Raw or cooked white potatoes?

[BertAllen]

Tinker loves my raw french fries before I toss them into the oil less cooker. I use one table spoon of safflower oil to crisp them.

He also loves cold mashed potatoes.

I have been reading conflicting stories that raw white potatoes are not good for parrots so what is the reason for this? He wouldn't get them more than once as a treat every two weeks as we do not cook fries that often anyway.

Also is Safflower oil safe if he gets one after it has cooled down to room temp?

 

[Mizzely]

All potatoes should be cooked. This is because raw potatoes have enzyme (protease) prohibitors that will block enzymes from breaking down fooods into nutrients. Thus they are harder to digest. The Starch in a raw potato also tends to sit in the crop or intestines which can ferment and lead to health issues.

 

[rocky'smom]

Please cook those taters.

 

[Serin]

Birds don't eat cooked food in the wild and in particular tend to eat a lot of normally toxic plant foods. A raw french fry should be fine on occasion.

 

[Mizzely]

Well they don't eat potatoes at all in the wild or probably 60-90% of what we feed them in our homes.

Wild birds have different nutritional needs, and they eat what is available, not necessarily what is best.

 

[BertAllen]

All potatoes should be cooked. This is because raw potatoes have enzyme (protease) prohibitors that will block enzymes from breaking down fooods into nutrients. Thus they are harder to digest. The Starch in a raw potato also tends to sit in the crop or intestines which can ferment and lead to health issues.

Well I always soak my fries in water for 3-4hrs and get most of the starch out. Then rinse well, this makes for much crispier fries.

So if I can find the info on Safflower oil and it's safe he will get one fry every couple of weeks.

Thanks for the info everyone.

 

[Mizzely]

Birds eat safflower seeds with no issues, but I don't know enough about safflower oil itself.

Coconut oil would still at least provide some sort of nutritional benefit.

 

[BertAllen]

So I have the time today to do some searches on Safflower seeds or oil.
I'm thinking a very limited amount like I use on my fries is not going to be detrimental.

Safflower Seeds and the Birds That Eat Them

 

[Mizzely]

Essentially it's just fat.

Amount Per 1 tablespoon (13.6 g)

Calories 120
Total Fat 14 g
Saturated fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated fat 1.7 g
Monounsaturated fat 10 g
Trans fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 0 g
Dietary fiber 0 g
Sugar 0 g
Protein 0 g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0%
Iron 0%
Vitamin D 0%
Vitamin B-6 0%
Vitamin B-12 0%
Magnesium 0%

 

[BertAllen]

Essentially it's just fat.

Amount Per 1 tablespoon (13.6 g)

Calories 120
Total Fat 14 g
Saturated fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated fat 1.7 g
Monounsaturated fat 10 g
Trans fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 0 g
Dietary fiber 0 g
Sugar 0 g
Protein 0 g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0%
Iron 0%
Vitamin D 0%
Vitamin B-6 0%
Vitamin B-12 0%
Magnesium 0%

I only use a little amount in an oil less fryer anyway.

 

[Lady Jane]

Our birds are not "in the wild" so there is no comparison to what the wild birds eat or do not eat to the birds that we keep as companions. Why not sweet potato instead of white?

 

[BertAllen]

Our birds are not "in the wild" so there is no comparison to what the wild birds eat or do not eat to the birds that we keep as companions. Why not sweet potato instead of white?

I quite understand that these guys are not in the wild.
I only asked the question because he stole one when I was drying them to get ready for the machine is all.
He likes sweet potato as well and gets it everyday in his veggie mix.

 

[Lady Jane]

@BertAllen

Our birds are not "in the wild" so there is no comparison to what the wild birds eat or do not eat to the birds that we keep as companions.

My posting was not directed to you. Don't think you were even referring to the wild birds. My birds have always loved Trader Joes frozen sweet potato fries with a passion. But give them a regular sweet potato and they look the other way. Silly birds.