When you know this food is poisonous, would you still eat it? I think you would stay away, or perhaps you would take the risk and eat it because of its delicious taste. Little do we know that many of the foods we consume carry toxins, even deadly ones. For our safety, it is necessary to learn about the poisonous foods we often eat.
I. Apple Seeds
Like cherries and almonds, apple seeds also contain cyanide, but in much smaller quantities. Apple seeds can be accidentally eaten, but you would only feel unwell if you eat a lot of them.
A single apple seed won't kill you, but it is entirely possible to die from poisoning if you eat enough. It is advisable not to hold apple-eating contests. By the way, if you want to eat an apple but find a worm in it, hopefully not half a worm, you can put the apple in a bowl of salt water, and the worm will die.
II. Almonds
Almonds are one of the most useful and amazing seeds. Their unique flavor and excellent cooking properties have made them the most popular ingredient in pies for centuries. The most flavorful almonds are bitter almonds. Almonds have the richest aroma and have been popular for many centuries. However, there is a problem: almonds contain cyanide.
Bitter almonds must be detoxified before consumption. Despite this, bitter almonds are still sold illegally in some countries. New Zealand is one of them. Additionally, you can also use the almonds inside apricot pits; their flavor and toxicity are similar. Heating can remove the toxicity from almonds. In fact, you might not know that it is illegal to sell raw almonds in the United States now, so the almonds you buy now have been heated to remove toxins and bacteria.
III. Cherry Leaves and Seeds
Cherries are very common fruits that can be used for cooking, winemaking, or eaten raw. They come from the same family as plums, apricots, and peaches. The leaves and seeds of all these fruits contain extremely toxic compounds. Almonds are also a member of this family, but it is the only fruit that is primarily harvested for its seeds.
When cherry seeds are crushed, chewed, or even slightly damaged, they produce hydrogen cyanide. The next time you eat cherries, remember not to suck or chew on the cherry seeds.
IV. Castor Oil Seeds
Castor oil was one of the many "headache" foods from our childhood. It was often added to candies, chocolates, and other foods. Many people still eat castor oil today. Fortunately, the castor oil we buy is a processed and safe food, but castor beans are deadly.
A single castor bean can kill a horse. Its toxicity comes from ricin, a substance so toxic that workers harvesting castor beans must follow strict regulations to avoid accidental death. Despite this, many workers who harvest castor beans are still accidentally poisoned.
V. Elderberry
The elderberry tree is very beautiful and quite large. It is covered in small, fragrant flowers. These flowers can be used to make elderberry wine and soda.
People sometimes flatten these flowers, fry them, and eat them. However, this is actually risky. The roots and some other parts of the elderberry tree are highly toxic and can cause severe stomach problems. So, the next time you pick elderberry flowers to eat, make sure you are only eating the flowers.
VI. Mushrooms
We have all heard of poisonous mushrooms and know that they are toxic. Poisonous mushrooms are "toadstools." While poisonous mushrooms are relatively easy to identify, this is not always the case. We should be cautious about eating any mushrooms of unknown origin.
You can inspect the mushroom carefully to determine if it is poisonous: a non-poisonous mushroom cap should be flat without any bumps, and it should have pink or black gills (poisonous mushrooms often have white gills). Also, the gills should be attached to the cap, not the stem. You should remember that while this identification knowledge usually applies to many types of mushrooms, it is not an absolute truth. Of course, if you are not completely sure, it is better not to eat it.
VII. Pufferfish
Pufferfish is extremely poisonous; 1 gram of tetrodotoxin can kill 500 people. In Japan, pufferfish chefs must be well-trained and must pass an examination to obtain a professional certificate. The training takes two to three years. To pass the exam, chefs must first take a written test and then demonstrate their filleting skills. The final part of the exam includes the chef eating the pufferfish fillets he has cut. Only 30% of people pass the exam. This does not mean that others died from eating the pufferfish they filleted, but because they did not pass the first two parts of the exam. Only the meat of the pufferfish is edible because the toxicity in the meat is lower. Tetrodotoxin may cause a tingling sensation in the mouth.
VIII. Rhubarb
Rhubarb is an unassuming plant that can be made into some of the best-tasting puddings and is very easy to grow indoors.
Rhubarb is also a magical plant—besides the unknown toxicity on its leaves, they also contain a corrosive acid. When rhubarb leaves are mixed with water and baking soda, their corrosiveness becomes even stronger. The stems of rhubarb are edible and taste great, and the roots can be used to make laxatives and antidotes.