Who thinks it wrong to leave the potato skins on potatoes if the recipe says....

[ByronB]

to peel them first?   

I mean, aren't they suppose to be good for you?

I was told when I took a class on nutrition that if the skin of the potato was green to peel it because it can contain a neurotoxin in that layer with the green chlorophyll.

TO THE INTERWEBS!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato

Potatoes contain glycoalkaloids, toxic compounds, of which the most prevalent are solanine and chaconine. Solanine is also found in other plants, mainly in the mostly deadly nightshade family, which includes a minority of edible plants including the potato and the tomato, and other typically more dangerous plants like tobacco. This poison affects the nervous system causing weakness and confusion.

These compounds, which protect the plant from its predators, are generally concentrated in its leaves, stems, sprouts, and fruits.[31] Exposure to light, physical damage, and age increase glycoalkaloid content within the tuber;[32] the highest concentrations occur just underneath the skin. Cooking at high temperatures (over 170 °C or 340 °F) partly destroys these. The concentration of glycoalkaloid in wild potatoes suffices to produce toxic effects in humans. Glycoalkaloids may cause headaches, diarrhea, cramps and in severe cases coma and death; however, poisoning from potatoes occurs very rarely. Light exposure causes greening(chlorophyll synthesis), thus giving a visual clue as to areas of the tuber that may have become more toxic; however, this does not provide a definitive guide, as greening and glycoalkaloid accumulation can occur independently of each other. Some varieties of potato contain greater glycoalkaloid concentrations than others; breeders developing new varieties test for this, and sometimes have to discard an otherwise promising cultivar.

[Lloyd Danforth]

You still have to go to hell if you don't peal your carrots.

I tried pealing some carrots and couldn't get them to ring.

[dalebert]

Baked Potato Mash

Wash and then butter some tators around the outside to keep the moisture in, then wrap them in tin foil. Bake them really well. It's hard to over bake them but between an hour and an hour and a half at 375F should do the trick depending on how big they are. Then chop them up and mash them up really good with some butter, salt, pepper, garlic, and crumble up some strips of really crisp bacon. Serve.

Do not peel the tators.

[Kat Kanning]

Give them little tin foil hats?

[David]

I never peel them.  It takes some getting used to when you mash them, because instead of creamy white, you see little brown spots all over. 
When making home fries, if you leave the skin on then salt them as you are cooking them, some of the skins come off and they make a neat little salty crispy snack with the home fries.  Very good. 
Put unpeeled chopped taters in soups and you will never taste the difference. 

raineyrocks, covering the hard-hitting topics of the day 

Hey, this is a serious topic.  Never get between a man and his potato.   

[Raineyrocks]

Where the hell are the peal/peel police!

[Raineyrocks]

to peel them first?   

I mean, aren't they suppose to be good for you?

I was told when I took a class on nutrition that if the skin of the potato was green to peel it because it can contain a neurotoxin in that layer with the green chlorophyll.

TO THE INTERWEBS!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato

Potatoes contain glycoalkaloids, toxic compounds, of which the most prevalent are solanine and chaconine. Solanine is also found in other plants, mainly in the mostly deadly nightshade family, which includes a minority of edible plants including the potato and the tomato, and other typically more dangerous plants like tobacco. This poison affects the nervous system causing weakness and confusion.

These compounds, which protect the plant from its predators, are generally concentrated in its leaves, stems, sprouts, and fruits.[31] Exposure to light, physical damage, and age increase glycoalkaloid content within the tuber;[32] the highest concentrations occur just underneath the skin. Cooking at high temperatures (over 170 °C or 340 °F) partly destroys these. The concentration of glycoalkaloid in wild potatoes suffices to produce toxic effects in humans. Glycoalkaloids may cause headaches, diarrhea, cramps and in severe cases coma and death; however, poisoning from potatoes occurs very rarely. Light exposure causes greening(chlorophyll synthesis), thus giving a visual clue as to areas of the tuber that may have become more toxic; however, this does not provide a definitive guide, as greening and glycoalkaloid accumulation can occur independently of each other. Some varieties of potato contain greater glycoalkaloid concentrations than others; breeders developing new varieties test for this, and sometimes have to discard an otherwise promising cultivar.

Whew, those are mighty big words Byron!     I swear I've read it over 3 times and still don't understand, is it a bad thing to not peel them?  Sorry, It's just not computing in my head. 

[Raineyrocks]

You still have to go to hell if you don't peal your carrots.

I tried pealing some carrots and couldn't get them to ring.

Duh, you should've called them first Lloyd!  Do I have to figure everything out? 

[Raineyrocks]

Baked Potato Mash

Wash and then butter some tators around the outside to keep the moisture in, then wrap them in tin foil. Bake them really well. It's hard to over bake them but between an hour and an hour and a half at 375F should do the trick depending on how big they are. Then chop them up and mash them up really good with some butter, salt, pepper, garlic, and crumble up some strips of really crisp bacon. Serve.

Do not peel the tators.

Nummy, minus the bacon!     I've been living on trail mix bars and salad doing this liver flush and your post is making me soooo hungry!

[Raineyrocks]

Give them little tin foil hats?

Awww, that sounds so cute!  Gotta look out for the anti-potato aliens after all! 

[Raineyrocks]

I never peel them.  It takes some getting used to when you mash them, because instead of creamy white, you see little brown spots all over. 
When making home fries, if you leave the skin on then salt them as you are cooking them, some of the skins come off and they make a neat little salty crispy snack with the home fries.  Very good. 
Put unpeeled chopped taters in soups and you will never taste the difference. 

raineyrocks, covering the hard-hitting topics of the day 

Hey, this is a serious topic.  Never get between a man and his potato.   

Oh my gosh, this is making me so hungry!  I'm going to have a baked potato for breakfast tomorrow even if I can't have the good stuff like butter and sour cream on it because of this liver flush!

I made about 10 pnds of potato salad one time for a family barbeque and left the skins on, everyone gagged and told me it sucked. 

[Pat K]

[Pat McCotter]

Nummy, minus the bacon!     I've been living on trail mix bars and salad doing this liver flush and your post is making me soooo hungry!

As long as the trail mix doesn't have Peanut Corp of America nuts in it.

[Pat McCotter]

Nothing beats russet potatoes for flavor though. Baked or even mashed or fried with the skin  on...mmmm!

[ByronB]

Whew, those are mighty big words Byron!     I swear I've read it over 3 times and still don't understand, is it a bad thing to not peel them?  Sorry, It's just not computing in my head. 

Basically you if you see a lot of green stuff on the potato you should peel the green stuff under the skin off or you could get ill if you eat enough of the green stuff.