12 Foods you consume everyday that could kill you.

Every day we eat in order to survive and nourish our bodies. When it’s good, it’s very good! But when it’s bad, it can be devastatingly so. Even amongst some of our most common everyday foods and ingredients, there are some we eat that can cause us harm. We should implore extra attention when consuming them.

 

1. Apple seed

An apple a day is still the prescription of the day, but the seeds can harm you! Luckily you would need to eat an awful lot of apple seeds for them to do so, and most people don’t eat the seeds at all. Nonetheless, apple seeds to contain cyanide that can make you vomit or your stomach churn. Even more so if they’re chewed or pulverized.

 

2. Potatoes

The humble potato has poisonous stems and leaves – they are its own built-in defensive mechanism to keep bugs and disease at bay. Potatoes exposed to light turn green and develop similar toxins, called solanine. Eating green potatoes, their shoots, or any spuds that taste bitter can result in vomiting, diarrhea, and fatalities in worst-case scenarios.

 

3. Peanut

If someone has an allergy to peanuts, it can be serious stuff. A severe anaphylactic reaction can result in someone’s airways being seriously restricted, chest tightness, loss of consciousness and shock. Skin reactions can include itches, spots, and welts. This little legume can be found in all sorts of products from cereals to sauces.

 

4. Egg

Raw eggs can contain the Salmonella bacteria that can lead to food poisoning. While not a killer unless you are someone with a weak immune system, anything that affects your intestines is never going to be pleasant. Using pasteurized eggs reduces the risk salmonella bacteria if you are a fan of drinking eggnog, or cannot resist licking the bowl and beaters when you are home baking!

 

5. Tomatoes

The juicy flesh of tomatoes is great and good for you but steer well away from consuming the leaves and stems. They fall within the deadly nightshade family. The green leaves and stems contain alkaloids that can cause gastrointestinal upsets.

 

6. Unpasteurized Honey

The honey you buy in a mainstream supermarket or store is okay, it has been pasteurized to kill any nasties. But if you’re tempted to get honey straight from a beekeeper, you’ll want to check whether it has been pasteurized properly. Unpasteurized honey can contain alkaloids that cause headaches, vomiting, dizziness, and weakness. Too much, especially in young children, can kill you.

 

7. Hot dog

Yes, the good old American style hot dog is a serious health risk. Hot dogs are listed as a leading cause of choking among young children. The cylindrical shape is a choking hazard for small mouths. They are not the best for other aspects of general health if consumed to excess either.

 

8. Cassava

Cassava is a great source of carbohydrates when prepared and processed with the proper soaking and drying conditions. When this root or tuber is not prepared properly, it can contain residual cyanide that can result in poisoning and paralysis.

 

9. Fish

Eating too much fish, or too much of certain types of fish can lead to mercury poisoning. Fish with high levels of mercury include tuna, king mackerel, marlin, sharks, and swordfish. Mercury poisoning affects people’s neurological system and can cause anxiety, memory problems, depression, nerve damage, coordination problems, high blood pressure, and vision changes.

 

10. Nutmeg

A touch or small sprinkle of this spice is good, but too much can result in psychotic behavior and may cause death. Nutmeg contains myristicin, which can cause hallucinations, disorientation and other nasty side effects including nausea and nerve problems.

 

11. Raw Cashew Nut

They may be moreish when cooked or blanched, but raw cashews nut and their outer shells contain substances similar to poison ivy. Hence the reason you won’t often see cashews nuts sold in their shells directly to the public. Imagine getting a burning itch from your visit to the local store to pick up your nuts. Any cashews sold as “raw” in our supermarkets have been treated first.

 

12. Mushroom

Whether you love them or hate them on your pizza, or in a creamy sauce on toast, there are species of mushrooms that are poisonous. The toxic varieties can cause gastro problems, vomiting, convulsions, organ failure, and death. Some of them look similar to the edible ones too, so if you’re a forager or have a dog that sniffs them out, it pays not to let anyone animal or human eat them from the wild.

 

Credit: Healthy and Pretty