8 popular foods during Tet that can cause poisoning
From potatoes, rice, tomatoes to apples, almonds, all can contain dangerous substances, causing poisoning if consumed in large quantities.
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| Potatoesy:According toBusiness InsiderPotatoes, when left for a long time, turn green and are no longer safe to eat. Potatoes with green skins are mildly toxic. This green color is due to a substance called solanine, which appears in potatoes as they age and begin to sprout. Most people can tolerate solanine in small amounts, such as in 1-2 green potatoes. However, it can still cause minor poisoning, resulting in stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and sometimes fever. To avoid solanine poisoning, it is important to discard any potatoes that have green skin. Consuming large amounts of solanine can be fatal. |
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| Kidney beans:This is one of those common foods that is actually poisonous in its raw form. Kidney beans, especially red kidney beans, contain a toxin called profin. Just 4-5 red kidney beans can cause stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. When the beans are soaked for at least 12 hours, then boiled for at least 10 minutes, the toxins are destroyed. In a hurry? Choose canned kidney beans because they have been soaked and boiled, so they are ready to eat. |
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| Narcissus:Daffodils are beautiful and vibrant, but eating any part of the plant can lead to poisoning. Every part of the daffodil is poisonous, including the petals, stems, and bulbs. Children are at the highest risk of daffodil poisoning, and can experience nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and liver damage. However, adults are also susceptible to daffodil poisoning, as many people mistake daffodil bulbs for wild onions. |
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| Rice:This food may contain small amounts of arsenic. Arsenic is naturally found in soil and water, and is absorbed by rice, fruits, vegetables, and grains during cultivation. Although the amount of arsenic in a serving of rice is not harmful, consuming arsenic has the potential to increase the risk of certain diseases, including cancer. |
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| Tomato:Tomatoes are a delicious and flavorful fruit, packed with beneficial vitamins and nutrients, but their leaves are toxic to humans. They contain small amounts of solanine, a toxic alkaloid. Accidentally eating a small leaf or two from a tomato salad is unlikely to cause harm, but eating large amounts – such as using them as salad greens – can be dangerous. |
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| Cherry seeds:Cherries are a popular fruit that are delicious and healthy, but their seeds are poisonous. According to the Missouri Poison Center, cherry pits contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can be fatal if eaten in large doses. Although cherry pit poisoning is extremely rare—you would need to chew several pits to get a lethal dose—you should still remove the pits before eating or cutting cherries. |
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| Bitter almonds:These foods have a delicious aroma, but eating them raw can be fatal. The seeds contain cyanide, and eating 12 bitter almonds can cause the body to absorb enough cyanide to kill an adult. |
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| Apple seeds:Apple seeds contain amygdalin, a compound that produces cyanide. While swallowing one or two apple seeds won’t kill you, eating large quantities can cause fainting, vomiting, kidney failure, coma, and death. Peach and plum seeds also contain amygdalin. |
