Delicious and nutritious foods like tomatoes, apples, potatoes, cherries, almonds, cashews, and more can lead to food poisoning and tragedy if you eat the wrong parts. Pay close attention!
One, Tomato
Poisonous Part: Stems and Leaves
Although tomatoes are popular in many countries, they are indeed poisonous. While the flesh itself is non-toxic, its stems and leaves are packed with a chemical called glycoalkaloid. Wild tomatoes contain higher levels of this substance, but even commercially grown tomatoes have some. This can cause stomach upset and anxiety. Stems and leaves can be used as a cooking flavoring, but they must be removed before consumption. This chemical is so potent that it is often used as an insecticide.
Two, Apple
Poisonous Part: The Core
Apples are an absolutely popular fruit no matter where you go. Similar to other foods on this list, apples also contain cyanide, but in small amounts. The flesh is not toxic, but you will find cyanide in the apple core. Eating a whole apple core won't be lethal, but it's certainly not good for you. Of course, if you eat too many apple cores (provided you chew and swallow them), there could be complications.
Three, Potato
Poisonous Part: Stems and Leaves
We've all heard stories about potatoes. Whether it's the Irish Potato Famine or other related historical events, they are well-known, but you may not have heard that potatoes are also poisonous. The stems and leaves of the potato plant are toxic, and even the potato itself can be. If you've looked closely at potatoes, you might have noticed some are slightly green, which is caused by the toxicity of glycoalkaloid. There have been cases of death from potato poisoning, though rare, mostly from drinking potato leaf tea or eating green potatoes. The fatal incidents are not sudden; the person often initially feels weak and then falls into a coma. Don't worry about an occasional green potato chip, but be sure to throw away potatoes that have sprouted or have a green skin and do not cook or eat them, especially be careful not to give them to children.
Four, Cherry
Poisonous Part: The Pit
Cherries are one of the most versatile fruits; they can be eaten raw, cooked, baked, made into jam or candy, and even paired with certain wines. Despite their many benefits, cherries are poisonous. If you bite into a cherry pit without thinking and leave it in your mouth, you've likely swallowed cyanide. Once a cherry pit is chewed or crushed, it automatically produces hydrogen cyanide. Symptoms of mild poisoning include headache, dizziness, confusion, anxiety, and vomiting. Large amounts of hydrogen cyanide can lead to difficulty breathing, high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, and kidney failure. Other reactions include coma, seizures, and, in the most severe cases, respiratory failure leading to death.
Five, Mushroom
Poisonous Part: 5% of Mushrooms
There are about 5,000 species of mushrooms in the United States, about 100 of which are said to be poisonous, and fewer than ten are lethal. Nevertheless, mushrooms can cause stomach upset. Because mushrooms are fungi and there are so many varieties, it's difficult to determine which are poisonous and which are not. By experience, we usually say that wild-grown mushrooms are likely to be poisonous. Phalloidin is one of the deadliest mushroom toxins, causing severe liver damage. The "death cap" mushroom is also one of the poisonous mushrooms.
Six, Almond
Poisonous Part: Raw Almonds
Most people always think of almonds as nuts, but they are actually seeds and are very popular in the culinary world worldwide. Similar to cashews, almonds are highly toxic if not heated in some form. The main ones that need to be detoxified are bitter almonds, which are rich in cyanide. In many countries, it is illegal to sell almonds that have not been processed to remove their toxins.
Seven, Cashew
Poisonous Part: Raw Cashews
Although not a nut but a seed, the cashew has a shell-like structure and grows on a fruit. When you buy "raw cashews" at the store, be sure to buy steamed, not completely raw. This is because raw cashews contain urushiol, the same toxic chemical found in poison ivy that causes the body to have the same reaction as contact with poison ivy or poison oak. Ingesting large amounts of urushiol can be fatal. While cashew poisoning cases are rare, workers who shell them can sometimes have adverse effects from close contact.
Eight, Cassava
Poisonous Part: The Cassava
Although not common in the United States, the shrub-like cassava is widely distributed in the Caribbean and South America. When used as an ingredient, cassava can be made into both sweet and bitter varieties. Its taste and smell depend on the amount of cyanide it contains, a substance that is highly poisonous. Most people who eat cassava prefer the bitter variety because the taste can repel insects and even animals. If the preparation is not done correctly before eating, it can be fatal. Because of its high cyanide content, cassava's toxicity can cause neurological disorders and also lead to permanent paralysis.
Nine, Pufferfish
Poisonous Part: Certain Organs
The pufferfish is the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world. Although you can't eat it in the United States, many Koreans and Japanese find the flesh of certain parts of this fish to be very delicious. However, certain organs, such as the liver, are extremely poisonous and fatal. The toxin in the fish is called tetrodotoxin. It can cause symptoms like high blood pressure and muscle paralysis, and can lead to the death of the poisoned person due to paralysis of the diaphragm and respiratory arrest. Many Asians still find it hard to resist this dangerous delicacy.
Ten, Chili Pepper
Poisonous Part: The Chili Pepper
You've probably eaten chili peppers at some point in your life, whether very spicy or not. Every chili pepper you eat contains a chemical called capsaicin. In chili peppers, capsaicin is the source of the spicy flavor. Of course, eating one chili pepper is not a problem, but if you eat too many, it could be life-threatening. This chemical is so potent that people use it as a paint stripper and even in police pepper spray. In very hot chili peppers like the Habanero, the capsaicin content is so惊人 (amazingly high) that if you cut one open, you will immediately feel a burning sensation on your skin.