Just as there are foods that are good for you, there are also those that are bad for you. By bad, we mean that they could just as well kill you. So be careful what you put in your mouth the next time you grab a bite. You could would up being food poisoned, or even worse, contract a serious life-threatening cancer.
As the good and honest citizens we are, we have gone out of our way to list some of the worst junk that people eat and be the death of them. Even the simplest of foods have surprisingly hostile effects.
- Potatoes
Surprised? You should be. If you’re a fan of French fries and mashed potatoes, you had best be giving it a second thought now. Well, not exactly. But you should be on the lookout for a green tone on your potato. It is a deadly nerve toxin called solanine.
Watch out for the green part of the potato such as leaves and stems because that is where the toxin is. In fact, the leaves contain another deadly toxin called glycoalkaloids. So be careful not to eat the leaves or even give them to the animals.
- Fruit, Plum, Peaches and Apricots
Fruits are fun to eat as long as you don’t come in contact with the pits in some of them. Cherry pits are poisonous as they contain a type of hydrogen cyanide called prussic acid. They’re not poisonous as a whole, but if it’s broken, then you’re in trouble. They are bitter and quite impossible to chew.
According to studies, ingesting one or two freshly crushed pits is enough to kill a 150-pound human.
- Rhubarb
The ingredient responsible for making pies, jams, and other desserts is dangerous? Say it isn’t so! Well, not the red stalks at least. The leaves are the ones that you have to keep an eye out for. The leaves contain oxalic acid, that too in high concentrations. Rust removal and bleach are where this chemical is found in.
The side effects that come with consuming the leaves include vomiting, nausea, burning in your mouth and throat, or worse, death. So yes, it is that bad.
- Puffer Fish
The idea of making an edible dish out of a puffer fish is a stunner itself. The skin and the organs are quite poisonous. According to the National Institute of Health, the toxin in the fish called tetrodotoxin can paralyze your muscles as well as cause death due to asphyxiation.
To make matters worse is that there is no cure for the poison. Even cooking doesn’t get rid of its poison. Special-trained chefs have to remove the skin, the liver, and the ovaries before they can serve the dish.
- Lima Beans
The fact you never ate lima beans from when you were young is not the same reason they’re on this list. Lima beans are actually high in protein, fiber, carbs and low in fat and cholesterol. But they also include a protein that is toxic, if eaten raw that is. The name of the protein is phytohemagglutinin.
It belongs to an ordinary group of proteins called lectins. Some of the lectins found in uncooked lima beans can be deadly to the human body.
- Castor Beans
Castor beans are the ingredients used to make special skincare products. Unfortunately, they are inedible as they contain a toxin called ricin. Eating just a handful of the beans could mean death. When making castor oil, the manufacturers have to take special precautions to ensure that none of the ricin gets into the mix.
Without that step, many of the cosmetics and lotions that you have been using could have ended your lives.
Take heed of the deadly products above to ensure that you keep from ingesting them when you see them later on in your life.
Author bio: Alice Mando is a Nutritionist at Custom Dissertation Writing Services. In addition, she is also a food blogger. With her insightful articles, she shares her knowledge with the audience about the different types of foods.