Diet is a very important part of daily life, which is what we now call dietary taboos. Eating the wrong things can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, and in severe cases, it can even be fatal. So, what are some of these taboos in daily life?
Food Dietary Taboos
1. Tomato
Toxin: Alkaloids
Poisonous Part: Stems and leaves
Tomatoes themselves are not toxic and are very popular. However, it cannot be denied that the stems and leaves of tomatoes contain a chemical substance called glycoalkaloid. Cultivated tomatoes today have lower levels of this substance, while wild tomatoes have higher concentrations. The toxicity lies in its ability to cause gastrointestinal disorders and nervous anxiety. If you want to use the stems and leaves as a seasoning, you must remove them before consumption. They are generally used as an insect repellent!
Tomato and Egg Cups
2. Apple
Toxin: Cyanide
Poisonous Part: Core
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" – apples are popular everywhere, but many people don't realize they also contain toxic chemicals. Apples contain cyanide, but in small amounts. The flesh itself is not toxic, but you will find cyanide in the core. Eating a whole apple core won't be lethal, but it is definitely not good for your body. Of course, if you eat too many apple cores (assuming you chew and swallow them), complications could arise.
Related Reading: Tomato Recipes
3. Potato
Toxin: Alkaloids
Poisonous Part: Stems and leaves
If you've looked at potatoes closely, you might have noticed some have a slight green tint. This is caused by the toxicity of glycoalkaloids (don't worry about occasionally eating a green potato chip). The stems and leaves of the potato plant are toxic, and the potato itself can be toxic as well. Be sure to throw away potatoes that have sprouted or have a green skin; do not cook and eat them, and be especially careful not to give them to children.
4. Cherry
Toxin: Hydrogen cyanide
Poisonous Part: Pit
Although cherries have many benefits, they are poisonous. To be precise, the cherries themselves are not toxic, but their pits are. If you bite into a cherry pit without thinking and leave it in your mouth, you are likely to swallow hydrogen cyanide. Once the cherry pit is chewed or crushed, it automatically produces hydrogen cyanide. Symptoms of mild poisoning include headache, dizziness, confusion, anxiety, palpitations, and vomiting. Large amounts of hydrogen cyanide can lead to difficulty breathing, high blood pressure, a rapid heartbeat, and kidney failure. Other reactions include coma and seizures, with the most severe cases leading to respiratory failure and death.
5. Mushroom
Toxin: Amatoxins, etc.
Poisonous Part: 5% of mushrooms
Because mushrooms are fungi and there are so many varieties, it is difficult to determine which are poisonous and which are not. There are thousands of mushroom species, with about a hundred said to be toxic, and fewer than ten that are lethal. Nevertheless, mushrooms can still cause stomach upset. By experience, we usually say that mushrooms growing in the wild are likely to be toxic. Amatoxin is one of the deadliest mushroom toxins, causing severe liver damage. The "death cap" mushroom is also one of the poisonous mushrooms.
Mushroom and Chicken Baked Rice
Related Reading: A Complete Guide to Cooking Mushrooms
6. Almond
Toxin: Cyanide
Poisonous Part: Raw almonds
Most people think of almonds as nuts, but they are actually seeds and are particularly popular in the culinary world worldwide. Like cashews, almonds are highly toxic if not heated in some form. It is mainly bitter almonds that need to be detoxified, as they are rich in cyanide. In many countries, it is illegal to sell almonds that have not been processed to remove their toxins.
7. Chili Pepper
Toxin: Capsaicin
Poisonous Part: Chili pepper
Of course, eating one chili pepper is no big deal, but if you eat too many, it could be life-threatening. You have probably eaten chili peppers in your life, whether they were extremely spicy or not. Every chili pepper you eat contains a chemical called capsaicin. In chili peppers, capsaicin is the source of the spiciness. This chemical is so potent that people use it as a paint stripper and even in police pepper spray.
8. Cashew
Toxin: Urushiol
Poisonous Part: Raw cashews
When you buy "raw cashews" in the store, make sure they are steamed and not completely raw. This is because raw cashews contain urushiol, the same toxic chemical found in poison ivy that causes the body to react in the same way as when exposed to poison ivy or poison oak. Ingesting large amounts of urushiol can be fatal. Although cases of cashew poisoning are rare, workers who shell them can sometimes have adverse effects from close contact.
Honeydew Melon, Cashew, and Chicken Stir-fry
Related Reading: A Complete Guide to Eating Cashews
9. Pufferfish
Toxin: Tetrodotoxin
Poisonous Part: Certain organs
It is well-known that eating pufferfish can easily lead to poisoning. The pufferfish is the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world. Although you can't eat it in the United States, many Koreans and others consider parts of its flesh to be a delicacy. However, certain organs, such as the liver, are extremely toxic and fatal.
The toxin in the fish is scientifically named tetrodotoxin. It can cause symptoms like high blood pressure and muscle paralysis, leading to the death of the poisoned person due to diaphragm paralysis and respiratory arrest. Many Asians still find it hard to resist this dangerous delicacy.
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