Even delicious specialties that some of you may enjoy more often than others can be deadly. See what you should be aware of before eating these 11 types of food.
Here are 11 delicious types of food that are can be fatal.
Mushrooms
You probably already know that mushrooms are no joke. Green fly agaric, spring hamster, field boletus, spotted and red fly agaric are just a few mushrooms that are no joke. If you are not 100% sure that you know mushroom picking, don't take any chances. Deadly mushrooms often look the same as edible ones, and even experts find it difficult to tell the difference.
Cherry pits
Eating too many cherry pits can be fatal. The same applies to pits of apricots, plums or peaches. They contain these hydrocyanic acid, which is so toxic that less than 0.1 gram can kill a person weighing 68 kilograms. A cherry pit contains approx 0.17 grams of hydrocyanic acid, which means that ingesting just one or two can be dangerous.
Cashew nuts
First of all, cashews are considered seeds and not nuts. Theirs and the shells can be deadly, as they contain anacardic acid, which can burn our skin or irritate our stomach. They also have to be cashews boiled or steamed before use, since the raw ones contain urishiol, a chemical also found in poisonous vinegar that can cause death in large quantities. So if you see cashews on a tree somewhere, don't eat them.
Aki
Aki originates from West Africa, and is also grown on Jamaica, where ripe and tasty fruit is especially popular. It is part of a traditional Jamaican dish and has a buttery, creamy texture and mild flavor. If the aki is picked before it is fully ripe, it may contain toxic levels of hypoglycin A, which causes vomiting, hypoglycemia and even death. Aquia seeds are also poisonous. Until 2005, the import of the fruit into the US was prohibited, and the FDA then decided that they would accept only those shipments where the content of toxic substances would be very low.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is excellent in shards, rings and even pickled. However, they are its leaves deadly. They contain oxalic acid, which causes a burning sensation in the mouth and throat, difficulty breathing, coma and death. 5 kilograms of leaves are said to be fatal.
Kidney beans
Kidney beans contain high levels of phytohemagglutinin, making it toxic raw. By boiling the beans well, we get rid of the poison, but poorly cooked kidney beans can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Cooking is recommended at least 30 minutes. Canned beans are pre-cooked, so they are safe to eat.
San-nakji
This is traditional Korean a dish with raw octopus, which should be eaten while the octopus is still coiling. The chef kills it, then cuts it into small pieces and serves it with sesame and soy sauce. Residual nerve activity in the tentacles causes the octopus to still squirm on the plate. But these tentacles can still be active, and how quickly they can they stick to our esophagus. Every year because of this dish about 6 people died.
Potatoes
Never eat green potatoes. The green parts contain a poison called solanine, which in larger quantities can cause serious health problems. The leaves, stem and sprouts of potatoes contain glycoalkaloids, which can be found in the whole family of rashudnikova (a family of plants from the Solanales order, also edible plants that we use in our daily diet: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, pepperoni).
Peanuts
Peanut allergy is one of the most common types of allergies. If you have a severe form of this allergy and eat peanuts in any form (including oil) or just inhale peanut proteins from the air, you may experience anaphylactic shock, which can lead to death if help is not provided in time.
Fugu (pufffish)
Fugu is a Japanese specialty that can be deadly. It's a puffer fish more toxic than cyanide and can cause rapid and violent death. There is no antidote. Liver, ovaries and skin of fish contain tetradotoxin poison, which affects the human nervous system. The chefs who prepare fugu have been trained for at least two years and have a special license to do so.
Nutmeg
The Christmas spice that adds that characteristic flavor to dishes is light hallucinogenic, if consumed in excessive amounts. It can cause tonic and/or clonic skeletal muscle spasms, palpitations and nausea, visual disturbances and feelings of paranoia. 2 to 3 tablespoons of spice is enough. This one should be otherwise also very toxic to dogs.
