reason, most people prefer baking, frying, grilling or roasting their potatoes before eating them.
Quite simply, raw potatoes are potatoes that haven’t been cooked properly, whether that is baking, boiling or some other common means of preparing these popular stem vegetables.
A common inquiry we ran across in our research was “What are the health benefits of raw potatoes?”.
I it is commonly called vitamin C. Raw potatoes have twice as much ascorbic acid as baked potatoes. In addition to that, raw potatoes are also rich in thiamine and riboflavin. Vitamin C acts as an excellent antioxidant to fight oxidative stress. Free radicals that are formed as a result of oxidative stress cause atherosclerosis and cancer.
Can I throw my potato peels in the greenwaste bin?
It depends on where you live! Some cities will only accept yard waste: leaves, tree trimmings, grass clippings, weeds, etc. Garbage collectors in these cities won’t take bins that have food scraps. But between you and me?
One source claimed don’t compost potatoes showing evidence of blight. Store-bought potatoes can also carry the fungus. When adding potato peels to compost piles, bury them deep to prevent the eyes on the peels from sprouting. Build your compost pile with the right components. These include adequate amounts of air, water, greens and browns.
Is it safe to eat potatoes with colon cancer?
While most evidence advises against eating potatoes raw, some research has suggested that digesting these resistant starches in small doses could have positive effects for colon cancer patients. Raw potatoes also contain more riboflavin, thiamine, and vitamin C than cooked potatoes and raw potatoes don’t increase blood sugar.