Medical researcher Jenny Hills also sings its praises in an article on Healthy and Natural World. Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the noxzema on sunburn outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes. Prep the skin by cleansing it as you usually would, and patch test the potato on the inside of your forearm.
(This is a process called osmosis.) So, if you put the potatoes in a salt water bath, that will help draw out some of their moisture, resulting in crispier fries. The beneficial azelaic acid compound in potatoes helps to lighten dark spots, reduce blemishes on the face, and gradually fade hyperpigmentation. A Healthy Journal was born out of passion, the passion for food, but mainly for a healthy life. We are a bunch of friends all over the world who, at a certain time of their lives, realised the doctor’s advice was not enough anymore.
Indeed, the viral clip shows that the potato slices were blackened after being inside the socks all night — which left some viewers feeling queasy. “There isn’t much evidence to show that potatoes are effective at drawing out toxins or will help you get over a cold faster,” Dr. Robinson said. There are plenty of people who’ve tried the potato remedy and say it got rid of their cold or flu symptoms. However, there’s no clinical evidence to show that this folk remedy works.
The presence of vitamin C in potatoes helps the body produce collagen, which is the most important protein for skin health. Slice a potato, about 1/8 of an inch thick, and stuff it into your child’s sock. Not only do some mums swear by its effect on colds, it can also help bring down a child’s high fever. According to WebMD, potato peels have anti-bacterial properties, too. To fight the flu, they say, put either a potato or onion in your sock overnight. Western medicine and science have shown that sulphuric compounds in onions have the ability to kill bacteria and viruses—but only when ingested, and in very limited studies.
Recently, a mum-of-five called Laura Kathleen tried out the hack herself. Uploading a video to TikTok, she revealed that she had tested it out for two nights, after spotting the trend on the video sharing app. The “potato sock” trend has gone viral on TikTok, with various people trying it out for themselves – and some claim it works.
Experts say that there is no evidence that potatoes are an effective method of drawing out toxins or helping people get over an illness faster. The potato socks phenomenon also isn’t the first trend that promotes health misinformation online and likely won’t be the last. The dangerous Benadryl challenge, sunscreen contouring and dubious chlorophyll trends have all come before it.
Doctors are saying that potato slices in your socks don’t take the place of seeing a doctor when you have the flu. Eric Ascher, DO, explains that the possible risk of putting potatoes in your socks has to do with their moisture, which could create a breeding ground for toe fungus. Unsurprisingly, there is no scientific evidence that this would help cure a viral respiratory infection, and putting a potato on the skin would have “zero therapeutic benefit”. You take a potato, cut it in half, and then slice off two pieces. You press the potato slices against the bottom of your feet .
Some people are claiming that a bizarre new hack involving a potato can relieve the symptoms of cold and flu. And it involves pressing a potato against your foot. Slice a potato, about 1/8 of an inch thick, and stuff it into your child’s sock.
The user said you cut a potato in half and make a few slices. Then, put one slice between each foot and cover it with a sock overnight while you’re asleep. The strange remedy, known as “potato sock,” has gained so much popularity that there are hundreds of videos on the app showing people trying it out. Videos related to the term “potato sock” have also racked up 8.5 billion views collectively.
According to Ascher, a well-rounded diet with plenty of fiber helps stool pass through your body and naturally removes a lot of toxins. Ascher explained that just like when you cut up other fruits and vegetables like apples, bananas, and avocados when left out, they will turn dark. Alyssa Hui is a St. Louis-based health and science news writer.