Solanin is a slightly poisonous fabric and contained in many vegetables, for example in potatoes and tomatoes. We summarize what you should know about it.
Solanin is a chemical connection that is slightly poisonous for humans. The fabric occurs primarily in nightshade plants such as potatoes, tomatoes or eggplants. Solanin is named after the berries of the black night shadow (Solanum Nigrum), from which the fabric was isolated for the first time in 1820.
Solanin: Where is it included?
(Photo: CC0 / Pixabay / Experimentmr)
Early potatoes have the highest known solanin value. In general: the greener the potatoes, the higher the solan. Potatoes are also the vegetables that are most known to become dangerous. In 1979, 78 school boys were victims of solanine poisoning in London. Those affected floated in a serious danger – only through quick treatment could everyone survive. Also germinating potatoes also have a high level of solanine.
Tomatoes contain the most solanine in the immature and green state. Green tomatoes have about 9 to 32 milligrams per 100 grams. With semi -ripe tomatoes, the value drops to 2 milligrams. Red, mature tomatoes usually only contain Solanin in the stem.
The following also applies to eggplants that they contain a lot of solanine in the immature state. The greener you are, the more solanine is potentially contained. In their mature, typical dark purple coloring, they no longer run out a major danger, according to the Federal Center for Nutrition.
This is how Solanin works
(Photo: CC0 / Pixabay / Derneuemann)
Solanin affects the mitochondria, small particles in the cells that are responsible for converting food to energy, among other things. It makes them more permeable, which means that calcium gets into cytoplasm (the cell content). The high concentration ensures the slow death of cells.
The following symptoms indicate solanine poisoning:
In the past, solanine poisoning was described as a “heavy stomach”. This can be explained with the typical symptoms. These are mostly:
- Feeling of fullness
- Dazzlingness
- Hyper sensitivity in touch
- difficult breath
The following symptoms are also possible for higher doses from Solanin:
- nausea
- Vomit
- Rash
- Hallucinations
Other symptoms can be a scratch in the throat, stomach pain, diarrhea and inflammation of the intestine or kidney (s) and fever. In extreme cases, there is even damage to the central nervous system.
According to the Federal Center for Nutrition, Solanin per kilogram of body weight can be spoken of poisoning. In the bowl, potatoes contain about 3 to 7 milligrams of Solanin per 100 grams. In the potato itself, there is significantly fewer solanine.
From 3 to 6 milligrams of potato glycoalkaloids, including Solanin, solanine can be fatal per kilogram of body weight. This amount corresponds to the consumption of around 5.5 kilograms of raw potatoes.
Tips to avoid solanine
How to avoid Solanin:
- In order not to absorb too much Solanin, you should peel the potatoes before eating – this also applies to cooked potatoes – and remove pressed areas and drives. The peeling makes sense because most of the solanine is contained in the shell. You can find out where you can see whether a germinating potato is still edible here: Better not eating: This makes potatoes toxic.
- In addition, you shouldn’t buy potatoes or immature eggplants and tomatoes that have damage such as pressure points or rot in the shop.
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Stark potatoes dark and dry (light promotes solanine formation).
- Use only mature tomatoes and eggplants.
- In the past, it was common to cut raw eggplants into slices and salt to reduce their solan. However, in modern breeds there is hardly any bitter Solanin when the vegetables are ripe.
Read more on utopia.de:
- Eat raw potatoes: toxic or harmless?
- Dry tomatoes: dehydrated machine, oven or sun?
- Gastric food: slightly digestible food for the stomach
Revised by Lena Kirchner
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