I was digging through my pantry looking for pasta (and avoiding actual work) when I found a bag of potatoes—sprouted. Not tiny nubs either, but full-on, alien-looking shoots reaching for the light. My first thought was disgust. My second was panic: can I still eat these, or is this dangerous? Turns out sprouted potatoes are a little more complicated than most people think.

When a potato sprouts, it starts producing glycoalkaloids, mainly solanine and chaconine. These are natural toxins that help the plant protect itself. In small amounts, they usually aren’t a big threat, but higher levels can cause unpleasant symptoms like nausea, stomach cramps, and headaches. That’s why sprouts aren’t just ugly—they can be a warning sign that the potato is aging and becoming less safe.

So, can you still eat sprouted potatoes? Sometimes. If the potato is still firm and only has small sprouts, you can cut the sprouts off, remove any soft spots, and especially remove green parts. Green skin is a red flag because it often means higher toxin levels. But if the potato is soft, shriveled, smells strange, or is heavily green, it’s best to throw it away.

The best way to prevent sprouting is proper storage. Keep potatoes in a cool, dark, dry, well-ventilated place—never in sunlight or sealed plastic. Also, don’t store them next to onions, since onions release gases that can make potatoes sprout faster. And if your potatoes sprout but stay healthy, you can even plant them and grow new ones.