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Q. Aren't potatoes fattening?

A. No. But if you add butter, cheese, oil or fry them then they can be very fattening. A portion of boiled potatoes contains less than 120 calories.

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Q. Aren't potatoes poisonous?

A. No. But the plant itself is and green potatoes can make you ill.

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Q. So how many green potatoes would it take to kill me?

A. What a morbid question. Luckily the answer is too many. To stand a chance of dying from Solanine* poisoning you would have to eat between 1 and 2 kilos of green potatoes in one sitting. If the bitter taste and burning sensation in your mouth and throat doesn't stop you then your overstretched stomach probably will.

* Solanine. Toxic alkaloid found in the Solanaceae family (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, tobacco and deadly nightshade)