Green tomatoes are dangerous and should only be plucked when fully ripe and entirely red, according to gardeners. People have been questioning if green tomatoes are edible since the 1991 film ‘Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café’ by Jon Avnet was released in theaters. Pickled green tomatoes or jam prepared from green tomatoes, for example, are regarded a delicacy in certain areas. We can advise you about how much poison is actually contained in green tomatoes and what effect it can have if you eat it.
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The protection mechanisms of unripe fruit plants
If the plant world is all about defending itself against predators, fruit-bearing plants are no exception. This implies concealment and a chemical mixture for tomatoes. Unripe fruit is green and therefore difficult to recognize between the plant leaves. Only until the fruit and seeds inside it are mature enough to assure the tomato’s reproduction do they become red or yellow, depending on the type. During the ripening process, a variety of things occur within the fruit. The toxic alkaloid solanine is found in green tomatoes. This assures a repulsive, bitter flavor, and if the unripe fruit is consumed in sufficient quantities, the symptoms of poisoning appear quickly.
The toxic alkaloid solanine is found in green tomatoes.
Solanine is a kind of alkaloid. This chemical class contains thousands of active compounds that are found in plants as defensive mechanisms. They include colhicine from meadow saffron and strychnine from nux vomica, both of which are lethal in little amounts. This category also includes capsaicine, which is responsible for the fiery taste in chilis and red peppers, and morphine, which is derived from opium poppies and is used to relieve pain. Several of these chemicals are used in little dosages in medicine. They often become harmful when the plant components containing the chemicals are eaten in big quantities or in another method.
How poisonous really are green tomatoes?
Since only the green sections of tomato plants contain alkaloid, ingesting these parts poses a danger of poisoning. Those who drink roughly 0.0071 ounces of solanine get the first symptoms of severe poisoning, such as dizziness, trouble breathing, stomach aches, or diarrhea. If more is eaten, the central nervous system will be harmed, resulting in cramping and paralysis. A dose of around 0.014 ounces is considered lethal.
Green tomatoes have around 0.00032 to 0.0011 ounces every 3.53 ounces. In order to trigger the first indications of severe poisoning with the maximum concentration of the alkaloid, you would have to consume 22.05 ounces of raw unripe tomatoes. Yet, since solanine has an extremely bitter taste, it is exceedingly improbable that you would accidentally consume such a large quantity.
Semi-ripe tomatoes, or tomatoes that are almost ripe, have just 0.0007 ounces of solanine per 3.53 ounces of tomato. So you would need to eat 220.46 pounds of tomatoes for it to be dangerous.
When tomatoes are completely ripe, they only contain up to 0.000025 ounces every 3.53 ounces, thus that you would have to consume around 63.93 pounds of raw tomatoes to be at risk of noticeable poisoning.
Generally, because of the bitter flavor and low content in semi-ripe tomatoes, it is unlikely that you may accidently poison yourself with solanine. Green tomatoes, on the other hand, are pickled or used to produce jam in certain areas. Since solanine is heat resistant, and the bitter flavor is hidden by sugar, vinegar, and spices, these items should be consumed with caution. With pickled tomatoes in particular, it is assumed that up to 90 percent of the solanine content is still present and ingesting just 3.53 to 5.29 ounces can lead to symptoms of poisoning.
Ripe tomatoes are healthy
Tomatoes are not only no longer toxic when completely ripe, but they are also highly healthful. They are high in potassium, vitamin C, and folate and are low in calories (only about 17 kilo calories per 3.53 ounces). The lycopene component, which gives ripe tomatoes their intense red color, is especially intriguing. This is a carotinoide that binds to free radicals. As a result, it is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, prostate cancer, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and infertility. A daily ingestion of 0.00025 ounces may enhance endothelial dysfunction (dysfunction of the lymphatic and blood arteries) in cardio-vascular patients, according to a research.
These green tomatoes are edible
Even if you only harvest and eat normal red or yellow fruit tomatoes when completely mature, you don’t have to avoid green tomatoes entirely – even if it’s only to give color to a meal. Green fruit varieties such as the yellow-green striped ‘Green Zebra,’ ‘Limetto,’ and ‘Green Grape’ are now available in supermarkets. They are distinguished not only by their green exterior skin, but also by their green fruit flesh, and they are absolutely harmless.
