why do we need to peel white potatoes? page

[sandokan2112]

Some have mentioned about not eating the peel. What about sweet potatoes, is the peel ok to eat?

[Balance]

The skin on potatoes/sweet potatoes and a lot of nightshades tend to cause gut irritation. That is why people exclude them if they have digestion issues.

[peril]

Sweet potatoes aren't nightshades. It is only necessary to peel white potatoes, which have significant glycoalkaloids in the skin

[breadsauce]

If the potatoes are organic I scrub them well and eat the peel. If they are new potatoes and organic I eat the peel. If they aren't - I peel them.

And I have added potatoes back into my regular diet, not daily by any means, but on the other hand, sometimes twice a day. Much improved digestion as a result!

[yodiewan]

I can't view the link right now (at work... well, taking a break if I'm posting here, right?) but I think this is it:
Whole Health Source: Potatoes and Human Health, Part II

It shows that most of the glycoalkaloids in potatoes are in the skin, so they should be peeled, organic or not, especially red (new) potatoes. I'm pretty sure those are Norland in the chart.

I haven't looked for anything on sweet potato peels, but I usually avoid them too just to be safe.

[Joe B]

And I have added potatoes back into my regular diet, not daily by any means, but on the other hand, sometimes twice a day. Much improved digestion as a result!

Robb Wolf talked about this in a recent podcast, and I too have noticed the same thing since I began eating them regularly; I love it!

[carlh]

I'd say if nightshades don't bother you then don't peel them. I've heard/read that the nutrients in root vegetables is closest to the skin anyway*, so you might as well get them if you're going to eat them. I don't peel carrots or potatoes (not that I eat them right now).

* - but I've also heard this is false, so, YMMV

[theone]

What exactly is nightshades doing for your gut? Gluten is also not good for your gut (inflammation?), but in which ways does it harm our bodies?

[Owly]

Sweet potatoes are not nightshades. We call them potatoes, but they're from a different family, and the peels are fine to eat.

Even with regular potatoes, the glycoalkaloid levels are fairly low in many varieties unless the potatoes have started to green. I don't think it's harmful to eat the skins now and then as long as you've checked the potatoes for greening first and they aren't one of the higher glycoalkaloid types.

[Balance]

Sweet potatoes aren't nightshades. It is only necessary to peel white potatoes, which have significant glycoalkaloids in the skin

Thanks for the correction peril. I totally mis-spoke. Sweet potatoes are not part of the nightshade family. Nightshades actually include white potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes. But sweet potatoes are not one of them. I should know better since I normally eat the sweet potatoe with the skin all the time and it never causes me any stomach upsets.