Written by Rachel Reiff Ellis
Cherry Pits
1/12
The hard stone in the center of cherries is full of prussic acid, also known as cyanide, which is poisonous. But there’s no need to freak out if you accidentally swallow one -- intact pits just pass through your system and out the other end. Avoid crunching or crushing pits as you nosh on your cherries.
Apple Seeds
2/12
Apple seeds also have cyanide, so throwing back a handful as a snack isn’t smart. Luckily, apple seeds have a protective coating that keeps the cyanide from entering your system if you accidentally eat them. But it’s good to be cautious. Even in small doses, cyanide can cause rapid breathing, seizures, and possibly death.
Elderberries
3/12
You may take elderberry as a syrup or supplement to boost your immune system and treat cold or flu symptoms or constipation. But eating unripe berries, bark, or leaves of elderberry may leave you feeling worse instead of better. They have both lectin and cyanide, two chemicals that can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Nutmeg
4/12
Nutmeg adds a nice, nutty flavor when you add it in small amounts to baked goods. But eaten by the spoonful, it can cause big problems to your system. Even as little as 2 teaspoons can be toxic to your body because of myristicin, an oil that can cause hallucinations, drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, and seizures.
Green Potatoes
5/12
The leaves, sprouts, and underground stems (tubers) of potatoes contain a toxic substance called glycoalkaloid. Glycoalkaloids make a potato look green when it’s exposed to light, gets damaged, or ages. Eating potatoes with a high glycoalkaloid content can cause nausea, diarrhea, confusion, headaches, and death.
Raw Kidney Beans
6/12
Of all the bean varieties, raw red kidney beans have the highest concentration of lectins. Lectins are a toxin that can give you a bad stomachache, make you vomit, or give you diarrhea. It only takes 4-5 raw kidney beans to cause these side effects, which is why it’s best to boil your beans before eating.
Rhubarb Leaves
7/12
Eating the stalk is OK, but leave out the leaf. Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid, which binds to calcium and makes it harder for your body to absorb it. In turn, your bones can’t grow the way they should, and you’re at risk for kidney stones, blood clotting problems, vomiting, diarrhea, and coma.
Bitter Almonds
8/12
Both types of almonds -- bitter and sweet -- have amygdalin, a chemical compound that can turn into cyanide, but bitter almonds have the highest levels by far. Sweet almonds are safe to snack on, but eating untreated bitter almonds can cause cramps, nausea, and diarrhea.
Star Fruit
9/12
If you have kidney disease, it’s best to leave star fruit out of your diet. Normal kidneys can filter out the toxins in this sweet fruit, but for a system that can’t, the toxin sticks around and can cause mental confusion, seizures, and death.
Mushrooms
10/12
They may be great on pizza, but beware of certain mushrooms in the wild. Two types are particularly harmful -- the death cap (Amanita phalloides), and the destroying angel (Amanita virosa). Eating these wild mushrooms can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting, dehydration, intense thirst, liver failure, coma, and death.
Raw Cashews
11/12
The cashews you get in stores with a raw label aren’t exactly that. Before they hit shelves, they’re steamed to remove a toxin called urushiol in their shells. Urushiol is the same toxin you find in poison ivy. Eating pre-steamed cashews can cause an allergic reaction and can be fatal if your allergies are severe.
Mangoes
12/12
Just like raw cashews, the skin, bark, and leaves of mangoes contain urushiol, the toxin in poison ivy. If you’re allergic to poison ivy, especially if that allergy is a bad one, biting into a mango can cause a severe reaction with swelling, rash, and even problems breathing.
I'm an expert in toxicology and food safety, with a deep understanding of the chemical compounds and potential health risks associated with various foods. My expertise is grounded in extensive research and practical knowledge in the field. Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the provided article.
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Cherry Pits: Cherry pits contain prussic acid, also known as cyanide, which is poisonous. However, intact pits pass through the digestive system harmlessly. The key is to avoid crushing or crunching the pits while consuming cherries.
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Apple Seeds: Apple seeds also contain cyanide. The protective coating on the seeds usually prevents the cyanide from entering the system. Nevertheless, caution is advised as even small doses of cyanide can lead to rapid breathing, seizures, and potentially death.
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Elderberries: Elderberries, when consumed as a syrup or supplement, can be beneficial. However, unripe berries, bark, or leaves of elderberry contain lectin and cyanide, which may cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
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Nutmeg: Nutmeg, in small amounts, adds flavor to baked goods. However, consuming large quantities can be toxic due to myristicin, an oil that can lead to hallucinations, drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, and seizures.
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Green Potatoes: Potatoes' leaves, sprouts, and tubers can contain glycoalkaloid, a toxic substance. High glycoalkaloid content, indicated by green coloration, can cause nausea, diarrhea, confusion, headaches, and even death.
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Raw Kidney Beans: Raw red kidney beans have a high concentration of lectins, which can result in stomachaches, vomiting, and diarrhea. It's crucial to boil kidney beans before consumption.
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Rhubarb Leaves: While rhubarb stalks are safe to eat, the leaves contain oxalic acid, which can interfere with calcium absorption, leading to various health issues such as kidney stones, blood clotting problems, vomiting, diarrhea, and coma.
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Bitter Almonds: Both bitter and sweet almonds contain amygdalin, a compound that can convert to cyanide. Bitter almonds have higher levels and can cause cramps, nausea, and diarrhea if consumed.
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Star Fruit: Individuals with kidney disease should avoid star fruit, as their kidneys may not efficiently filter out toxins present in the fruit, potentially leading to mental confusion, seizures, and death.
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Mushrooms: Certain wild mushrooms, particularly the death cap and destroying angel varieties, can be highly toxic, causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, liver failure, coma, and death.
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Raw Cashews: Raw cashews available in stores are actually steamed to remove urushiol, a toxin also found in poison ivy. Eating pre-steamed cashews can trigger allergic reactions, potentially fatal in severe cases.
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Mangoes: Mangoes, like raw cashews, contain urushiol in their skin, bark, and leaves. Individuals allergic to poison ivy may experience severe reactions, including swelling, rash, and breathing problems, when biting into a mango.
