Why nutrition experts don't recommend eating raw potatoes

There are plenty of foods in the produce aisle that taste great and offer health benefits when consumed raw, from apples and blueberries to carrots and bell peppers. Some claim that potatoes fall under that category. But are they right?

"Potatoes are one of the earth's most versatile ingredients," registered dietitian and recipe writer Micah Siva tells USA TODAY. "While some people tout the benefits of eating raw potatoes, it's not something I recommend."

Here's why health experts raise some concerns with the idea of consuming raw potato — even if there is some truth to its benefits.

Why do some people eat raw potatoes?

Raw potatoes do have more vitamin C than cooked potatoes, Shelley Balls, a registered dietitian and nutritionist for Consumer Health Digest, tells USA TODAY.

"When boiling potatoes, vitamin C content decreases by 62%," she adds. "Baking a potato decreases its vitamin C content by 35% due to thermal degradation."

A raw, medium russet potato contains roughly 16 grams of vitamin C, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food database. For reference, the recommended daily amount of vitamin C is 90 milligrams for men, 75 mg for women and 120 for those who are pregnant. There are plenty of food options much higher in vitamin C, though: a 100-gram serving of kale contains roughly 93 mg, a medium kiwi contains about 56 mg and broccoli contains about 51 mg.

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Can you eat raw potatoes?

In moderation, it's technically OK to eat raw potatoes. But at best it's going to be bitter-tasting snack that offers only minuscule health benefits, and at worst you could actually bring on health issues for yourself.

"If you do choose to eat raw potatoes it’s crucial that you do so in small portions to avoid digestive issues and headaches," Balls says.

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While raw potatoes do contain more vitamin C, they also contain solanine and lectins, which make digestion difficult and are toxic in higher quantities.

"In small quantities, it's typically nothing to worry about," Siva says. But cooking potatoes nearly eradicates them while still offering health benefits — including improving the digestive, cardiovascular, muscular and nervous systems — making cooked potatoes the safer, healthier and better-tasting option.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can you eat raw potatoes? What health experts say